Weapons

In the modern world it’s unlikely a student would
ever use a traditional Kung Fu weapon for
defensive purposes. However, aside from the
aesthetic beauty of the weapon forms themselves
and the physical conditioning their practice
provides, there are a great number of other
benefits that come from weapon practice. For
instance, when practicing weapon forms,
mistakes in movement are magnified by the
added length of the weapon. As a student’s
weapon forms become refined, with movements
precise even at the far ends of weapons, the
stability and balance of empty-hand forms are
also improved and a stronger sense of center is
developed in the process. Also, different weapons
correspond to specific hand techniques, so by
practicing weapons a student gains a deeper
understanding of both control over movement and
the direction in which power should be issued.