WEAPONRY TRAINING

Weapons were once used for combat and defence against antagonists with other weapons, today the study and practice of weapons is still useful firstly for maintaining the heritage of the art as well as serving best for empty hand strengthening and skills. The other reason we would study our ancient weaponry system is to know how to defend yourself against a hand held weapon had you been caught without one. The evolution of weaponry from face to face battles with hand held weapons including bows and arrows that required skill and strength with courage, honor and valor to mechanical gun powder weapons and now computer generated battles leaves a big gap in the reality and dignity of combat.    

Our Weaponry Curriculum is split into Junior and Senior Programs.  The Junior and Senior weaponry classes consist of manoeuvres and movements that make up the basis of the offence and defence tools utilised for application.  Forms can sometimes be part of the curriculum depending on the weapon and the training element emphasised.  Manoeuvres assist the student with better weapon handling and control, strengthening their body for the particular weapon and the empty hand in general.  Applications are based on the same principles of the empty hand practice aiming to improve the skills and function of the weapon in a combative situation. 

Wu Chi Chuan has an outstanding Weapons Curriculum which is made up of 5 major weapons and an unlimited number of concealed or improvised weaponry.  

 

The 5 major weapons consist of:

1. Staff – 6 varieties

2. Knife or Broadsword (Single edged blade)

3. Sword (Double edged blade)

4. Lance, Spear or Sai

5. Nunchaku, 3 Sectional Staff or 9 Sectional Whip

 

There are 4 levels of achievement to the weapons curriculum:

1. Beginners

2. Intermediate

3. Advanced

4. Masters

 

The curriculum content is also categorised into 3 groups:

1. Single hand short weapons –

2. Double hand long weapons –

3. Double hand short weapons –

 

Apart from the 3 different categories there are 2 specific types of weapons:

1. Fixed Weapons – i.e. A Short Stick or Long Staff or Sword etc.  

2. Loose Weapons – i.e. A 3 Sectional Staff a Nunchaku or a Whip etc.

 

Once you have mastered the weaponry system of Wu Chi Chuan any tool, devise, object or equipment whether or not it is an actual specific major kung-fu weapon can be used as an improvised or concealed weapon.  i.e. A Walking Cane is an everyday apparatus which would be a disguised, concealed or improvised weapon.   A Fan, A towel, A pen or chopstick are all disguised, concealed or improvised weapons and can all be readily available as they are first and fore mostly useful for everyday living.  At advanced levels Shields, Projectiles and Firearms are also studied to determine how to use against or disarm an assailant with those weapons. As we mentioned above, with the evolution of combative weaponry there are many more advanced weapons now that would need consideration when practicing for self-defence against weaponry.