# Old Time Works and Kobudo



## Jason Striker II (Feb 26, 2012)

Just a note to all Kobudo practitioners: IMO, reading old-time works like this 

http://ejmas.com/jmanly/articles/2001/jmanlyart_mccarthy_0901.htm

and then applying the ideas to classical weapons is VERY useful in terms of finding out what works.


----------



## seasoned (Feb 26, 2012)

Great point. I feel a competent instructor and research on our part will produce a much better outcome in the end. 
With weapons it is as much about hand placement on that weapon as it is how to fight with it........... 

With any kata for instance, I don't watch what they or anybody is doing, but how they are doing it. (Body movement, foot placement). This is what will make the difference in the long run on how well you grasp a system. 

Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Grenadier (Apr 30, 2012)

seasoned said:


> With any kata for instance, I don't watch what they or anybody is doing, but how they are doing it. (Body movement, foot placement). This is what will make the difference in the long run on how well you grasp a system.



Agreed.  Most of the time, you can get a really good idea of how skilled someone is with the bo, simply by looking at the lower body.  Are they driving the bo using the legs and hips, or are they merely using their arms?  

One way to see if someone's mechanics are sound, is to watch them do the same kata back to back to back to back, not pausing more than about 10 seconds between kata.  If they slow down noticeably, then odds are, that they're attempting to generate their power using only the arms, whereas someone who uses the lower body shouldn't drop off in terms of intensity, speed, etc.


----------

