TKD Weapons?

[arnisador]

What weapons, if any, are taught by the various branches of TKD? Does it vary a lot from system to system?

Is the practice principally by forms or is there perhaps some form of weapons sparring?

 

[white dragon]

Well I've been told that the reason why traditionally we don't use weapons normally is because the aim is to become so effective with your own body that you don't need weapons. This is something that I think is a great ideal. However, sadly in the world we live in today it doesn't seem too practicle. In our training we do a fair amount of knife defence as that's the most common weapon pulled out on the streets in the UK. This of course means we learn how to use knives (the basics). From this we've touched on using staffs and even some nuns' but out instructor (a 4th Dan) simply showed us Kung Fu styles that he'd been taught over his years of training. And these sessions are normally outside of normal class times. I've only ever trained WTF style, although I've sparred with people from TAGB and ITF, maybe people from these styles do something differently?

 

[warder]

With the style of TKD that I study we do use staffs, but only in forms. We don't do any weapons sparring. The forms we study that utilize the staff are primarily kung fu forms too, not tkd.

 

[white dragon]

We also have things like Bo-blocks (much like a C shape block but with the hands open and the thumbs away from the palm as if you'd just blocked a staff between them. So training against weapons is something that must be routed into TKD (i'd guess) so I would have thought that at some point they trained with them..... my historical knowledge leaves a LOT to be desired though!

 

[arnisador]

It sounds like the staff is the principal and possibly sole TKD weapon then? I wonder how much this varies by organization.

 

[TLH3rdDan]

ive seen varying TKD schools using different weapons the main constant that i have seen is the sword and the staff some forms of hwa rang do use a walking cane and the jo or short staff and i have seen one that offers a version of escrima which was kinda interesting. one of the 9th dan grandmasters i know is very proficent with a sword and only teachs it to his high ranking students

 

[arnisador]

I believe that Hwa Rang Do uses a wide assortment of weapons.

 

[white dragon]

I've seen a few clubs that link in some Hapkido. The two go together well as most of it uses techniques that you may use for 1-step.

 

[Ty K. Doe]

It seems that nowdays the bo is most practicle weapon to study. We spend time studying bo. And there are optional classes where you can learn escrima. This phillipino art is also a very practicle art for today. However, unless you understand it very well the forms aren't that great for competitions. But that's only my opinion. We also learn sai, and tonfa.

 

[Danny]

As I understand it, TaeKwon-Do was created as a method of unarmed self-defence. Therefor no weapons. Now in my school we are not fundementaly agains't the learning of weapons, however do you carry your sword/bow/etc. around with you 24/7? If not learning to use them isn't going to do you much good in defending yourself. But what about your keys? Those you do carry around all the time. So we attach a solid 6 inch or so handle to them and incorperated that into our self defense training. (Called a Kobey or Perswader. sp?) So basically we only learn to use weapons in self defense senerios, and only ones that we are likely to have available when attacked. Which isn't very many.

 

[white dragon]

Tonfa are my weapon of choice and I keep a pair by my bed, just in case.. I wouldn't really call the Bo practicle these days, if you think of a real life situation unless you're carrying a 6' poll around with you you're not likely to find one. Using sticks in the style of escrima seems more logical, you can carry one with you and also you're more likely to find a substitue for one on the street.

 

[white dragon]

That's one of the reasons I liked the idea of TKD, learning swordplay is great, and somethign I'd very much like to do, but you can't carry a sword about with you all the time, and sadly life isn't like the movies where if attacked, you can just kick down a piece of scaffolding and use it as a Bo.....

 

[TLH3rdDan]

take time to look around you when your out there is always a weapon laying around somewhere... as far as a bo.. umm lets see pool cue... broom... mop handle... sword.... the same thing can apply plus you can add walking canes to that... keys make decent weapons and then of course you can get a key chain kubotan they are great weapons... just gotta look many of the weapons techniques you learn can apply to other items

 

[white dragon]

true but I tend not to walk down streets filled with pool cues and disguarded brooms. A Kubotan makes more sense. Then again I actually like fighting open handed now, as it allows me to grab and use open hand techniques.

 

[arnisador]

The otehr side of training with weapons is that it makes you aware of what a weapon that is being wielded against you can do. Bear in mind also that multiple attackers is a common situation and you may get a weapon off of one of them.

 

[white dragon]

Very true indeed, most of our knife training is aimed at defending against one, rather than attacking with one. This includes, disabiling the attacker and taking the knife yourself, which has got to be a good thing to learn.

 

[Kirk]

Kuk Sul Won is a Korean Art, that follows closely to the style
of TKD, yet in addition has a LARGE arsenal of weapons. If I were
a TKD b.b. , ready to start looking into cross training .. this is one
I would definitely check out. You'd pick up rank fairly quick
because of the strong similarities in the 2 arts, AND you'd learn
weapons

 

[white dragon]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Langdow]

Great thread, I think this though is the most important thing said

The otehr side of training with weapons is that it makes you aware of what a weapon that is being wielded against you can do.

Thx arnisador.
I personally think learning how to use a kali stick is the best thing for a TKD person to learn weapon wise (just for self defense purposes) You can always find something laying around that's stick like or club like. My favorite example is your windshield brush for you car, something all canadians and anyone else who gets alot of snow can appreciate

White dragon if you are looking for something that does train weapons and is Korean, check out Hapkido as well, or if you are more inclined to the sword than the cane look at Kum-do (pretty much like the Japanese Kendo)

I'm not familar with Kul Sul Won, Kirk could you give a brief description of it, or anyone else with experience with it. Interested

Ahh one last things

It sounds like the staff is the principal and possibly sole TKD weapon then? I wonder how much this varies by organization.

When TKD was developed and created there were, and officially still are no weapons in the curriculm, however Kwang Jang Nims will teach students weapons based on their past experiences, many for the purpose I quoted you on at the top I personally like the bo and sword, but I mainly train with kali sticks when I am doing weapons, just more practical (and a little cheaper than shelling out alot for a sword)

Cheers :cheers:

 

[jkn75]

Originally posted by Kirk

Kuk Sul Won is a Korean Art, that follows closely to the style
of TKD, yet in addition has a LARGE arsenal of weapons. If I were
a TKD b.b. , ready to start looking into cross training .. this is one
I would definitely check out. You'd pick up rank fairly quick
because of the strong similarities in the 2 arts, AND you'd learn
weapons

The strong similarities between Kuk Sool and TKD end at kicking and punching. Kuk Sool doesn't have as many kicks as TKD but does add self-defense techniques. I have had TKD black belts in my classes and they pick up forms, kicking and punching quickly. Some of the falling and self-defense can slow them down. Any black belt from any style would find similarities, so yes, they could gain a KSW belt more quickly than someone with no previous experience. However, a black belt in KSW is the beginning not the end. Weapon training doesn't begin until then so if weapons are your focus KSW may not be the best choice. However the breadth of weapons learned at that level may may make it worth it. :asian: