How to Bow with a Bo Staff

We will learn how to show proper respect when bowing with a bo staff. Showing respect to your opponent when sparring, or before doing "kata" or forms is essential to maintain proper etiquette. There are several different ways to bow with a bo staff, but this is the simplest.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 bo staff of appropriate length

How to Bow with a Bo Staff

1. Pick up your bo staff in your dominant hand. This will differ whether you are right or left handed. The staff should be seated firmly in area where your arm meets your shoulder. Your hand should be closed around your bo, with your fingers curled toward your side.

2. Lift your bo staff off the floor at the proper "carry height". The "carry height" should leave the lower tip of your bo about 4 inches from the floor.

3. Bow from the waist, allowing the top of your bow to carry forward, aligned with your body. Keep your eyes on your opponent, or if there's no opponent, straight ahead. Both the top and bottom of your bo will move, so be careful. They will pivot, using your waist as the pivot point.

4. Straighten, keeping your bo tucked against your shoulder. Your bo staff, after completing the bow, should be perpendicular to the ground.

Tips & Warnings

• A bo staff should never be taller than you are. While its true that you should use the bo you're most comfortable with, the bow should be as close to your own height as possible. This will give you a greater ability to know where both ends of your bo are at any given moment.
• Since both ends of your bo staff move when you bow, please make sure that no one is walking directly in front or behind you when you bow. Each end of your bow may stick out as far as 3 feet from your body when you bow, so always be vigilant. After all, poking your opponent in the eye before you begin, or goodness forbid blinding a judge, certainly won't win you any points.

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