Bo Staff

The basis of Bo technique is use of hand, techniques derived from Tang Soo do and other martial arts that reached Korea via trade and Chinese monks. Thrusting, swinging, and striking techniques often resemble empty-hand movements, following the philosophy that the Bo is merely an "extension of one’s limbs". Attacks are often avoided by agile footwork and returning strikes made at the enemy’s weak points.

The Bo is typically gripped in thirds, and when held horizontally in front, the right palm is facing away from the body and the left hand is facing the body, enabling the Bo to rotate. The power is generated by the back hand pulling the Bo, while the front hand is used for guidance. When striking, the wrist is twisted, as if turning the hand over when punching. Bo technique includes a wide variety of blocks, strikes, sweeps, and entrapments. The Bo may even be used to sweep sand into an opponent’s eyes.

The earliest form of the Bo, a staff, has been used throughout Asia since the beginning of recorded history. The first Bo were made of stone. These were hard to make and were often unreliable. These were also extremely heavy. Later were made wood studded with iron. These were still too cumbersome for actual combat, so they were later replaced by unmodified hardwood staffs. The Bo used for self defense by monks or commoners; the staff was to become an integral part of the martial arts. The staff evolved into the Bo with the foundation of a martial art using weapons, which emerged in the early 1600s.

Although the Bo is now used as a weapon, its use is believed by some to have evolved from non-combative uses. The Bo staff is thought to have been used to balance buckets or baskets. Typically, one would carry baskets of harvested crops or buckets of water or milk or fish, one at each end of the Bo, which is balanced across the middle of the back at the shoulder blades. In poorer agrarian economies, the Bo remains a traditional farm work implement.

Sword

The Katana is a type of sword also commonly referred to as a "samurai sword". In the strictest sense, the term katana is applied to any kind of single-edged sword, of any origin. But incorrectly or habitually, some sword lovers define katana as the standard size moderately curved sword with a blade length of greater than 60 cm (23.6 inches).

The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single edged blade, circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands. It has historically been associated with the samurai and has become renowned for its sharpness and cutting ability.

The katana facilitated this by being worn with the blade facing up, which allowed the samurai to draw and cut their enemy in a single motion. Previously, the curved sword of the samurai had been worn with the blade facing down. The katana was paired most often with the shoto, a similarly made but shorter sword, both worn by the members of the warrior class. It could also be worn with the tantō, an even smaller similarly shaped knife. The katana and shoto when paired with each other they represented the social power and personal honor of the warrior.

Nunchaku

Nunchaku also known as nunchucks, chucks or chain sticks is a traditional weapon and consists of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.

The popular belief is that the nunchaku was originally a short Southeast Asian flail used to thresh rice or soybeans (that is, separate the grain from the husk). It is possible that it was developed in response to the moratorium on edged weaponry under the 17th century, and that the weapon was most likely conceived and used exclusively for that end, as the configuration of actual flails and bits are unwieldy for use as a weapon. Also, peasant farmers were forbidden conventional weaponry such as arrows or blades so they improvised using only what they had available, farm tools such as the sickle.

However, it seems that mythology surrounding the origins of the nunchaku has little historical accuracy. Unlike rice flail, original nunchaku had curved arms, resembling an horse bit, which gave rise to the theory that nunchaku was originally a horse bridle. Yet another theory asserts that it was adapted from an instrument carried by the village night watch, made of two blocks of wood joined by cord. The night watch would hit the blocks of wood together to attract people's attention and then warn them about fires and other dangers. According to Chinese folklore, the nunchaku is a variation of the two section staff.

Associating nunchaku and other weapons with rebellious peasants is probably a part of romantic imagery. Martial arts were practiced exclusively by aristocracy and "serving nobles" but were prohibited among commoners. Furthermore, disarmament was never total; nobles were still allowed to carry their swords. Whatever its origins were, the nunchaku was not a popular weapon. This was possibly a result of its lack of efficiency against weapons such as the sword and staff. The nunchaku had always been regarded as an inferior weapon until Bruce Lee popularized it around the world with his movies.

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