How to choose a bo or staff for your martial arts practice

If you are a beginner or intermediate student in the martial arts or have a child that is ready to begin weapons or forms training, you may be ready to work with your first weapon.

The staff is probably one of the most popular and practical of all martial arts weapons and is generally one of the first weapons that you will be trained in.

If you are ready to purchase your first bo or staff it is important that you select the best one for you. Here are some tips to help:

• When choosing a staff select a length that is close to or slightly shorter your own height as this will give you the most control over your staff. (An exception would be if you are specifically working on a form for short or long bo).

• Another important decision is the weight or dimension of the staff you select. Adults can typically choose any type of staff that appeals to them as they have larger hands and are able to handle a heavier staff for long periods of time without fatigue. Children or smaller adults may opt for a lighter staff such as bamboo, rattan or graphite and will want to select a bo with a smaller circumference to make it easier to handle.

• Another important decision is whether to get a straight bo or tapered bo. Along these lines you also have competition straight and competition tapered which are thinner than a standard straight or tapered bo. Competition bo’s are generally faster and lighter so they make great weapons for forms tournaments and competitions (hence the name competition bo).

• Last but not least is of course is style. Certain martial art styles prefer certain lengths and or woods. This may be due to tradition or the instructor may be trying to teach or build up a certain technique that may be unique to the style. Often the best answer in how to choose a bo is to ask your martial arts instructor.

There are a lot of bo’s available on the market today ranging from the very standard rattan or natural hardwood bo to colorful and flashy graphite or aluminum bo’s. You may find that a more colorful or patterned bo is preferable or you may enjoy having a simple bo to work with.

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