Bo staff

[oro!]

So, I have a test coming up in my dojang on the bo staff. I have to make up a form and 5-10 counterattacks based on what I have learned. We have studied on and off for a couple of months, but it's nice to get some outisde thoughts on it. Is there anyone who is very familiar with this weapon who could give me any hints?

Basically, there is an idea in my head of what I want to do, but it's good to perhaps get some support on this.

Thank you!

[Ryusei]

I have a Bo staff, but I don't know anything about how to use it except like striking from the horse stance... ^^0 Sorry I can't help... >.<

I wish you luck, though! Hope you do well, and God bless!

[oro!]

Thanks, Ryusei, in any case. This isn't really a martial arts forum, so I thought I'd just take a swing....

[andi]

oh...I do a little bit of bo. What style is your martial art? I do okinawan kenpo karate, so I think maybe we may have different attacks and so forth. What have you been learning? Since you have to base the counterattacks on what you've learnt, maybe you could tell us what it is? Good luck on your test

[oro!]

My main martial art is taekwondo, though the bo staff comes from kobujutsu.
I've been learning jabs, low, high, middle strikes. A high block, low block(in horse stance) side block...just basic stuff like that. It's sort of hard to explain in writing, but I think you get the idea.
For my form, I think i need to incorporate everything I've learned, but have some sort of a focal point. In other words, I need to show I've learned it while getting people interested...

[Mega.EXE]

I can use a Bo Staff but not a particular style I just street fight

[Sai]

i only know bo kata.. not specific moves. It sounds like it would be fun to learn specifics about the weapon tho. Why do you have to be tested on it???

[oro!]

Why? Well, I don't HAVE to get tested in it, but in my school it's an option to be certified. Basically, we get to learn more weapons if we can show that we know one.

[Jingo Jaden]

Well, it is important that you mesure the distance, stance and critical points of your opponent. If you strike normaly then make sure you can quickly regain balance/stance or at least change the stance when you attack and get parried. If you are to counter attack then it is mostly about reading and unbalacning your opponent before and when he/she strikes. Blocking is a simple solution, but offer little time to retaliate. Parrying offers you ways to disbalance and outwit. Evadeing offers you a clean possibility to charge and disbalancing your opponent by evadeing offers you possibilities to strike. Of course speed and strenght plays an factor.

Lets try some attacks - counters.

A high swing.

A disbalance mode. Try to use your staff to get your opponents staff higher than intended by strikeing it on the way it is going and unbalancing your opponents swing. Leaving him open for a counter.

A med Swing.

A parry.Try to hold your staff something like its ends faceing the floor and the roof. Move in the opposide direction he/she swings, also so they clash. Your foot is the fastest weapon to if this happens. You gain somewhat favor if you face the blow in a position that offers you more balance than the striker, allowing you to perhaps counter better. (make sure your hands wont face the blow)

A low swing.
A evade-strike. This sounds kinda silly, but you can evade by jumping over it. If the one you battle against is more battle harded he will most likely try to make it into an upswing, but you can prevent this by. 1. Jumping over the staff in a way so the swing gets further to the side than intended. 2. Useing your staff to face any possible upswings. 3. To go the way your opponents staff is strikeing. Makeing the impact smaller and your balance more useable. An effective block can be used if you use your foot as staff rest. Making the block more effective.

A jab.

A block to counter. Try to strike the jab with a swing before it reach you. Then use you speed to set up with a counter-strike. A jab if you will.