Ancient Weapons in Modern Times
Gino Belfiore - Hung Gar and Shaolin Instructor, Wing Lam Kung Fu School, Ohio Alva Ervin - Shaolin Instructor, Wing Lam Kung Fu School, Ohio

Why do we learn traditional weapons? What purpose(s) does it serve? I've heard some students ask - why bother learning weapons when most people carry guns? Who is going to walk down today's streets with a sword in their hand (except the Highlander)? Tradition however, warrants many reasons to learn weapons. A thousand years ago there were no firearms. All warfare took place on the battlefield with wood and metal weapons such as the sword, staff, ax and spear. Everyone had to become familiar with a weapon or you would be at a great disadvantage. For example, Shaolin monks carried staffs, Chinese ground soldiers carried the broadsword, and Chinese army generals carried straight swords or kwan daos (a large ax-like blade on a long staff).

Most people chose a specific weapon in which to become proficient. Practice was essential so the weapon and the person became one unit. An efficient way to practice was by performing "sets" or "forms" for each of the weapons used. These forms were designed to contain all of the movements and practical application of the system; thus while practicing, you could learn to wield the weapon without injuring your fellow students or training brothers.
For centuries, the skills in weaponry practice has been passed down from teacher to student or from parent to child. Illiteracy was prevalent, therefore, passing on knowledge was accomplished through memorization or devising poems or songs about the system. Passing on the knowledge you accumulated was essential if traditions were to remain and for the survival of the system.

An important reason to learn the weapons of your system is to continue the traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. Without the continued training with weapons, tradition will be lost. That would resemble if we stopped giving gifts at Christmas or if mother's decided not to make Thanksgiving dinner. There are forms and drills that are indigenous to your system, thus weapons offer another dimension to help preserve the art. Within the traditions of the system lies the survival of the complete system.

Self defense applications should always be practices from your weapon sets. Just doing sets alone have no meaning if you don't seek out the truth behind the movements. There are those of you who may ask, "in what situations can you use these skills"? If you have paid attention in class, there are weapons all around us on a daily basis. A great martial artist will make use of anything at hand. In a self defense situation, a broom or mop can be wielded like a staff. A tire iron or walking stick are similar to a sword. Scissors of a pen may be used like daggers. A scarf or sweater are excellent defenses against someone brandishing a knife. Long ago, farmers used whatever they had available to defend themselves including: rakes, hoes of spades. Most anything you pick up can be used as a weapon.
There are physical reasons to learn traditional weapons - it builds coordination skills and builds muscles strength. Coordination skills are developed between the hands and feet . The spinning, jumping and twirling with weapons in hand required in some sets, help the mind coordinate difficult actions your body might make during an actual fight. Likewise, two person weapons sets help build your timing and coordination skills. Trust me, if your timing is off, you will get whacked (we've been whacked a few times). Two person sets also give you an opportunity to see first hand what it is like to defend against someone with a weapon. Weapons are an extension of your body, therefore, coordination is essential.

Additionally, training with weapons also builds muscle strength in the shoulders and arms. Like lifting weights, weapon training can increase endurance and speed in your self defense techniques. The weight of heavier weapons can help you root in your stances, develop leg strength and better balance. Legend tells of men wielding kwan daos weighing 20 to 50 pounds. Just think of the strength it took to hold such weapons.

Still many learn weapons specifically for tournament competition. Most of us are competitive by nature, and that's good. Weapon training for a tournament forces a student to practice diligently. This brings the student closer to the true nature of their weapon(s); The martial spirit is brought our in all of us. Tournaments also bring spectators to watch and enjoy the competition and spread the word of your style.

Tradition and knowledge is never-ending, it is continually spread from person to person, as it should. If you here someone say that traditional weapon training is worthless, you can tell them the still have a lot to learn about kung fu. Remember a wealth of tradition and knowledge lies in your weapon training.