The Origin of Nunchucks

1970-1974 Bruce Lee Kung Fu movies began to sweep Western Europe. The legendary kung fu king Bruce Lee used a fascinating weapon in his films: the nunchaku.

The nunchuck has influenced countless martial arts enthusiasts along with Bruce Lee’s kung fu movies because it is a soft yet hard, soft yet rigid weapon. It is retractable and retractable, compact, easy to carry, and capable of close combat. It has the characteristics of infinite power, so it is widely spread all over the world. Jeet Kune Do has been famous for its powerful and fast movements since it was founded by the great master Bruce Lee. The nunchaku is its essence. Bruce Lee wielding the nunchaku became an invincible warrior. In almost all European countries this impression of hand-held weapons is unheard of. Bruce Lee's films became unprecedentedly successful, and sports clubs were overcrowded with requests to learn oriental martial arts. Nunchucks in particular have become very popular.

In any case, the popularity of nunchucks has its downturns. Nunchucks were often seen being used in street battles, and gradually their owners became criminally inclined. Young people carry nunchucks everywhere, even they don't know how to use it. Soon, this Oriental hand-held weapon was regarded by the public as a "strangling stick". This was a completely wrong definition, because this weapon was used for striking, certainly not just for strangulation. Unfortunately this misunderstanding still exists today.

Nunchucks can be found all over the world, albeit with slight variations in appearance. For example, most nunchucks in Asia are made of wood, and more modern styles are slowly beginning to appear, because nunchucks are the most popular and recognized martial arts in recent years. Gradually, the nunchucks became various. Foam or sponge, iron, steel, plastic, but most people stick to the traditional style and use wooden nunchakus, because nunchakus were originally made of wood. This change is also reflected in the way the weight is connected to the stick, which may be a length of rope or an iron chain. The diameter, length and chain length of the stick all vary according to the user's preference and the local style of nunchaku.

Due to the nunchuck's small size, it can be easily concealed, especially within the more traditional ensembles of the ancient Eastern world. Despite this, it is not as widely popular as martial arts such as Kendo. Perhaps this could be attributed to the influence of Bruce Lee, a well-trained person holding a nunchuck can effectively fight against longer weapons like knives, swords, long sticks, etc. The most effective place for nunchaku fighting to work is in the streets and alleys.

What are the other names for nunchucks? Why do some people call it nunchaku?

Jay Chou's song "Nunchaku" has indeed made this weapon popular again. So now many people call it nunchaku. Probably, the popularity of the same martial arts equipment will always be accompanied by the diversification of names. For example, the long stick has become one of the earliest and most common weapons used by people due to the convenience of its material and its effectiveness in application. However, with the development and popularization of stick techniques, there are more and more types of long sticks, and the names of long sticks have also become diversified, such as "pole", "tiaozi", "stick" and so on. The same is true for nunchucks, which are called "nunchakus", "two-section sticks", "two-section sticks" and "nunchucks". But friends who play nunchucks are still accustomed to calling them nunchucks. Bruce Lee and our elders call it the Nunchaku. In addition, the name Double Two Sticks is also very common, and this is how it is called in Kingsoft PowerWord. Its English name doesn't seem to be very different, Nunchaku or Nunchakus. The English name Nunchuks should come from Japanese, but now it is also called that way internationally. The names on the packaging of some nunchucks are much more complicated, including: Two Sections Stick, Erlong Stick. In fact, it doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s not important, but I still recommend calling it nunchuck or two-section gun. The reason for calling it nunchaku is that there is the most information about this word on the Internet. Personally, I feel that this is what it is called. The smoothest and nicest to listen to. It is called Nunchaku because Bruce Lee and his predecessors called it Nunchaku, and its pronunciation is similar to the international name NUNCHAKU.

Alternative names for the nunchaku in Chinese include: nunchaku, two-section stick, two-section stick, two-dragon stick, double-dragon stick, coiling-dragon stick, dragon-tiger stick, nunchaku whip, etc.

Nunchaku in English: [Nunchaku or nunchakus] A martial arts weapon, which is two hardwood sticks connected by rawhide or nylon rope. Another English dictionary records that nunchaku means "a rope-and-stick used in Japanese unarmed self-defense", which comes from the Japanese pronunciation. The Japanese pronunciation of nunchuck is basically the same as nunchaku. Nunchaku is the Japanese transliteration into English. Since Japanese has two forms, kana and katakana, it can absorb many foreign words. Everyone knows that the Japanese have translated many words that are not in English, such as kendo (kendo), jujutsu (now called "judo"), kyudo (bow and sword technique), etc. The Japanese word nunchuck originated from Fujian, China.

Nunchaku in Japanese: ヌンチャク (両庄, Nunchaku, Two-Jakus)

tahn do li ga was originally a tool used in farms in Japan for threshing. timely use. Fruits, seeds and plant stems are picked and piled together.

During drying, tahn do li ga is used to turn and strike the seeds to crack and fall off, so that the processed grains can be collected. Later it evolved into a weapon. This is the information about the nunchaku on the Japanese website "ヌンチャク (両庄, Nunchaku, Two-Jakugun) is a kind of weapon. "Section で二つに分かれたstick" means する "両Jakugun" The etymology of をFujian で読んだ「n=ng-chiat-kun」. The length is 30~40cm and the size is 4~5cm. The two sticks are connected with each other and the lock is connected with each other. ”

There are also two other names: "ee chul bong" (two-section stick), and a more appropriate name, "tahn do li ga" (short flail).

The history of the nunchaku

History of China

Legend has it that the nunchaku was created by Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty. It was originally called Dapanlonggun (also known as Dashaozi in the north in modern times). And the small panlong stick (small sweep). But at that time, the big panlong stick was shorter at one end and longer at the other. It was specially used to attack enemy horses, armor-piercing soldiers or hard weapons, so that they lost their combat effectiveness. It spread to the Philippines from the south and to Japan from the east. Due to historical changes, the nunchuck was changed to its current form: 72CM in total length, each section of the stick is 30CM, and there is an iron chain or nylon rope in the middle, about 12CM long. The nunchuck is a standard 72CM nunchuck, which is different from the traditional large and small dragon sticks.

Jet Kune Do has been famous for its strong and fast movements since its creation by Mr. Bruce Lee, the king of kung fu. The nunchaku is the essence of it. His nunchaku skills are at their peak, and the majestic and powerful way he wields them in the movie is still amazing to this day. Watching Bruce Lee perform the nunchuck is enough to pay the price. The nunchuck has been with Bruce Lee in his Kung Fu movies since it is a soft yet hard weapon, soft yet steely, it is retractable and retractable, compact and portable. It is convenient and powerful in close combat, so it is widely spread around the world. According to foreign police surveys, the power of the nunchaku in actual combat is second only to the pistol.

Bruce Lee went to the United States to develop and use force to make friends. , and made friends with the world's fighting masters. One of them was Iru Santo, known as the "King of Filipino Sticks." At the same time, Bruce Lee also learned this nunchuck technique from him, and after some hard training and painstaking research, he reached the peak of his nunchaku technique, and his moves were fierce. It is sharp and dazzling. Anyone who has watched his videos will know that it is not like some traditional "showman" or "troupe" Kung Fu, but a real magical skill.

Jet Kune Do itself. The King of Kung Fu, Mr. Bruce Lee, has always been famous for his powerful and fast movements. His nunchaku skills are at their peak, and he wields them with extraordinary speed in the movie. It is still amazing to this day. Film critics at the time said that just watching Bruce Lee perform the nunchuck is enough to pay the price. Weapons made of steel have the advantages of being retractable and retractable, compact, easy to carry, and extremely powerful in close combat. Therefore, they are widely circulated around the world.

The Japanese theory of history

Accurate. The history of the nunchuck is unknown. However, we have an idea of ??how it developed. Most likely, the nunchuck was originally an agricultural implement. It was used as a flail or horse bit. In the 13th or 14th century, many Chinese immigrated to Okinawa (an island near Japan).

These Chinese people mainly settled in the city of Kumemura. They are proficient in various martial arts. One of them is using a weapon. They called this weapon: "Nunchuck". The Japanese are very interested in this martial art. Large numbers of Japanese travel to Kumemura to learn this fascinating self-defense martial art. The techniques that were later learned were translated by the Japanese into their own names, and the names of the weapons were also changed.

The Japanese began to call this weapon: "Nunchaku". They also changed the shape of the nunchaku. The Chinese nunchaku consists of two round sticks connected by an iron chain. The Japanese use ropes to connect two octagonal sticks. This type of nunchuck has developed into different styles.

World Nunchaku Association

(World Nunchaku Association, WNA)

The World Nunchaku Association (WNA) is the leading organization of Nunchaku Road. Nunchaku Do is one of the rapidly developing martial arts sports in the world today. The World Nunchaku Association (WNA) is affiliated with the Eastern Martial Arts Federation and the Dutch Sports Federation.

The World Nunchaku Association currently operates in 12 countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Romania. The website was created to promote the sport of nunchuck and allow practitioners to communicate and learn from each other.

The Dutch government officially investigates the history and origins of the nunchaku.

However, at that time, the Dutch Martial Arts Federation (the Dutch Martial Arts Federation consists of judo, karate, and taekwondo) gave the government wrong information. According to the Dutch Martial Arts Federation, the nunchuck is an offensive weapon and is not accepted by the public because it is an oriental martial art. The nunchuck is anyway part of Okinawan Kobujutsu (a fighting technique using classic karate weapons). Therefore, the Dutch Martial Arts Federation made a big mistake. The Dutch government readily accepted the advice of these experts and banned the use of nunchucks by law. The name of the law is the "Excluded Harmful Hand-held Weapons Act". Now the nunchuck has been relegated to the level of sticks, maces, and all kinds of regulated knives! Nunchucks are now forbidden for anyone to practice, including serious karate practitioners.

Things started to change, however, when Milco Lambrecht from Amstelveen won a major martial arts tournament organized by the martial arts magazine "Zendokan" (a magazine focusing on nunchaku techniques). From that point on, the foundation of nunchaku-do began to be established. Milco Lambrecht gathered several national nunchuck experts to join him in researching the feasibility of this magnificent all-purpose weapon. Soon these enthusiastic people had only one idea in their minds: to develop an official, independent nunchaku movement.

In 1985, Lambrecht developed a special foam nunchuck, called: safety nunchaku. With this safety nunchuck the possibilities are endless. Now one-on-one nunchaku competition is possible. Special uniforms and safety helmets were developed, and regulations and hierarchies were drawn up. The nunchaku movement began to take shape.

Thanks in part to the support of Veronica-Sport commentator John Haanen, this latest martial arts movement has grown rapidly and impressively. A large number of coaches were trained and large-scale competitions were organized. In 1987 the Dutch Nunchaku Foundation (SNN) was established.

A historic moment for Nunchuck Do was in 1990 when the National Sanctuary Organization received certification from the NOC*NSF (which was still called the NSF) due to its membership in the Federation of Oriental Martial Arts (FOG).

Only the black and yellow safety nunchucks from the Dutch Nunchaku Foundation are recognized as nunchucks. All other nunchucks remain banned to this day. The Dutch Nunchuck Foundation's nunchucks are the only ones certified by forensic laboratories and public prosecutors. For official safety nunchucks please contact the Dutch Nunchaku Foundation.

Nunchaku Do has been recognized as a martial art since 1984. The nunchuck is no longer considered an aggressive street-fighting weapon. In 1996, the World Nunchaku Association (WNA) was established. Today, 12 countries have joined the World Nunchuck Association.

Commonly used postures of the nunchaku

There are four main postures: holding the sky with both hands, Oolong flipping, Su Qin carrying the sword and white snake spitting letters. Among them, the most commonly used postures are holding the sky with both hands and Wulong. The dragon writhes.

Hands up to the sky is the most commonly used posture. It is suitable for both attack and defense. It is better than other postures. . The hands-up-to-the-sky posture is a natural posture (right posture), with the right foot in front and the left foot behind. The front and back lines are open, slightly wider than the shoulders. Take a step forward with the right foot, buckle the toes in, and then place the left foot horizontally and raise the heel slightly. , knees slightly bent, upper body facing the enemy sideways. Hold the ends of sticks A (the stick held by the right hand) and B (the stick held by the left hand) with both hands respectively, and straighten the sticks so that they are parallel to the ground (or stand upright, perpendicular to the ground). The ends of the sticks point to the enemy. mid body. Draw in your abdomen and chest, and straighten your back naturally. Keep your eyes on the enemy's chest. The left and right postures have the same movements as the right postures, but in opposite directions. The left and right postures can be moved forward, backward, left and right, or can be swung in place for chopping, sweeping, shackling, pumping and other exercises.

Oolong Somersault The Oolong Somersault is simple to move, flexible in movement, and very fast in releasing the stick. It is a posture that can be used both offensively and defensively. Starting from the basic principle of raising the sky with both hands, hold the sticks tightly with the right hand on the ends of the two sticks, with the palms facing inward, and the two sticks are approximately perpendicular to the ground and close to the right hip.

White snake spits out the signal, white snake spits out Xinshi is a posture used for attack and is not suitable for defense. Starting from the basic principle of raising the sky with both hands, retract the B stick under the right armpit and clamp the end of the stick with the right shoulder, and push the left hand forward to the left with a raised palm. The lower jaw is slightly retracted and the eyes are looking forward.

Su Qin's back-sword posture Su Qin's back-sword posture is a posture used when actively attacking and is not suitable for defense. Starting from the basic principle of raising the sky with both hands, swing the B stick forward, upward and backward, open your left hand under the right rib to catch the swinging stick B, keep the iron chain close to the shoulder, and retract the chin , look ahead.

The above basic posture and action requirements: start with tranquility, quickly stand up and enter the attack distance of the enemy. Decisive, swift, and determined to win or lose. Body, mind and stick are integrated into one.

Twelve postures for getting started with the nunchaku

The first posture: Meteor chasing the moon

Key points of action: right foot in front, hold the end of the stick with your right hand, at the side of the body Make a clockwise or counterclockwise standing round swing stick.

Action instructions: The distance between the arms and ribs should not be too far. When swinging, the wrist is the main force, and both left and right hands need to practice. This style is mainly used to protect the side of the body.

Second Style: Go both ways

Key points of the action: Hold the end of the stick and swing it horizontally in an eight-figure swing in front of the body.

Action description: The arms and wrists must be coordinated and the body and steps must be coordinated. Both left and right hands need to be practiced. This style can be used to protect the whole body, both offensively and defensively.

The third style: taking over the host

Key points of the action: Put your index finger between the ends of the two sticks, with stick A on top and stick B on the bottom. Use your wrist strength to make stick B bounce up to stick A. Above, release three fingers at the same time and immediately retract, holding stick A, and the index finger that originally held stick A immediately flips up and places it on top of stick A. When stick B bounces up and falls, the positions of sticks A and B are interchanged.

Action description: This pose can train the reaction speed of the fingers and the flexibility of the fingers. It needs to be practiced with both left and right hands.

Fourth Style: Venomous Snake Vomits a Letter

Key points of action: Clamp one end of stick B with your right armpit, hold stick A with your right hand, then release stick B, and at the same time move your right arm forward The moment he stretched out, his right wrist immediately used his strength to swing the B stick out. Then use your arm strength to quickly pull stick B back to your armpit.

Action description: When the stick is swung out, the shoulders, arms, elbows, forearms and other parts should be stretched forward at the same time. When the stick is retracted, the elbows should be deviated from the body. This style can be used to attack the opponent's head, shoulders and other parts.

Fifth Posture: Su Qin Back Sword

Key points of action: Bend the right arm forward, right hand is at the same height as the head, left hand is at the lower part of the right arm, hold the stick in both hands, and assume the posture of carrying the sword. Then let go of your left hand, and use your right hand to swing the stick forward and downward. When the stick is gone, the force will swing forward and upward, circle around, and return to the front of your right shoulder. Open your left hand and stretch it behind your right rib to welcome the swing back. stick.

Action description: This style can strike the enemy from top to bottom.

The sixth posture: Tired Bird Knows Return

Action points: Stand in a horse stance, hold the stick with both hands, loosen the stick with the left hand, and let it hang downward. When the stick is about to reach its end, , the right wrist quickly bounces the stick back to the left hand. Then release your right hand and perform rotation exercises.

Action description: This style is mainly used to confuse the opponent so that the enemy cannot figure out which side to attack from, and can hit the opponent below the waist.

Seventh posture: Venomous snake coming out of the hole

Key points of action: Hold the stick in your right hand, overlap the two sticks and keep them parallel to the horizon, focus on your right hand, and clamp the lower part with your thumb and the inner edge of your palm stick, and then use force to shoot out the stick stacked on top, shoot to the end and pull the stick back.

Action description: This style can be used to suddenly hit the opponent's head. It needs to be practiced with both left and right hands.

Position 8: Crossing Mountains

Key points of action: Stand in a natural posture, hold the stick in both hands, release your left hand, hold the stick in your right hand and swing it from behind to the front to the right to above the head , turn your wrist so that the stick makes a circle on the upper right side, and then swing it to the left of the body. When the stick swings to the left back of the body, use the iron chain between the two sticks to stick to the waist, and at the same time, the waist quickly moves slightly to the right side. With one twist, the wrist rises to swing the stick upward to the right. The left hand quickly turns forward to behind the back, holds the stick falling behind the back, and then uses the same method to practice the left hand.

Action description: This pose is quite difficult. Do not use too much force when you first learn to avoid injury.

Position 9: Snowflake Cover

Key points of the action: Swing the stick above the head and perform a flat circular rotation in both forward and reverse directions.

Action description: This style is suitable for group battles. It can also protect the head and wait for opportunities to strike, hitting the opponent's temples and other key parts.

The Tenth Style: Cut first and then play

Key points of the action: Stand in a natural posture, swing the stick upward with your right hand, let the stick release force on the right arm, and make it rebound. When the stick falls, Immediately raise your right leg to meet it, so that the near chain part of the stick touches your thigh. Use the power of your thigh to make the stick bounce up. At the same time, use your wrist to put the stick back in your hand.

Action description: This pose can strike the enemy unexpectedly.

The eleventh pose: Raise the sky with both hands

Action points: Stand in a side lunge, holding a stick in both hands Lift up, release your left hand, and swing the stick with your right hand in an arc to the lower left. With the shift of the force point and the horse's stance, the swinging stick will fall to your left hand in advance, and then release your right hand to practice.

Action description: This style can be used to sweep enemies.

Position No. 12: Power in all directions

Key points of the action: Stand in a horse stance, hold the stick with both hands, release your left hand, hold the end of the stick behind your back with your right hand, and lift the stick at the same height as your chin. At the same time, use your right hand to swing the stick in a figure 8 in front of your body. When the stick falls to the left and reaches your left waist, catch it with your left hand.

Action description: This pose is mainly used to protect the whole body, and both left and right hands need to be practiced.

Introduction to the nunchaku

The nunchaku is a streamlined and practical Qimen weapon. It is short and powerful, practical but not flashy. Once you become proficient, your arms will suddenly grow longer and you will be as powerful as a tiger. When the nunchaku is not in use, the two sections are stacked together and inserted into the waist. They are not visible from the outside under the cover of clothes. It can be said to be a self-defense weapon. Its function is similar to that of a dagger, but its power is much greater than that of a dagger. many. Because it can be long or short, you can hold the nunchucks stacked together or hold either end. The three-section stick is too long and inconvenient to use. Although it can hit farther targets, it is inconvenient to retract and release and requires more strength. But the nunchuck is not the same. The total length is only 72 centimeters. When used, it moves like flying, like a strong wind sweeping fallen leaves. It is invincible and is the best weapon to break through tight siege. The technique of nunchaku is divided into three parts: attack, defense and counterattack. The movements are varied and can be divided into splits, sweeps, hits, pumps, lifts, pulls, etc.

It can not only attack the opponent's upper three lanes and middle lane, but also is particularly powerful in attacking the lower three lanes (i.e. the heel or the part 5 inches above and below). Anyone who is hit suffers unbearable pain and eventually falls to the ground, losing the ability to resist. In addition, it can also seize enemy weapons. According to foreign police surveys, the power of the nunchuck in actual combat is second only to that of a pistol. When launching an attack, it can not only be used to sweep, stab, punch and block, it can also be used to strangle the opponent unexpectedly. Once the rope or chain connecting the nunchaku is wrapped around the opponent's neck, it only needs to be clamped lightly. , you can strangle the opponent to death. When nunchucks are swung at high speed, their impact point can produce 725.76 kilograms of pressure, and a human bone can be broken with only 40.8 kilograms of force. Therefore, anyone who hits the nunchucks will either die or be injured.

In fact, nunchucks are a very good self-defense and fitness equipment. It is not only easy to learn and carry, but if used regularly, it can not only enhance wrist strength and coordinate skills, but also greatly improve the flexibility and agility of the body. It can also exercise courage and cultivate the virtue of perseverance and self-discipline. No wonder many people at home and abroad Martial arts enthusiasts, especially teenagers, are particularly fond of nunchucks.