What are Kamas?

Series Summary

Many forms of martial arts employ weapons; some forms of martial arts employ many different types of weapons. One martial arts weapon, the Kama, was initially a tool for reaping crops and is similar to a scythe or reaper stick. Wielding these potentially dangerous weapons should be done with great care. If you would like to learn how to use Kamas, you can learn for free from a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

In this free martial arts weapons training video series learn how to use Kamas from black belt Caleb Labarda. Caleb will demonstrate how to hold Kamas, how to do forward spins with Kamas, how to do reverse spins with Kamas, how to spin Kamas in opposite directions, how to strike with Kamas, how to flip Kamas, how to throw Kamas over your shoulder and catch them, how to do finger spins with Kamas, and how to do combo moves with Kamas.

Video Transcript

"In this clip we're going to be talking about what are Kamas and we're going to be seeing different types of Kamas. So, Kamas are a stick and at the end, they're going to have a blade on it, right here, like this, o.k. So, it looks like a, kind of like the Grim Reaper, but a lot smaller version and this is a weapon that was made in Korean, Korea. It's a Korean weapon. It's used for cutting grass, o.k. or cutting wheat, you can, you've also seen the big ones that people have, use it to cut their wheat. This one, these ones are used for cutting grass and they still actually do use them in Korean, they go up there, they put the Kama and go right along. O.k. now when their farmers, that's what their used for, cutting grass, but when they start getting attacked, they turn them into weapons. They use them sharp and then hold them down here and they'd be a lot bigger and a lot stronger, and they use them here and their used for striking, bam, striking, stabs. So, today the ones that I have with me, these are extreme Kamas, for extreme forms and performances. Their very light, the blade is just aluminum, it's not, it's not sharp, it is pointed, but yea, they're just for show. And they're very fancy and it's for performance. I do have with me a pair of really more hardcore Kamas, o.k. These have a thick handle, they're very strong, it has a steel blade and these are a lot sharper and they can cut through things. These ones you would hold down here and use for slicing big, strong strokes. And, then also, I have with me are some foam ones. These are for children if they want to practice, so they don't stab themselves. They've got a nice foam end and they are weighted really good and they can spin, o.k. So, now when choosing a right Kama, today we're going to be working with extreme ones. Make sure they're weighted, o.k. it's also good to have a nice grip, this is a grip right here, helps you hold onto your Kama and spin it better. Make sure it's weighted, see I put my finger right above the middle and that's where you want it to be and it should be weighted. O.k. and those are Kamas and today we're going to be working with extreme Kamas and learning different moves and techniques. "