How to Use Bow Forms in Martial Arts

Martial arts weapons aren't just the stuff of Bruce Lee films. And they're not used so much as weaponry these days, rather they are a function of the art form. Typically for experts and experienced martial artists, the basic forms of Tae Kwon Do weapons are simple enough to practice before you earn your black belt. Here is one way you can get yourself ready by practicing bow forms.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Advanced Tae Kwon Do skills
• A bow
• Other weapons (sword, nun chucks, cane, escrema, et al)

1. Practice with a bow staff or simply a wooden stick first. Most of the spins and twirls of the various weapons are fairly consistent, at least in the beginning. Get a feel for the weapon in your hand, spinning it first with both hands and then twirling it with one. Do this on the front side and, later, the back of your body.

2. Hold the bow staff in the middle, with your hands about a foot apart. This allows control while opening up most of the weapon for offensive and defensive moves. As you begin moving from two hands to one, you'll notice the spins will force your hand to the center of the staff (where it had been just off center when both hands were holding it).

3. Spin the staff with both hands in front of you, transitioning to one hand and continuing the spin to the side of your body. Try to get one full rotation before catching the bow staff in your underarm.

4. Reverse the same motion that got the staff to that position to bring it back out to the front of your body. As the bow centers itself, grab it with your free hand and let the spin carry over from one hand to the other. Once it's made contact with your free hand, let go with the other. Then repeat Step 3 on that side of your body.

5. Twirl the bow staff over head with a hand-over-hand motion. You can then use a one-handed grip to fluidly bring the spin down in a striking motion in front of your body, catching the staff with your free hand.

6. Lunge forward as you strike, pulling back afterwards to place the bow in position on the side of your body.

7. From here, incorporate a kick, followed by another strike, making an aggressive forward motion each time.

8. Pull up and step back, bringing the bow horizontally to chin height (parallel to the ground). This is a blocking, or defensive, move.

9. Wrap a purple headband around your head, strap a garbage-pail top to your back and repeat Steps 1 through 8. Feel like Donatello?

Tips & Warnings

• Use the same basic techniques with nun chucks, the sword, the cane and the escrema (a small, fighting stick used for defense).
• With the nun chucks, position your hands on each staff. When you transition to one hand, the string will spin the other staff. Work on catching it with your free hand after one rotation. Then, practice catching it with the same hand that's holding the other staff.
• With the sword, use both hands on the handle.
• The cane is primarily a one-handed weapon, though both hands are used at times.