Nunchaku for Self-Defense

[The Martialist]

I have produced a 60-page, 1.6 megabyte PDF booklet on using the nunchaku for self-defense. It is available completely free and is not intended to promote anything (other than successful self-defense with a traditional martial arts tool). I hope you find it useful.

Right click and choose "save target as" to download the file from my personal website

While one's first impression might be that such an archaic tool has no use in contemporary self-defense, it's actually a remarkably effective, easily constructed, and surprisingly concealable and portable force multiplier.

 

[Andrew Green]

I've spent a fair bit of time training with Nunchaku, traditional stuff, sparring with them, and even some flash stuff.

I would not reccomend using this booklet as a guide, it seems more based in "show" material then anything practical. The grips, positions, and even transistions shown are more in line with the way they would be held for show, only not quite.

I do wonder though, have you ever actually spent anytime in front of a solid target, hitting it with them? A lot of the poor positioning and mechanics should hopefully get corrected if you do.

 

[ChadWarner]

Chaku are a felony to carry in many states. It is not a felony to carry a pocket knife. The modern self defense enthusiast should be encouraged to become familiar witha variety of weapons however, chaku do not meet my criteria of a viable self defense weapon on the street. I would encourage you to write a book on the top ten most usable weapons for the street as it relates to environmental awareness.

 

[thardey]

I've spent a fair bit of time training with Nunchaku, traditional stuff, sparring with them, and even some flash stuff.

I would not reccomend using this booklet as a guide, it seems more based in "show" material then anything practical. The grips, positions, and even transistions shown are more in line with the way they would be held for show, only not quite.

I do wonder though, have you ever actually spent anytime in front of a solid target, hitting it with them? A lot of the poor positioning and mechanics should hopefully get corrected if you do.

How do you practice sparring?

 

[Andrew Green]

Painfully

Homemade ones, pvc core with some light padding. We wear MMA gloves and masks. They handle pretty well, don't bend, and can leave some ugly bruises, but it's all fun

Not a favorite weapon of anyone though, they're use is in their portability, not their fighting potential.

 

[MarkBarlow]

Mr. Elmore,

What are your qualifications for writing the various publications you have available? A list of your instructors, training background and real world experience would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[thardey]

Painfully

Homemade ones, pvc core with some light padding. We wear MMA gloves and masks. They handle pretty well, don't bend, and can leave some ugly bruises, but it's all fun

Not a favorite weapon of anyone though, they're use is in their portability, not their fighting potential.

I've done a lot of practice in striking with them (I like to use the "bad guy" punching bags, it makes the "recoil" less predictable), and some blocking, along with the "juggling" that you usually see in competitions, but I couldn't figure how to make them heavy enough to control and catch, without making them too heavy to spar with.

I always figured they were primarily an aggressive weapon -- whoever got the first strike won. But that's without having sparred with them.

 

[The Martialist]

I've spent a fair bit of time training with Nunchaku, traditional stuff, sparring with them, and even some flash stuff.

I would not reccomend using this booklet as a guide, it seems more based in "show" material then anything practical. The grips, positions, and even transistions shown are more in line with the way they would be held for show, only not quite.

That is so grossly wrong I don't know where to begin.

 

[The Martialist]

Well, I'll attempt it anyway -- if you actually read the text within the booklet instead of skimming through the pictures (which you obviously have not done based on your comments) you'll see that I state quite clearly that most of the manipulation around the body and accompanying techniques are absolutely useless for self-defense, apart from their utility as a dexterity and flow exercise.

Actually striking with the nunchaku is so simple, once you master follow-through to avoid the snap-back problem, that it almost doesn't warrant a booklet, but I like to walk the reader through from start to finish without assuming a level of knowledge ahead of time, when I can help it. (Sometimes the scope of a given piece demands that certain knowledge on the part of the reader be assumed, but I try to avoid this when possible.)

 

[Andrew Green]

Well, I'll attempt it anyway -- if you actually read the text within the booklet instead of skimming through the pictures (which you obviously have not done based on your comments) you'll see that I state quite clearly that most of the manipulation around the body and accompanying techniques are absolutely useless for self-defense, apart from their utility as a dexterity and flow exercise.

Actually striking with the nunchaku is so simple, once you master follow-through to avoid the snap-back problem, that it almost doesn't warrant a booklet, but I like to walk the reader through from start to finish without assuming a level of knowledge ahead of time, when I can help it. (Sometimes the scope of a given piece demands that certain knowledge on the part of the reader be assumed, but I try to avoid this when possible.)

So in other words, you really have no idea how nunchaku are used in combat apart from "hit the guy" but decided to write a booklet about it anyways?

I don't care about handling drills, hell I do them too. However your strikes are done poorly as well, and you are writing a booklet on "self-defence" yet most of the booklet is poorly executed basic tricks and solo exercises.

Your booklet does not show a single image of the nunchaku being used against anything, not a person, not a weapon, not even a stationery target. You have no discussion of tactics and use against other weapons or unarmed opponents. There really is nothing to do with using the nunchaku as a weapon in the booklet at all, apart from "hit the guy", just some poorly executed handling drills.

 

[Flying Crane]

Given the fact that nunchaku are restricted, or even illegal in many areas, I cannot see a reason to view them as a viable self-defense weapon. If they are legal to have and train with in a dojo and one wishes to do so to keep these old skills alive, I have no problem with that. But if you are in an area where they are actually illegal, then you simply cannot advocate using them for self defense. Sure, you may beat off your attacker, but you subject yourself to prosecution simply by doing so in this manner.

For self defense, use a weapon that has cleaner legal ramifications, so that the very act of defending yourself won't expose you to arrest and criminal prosecution.

 

[terryl965]

Phil your booklet is simply amazing, I have never in my entire life seen such an article for the common person to use in a SD stituation. This by far just proves how out of touch you really are with SD principle's in the real world. I just need to ask have you ever had any real type of training or does those TV shows and cartoon really keep you going so you can write these type of such.

I wish you would really go and train for a long period of time with someone that really knows something so you could see first hand what it takes to be proficent in areal SD type stituation.

I will let you go now so you can watch the next great movie so you can write another book. Best of luck to you.

 

[Flying Crane]

Who is Scott Roeben? Is he someone famous?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Oh.



My.



God.

 

[Blindside]

That is so grossly wrong I don't know where to begin.

Try, reveal some of your knowledge.

 

[Empty Hands]

Oh.
My.
God.

You've been doing that a lot lately.

 

[exile]

For some actually competent writing on the subject of nunchakos, I'd suggest the work of the great Okinawan karateka Fumio Demura. He's written about nunchakos and is held in very high regard by TMA weapons afficionados. And no one has ever suggested, so far as I know, that his techs aren't all business....

 

[Fiendlover]

yeah the nunchucks were my first weapon i ever trained with and later on i began using two and then one class taught us what u were showing with the chain and two locks at the end except we used our belts and pretty much did tyhe same thing.:ultracoolartyon:

 

[MJS]

I haven't read the article yet, however, I would think that this weapon is one that is not legal to carry. For myself if I was going to carry a weapon, Id want to carry something thats a) easy to conceal, b) legal to carry and c) simple to use.

Now, don't get me wrong, for traditional purposes, I think its a good weapon, but for practical purposes, I have to say no.

 

[Fiendlover]

yeah nunchucks are illegal here in cali expect on ur way to and from tournaments and classes but whats ironic is that sais arent. so can walk around carrying a three pronged weapon thats about a foot long but u cant carry a blunted nunchuk. idk maybe nunchucks hurt worse(?) to some people............? ive had wounds and injuries from both weapons and i dont see a huge difference. they both hurt. :idunno::lool: