This is the last of 42 posts this month relating to Kusarigama - who knew there would be so much to say on the subject? To close, I would like to make an observation on the training weapons commonly used that has a broad application across any art.
In the photo above you can see one of my rudimentary training weapons - I like to construct the right training weapon for the right job - they enable the practice of skills that you otherwise can't practice - however you have to be careful.
You will notice that this weapon has a chain - I use this to practice casting. (If you are interested I use 2.5mm curb chain 16mm x 10mm, with the blade part of the Type 3 being a hardware store wall bracket so it is properly reinforced).
On practicing with the rope, I found I could do quite a lot with it. I began to focus on the recovery of the rope so I could continuously cast and recast. This became easy with the rope - I could stand with my left leg forward, cast the rope straight down the centre bringing my hands together, and then pull my left hand to the side to retrieve the rope, still tight, straight back into another cast.
I gave myself a high five, and then built a chain weapon to see if I could do the same thing. I couldn't. The chain is similar to the rope in some respects, but entirely different to the rope in others - I just couldn't pull the rope with the left hand at a right angle. The chain also changes the speed, the inertia and a whole lot of other things.
Working on the same multi-casting premise I came up with a different solution when using the chain.
The rare casts in Isshin Ryu are across the side of the body, right hand and leg forward, left hand and leg back.
Taking this position meant pulling the chain back with the left was in a straight line, not a right angle - multiple casts again became possible (although not quite as easy). To my reckoning when used like this the chain becomes like a spear - which says a lot about relvant tactics.
This did however bring up another problem - running the chain through the hands in this manner soon cut my hands up - to practice for any length of time I had to resort to wearing rigging gloves. Without hand protection the typical arc casting (as seen for example in Suio Ryu) became a lot more attractive due to ease on the hands.
What a difference the chain makes, compared to the rope. Why then do we typically see rope weapons used for practice? Ease, availability, or maybe pain?
I couldn't find any indication of an actual rope weapon, or even a weapon with a chain leader attached to a rope (although this may be an interesting idea), or people wearing gloves.
I would put it to you that if someone doesn't ever use a chain weapon, they don't really know how to use a Kusarigama.
I have encountered this before with the spear.
It is the case that I have often heard of the Jo as representing the spear - and leading from there, that Jo taking represents spear taking. I must however offer some words of caution here, that whilst specific to this situation are a global warning - the edge of expertise is quite sharp (pun intended).
I enjoy the spear, and spear month is probably not that far away. We also have some remnants of Jo taking buried in our syllabus. I agree that a Jo can be used in a spear like fashion - however have you tried taking a spear using Jo taking?
The first problem is with the head of the spear itself - if the spear is a normal length and thrust without over-penetration the portion of the spear (assuming the thrust has been evaded) near the body is sharp - a 20cm sharp bit of metal being thrust and quickly retrieved. Not as much fun as latching onto a Jo.
Ignoring the problematic first hand contact, typically you are going to need to then climb up the Jo with the other hand, and perhaps the first hand again. Three hand contacts on the Jo and you are well onto it, and probably in a position to out-lever an opponent.
This is not the case with the spear - three hand moves in and yourstill opponent can probably out-lever you.
There are of course other issues however I have already reached the point where I would say taking the spear is different and more difficult than taking the Jo. I might agree that the tactics of entry are similar - and that you should use them should someone attempt to spear you - you will however have to learn on the job.
Learning on the job is never ideal - your opponent in this case may be prepared for someone latching on and have a useful set of tactics in this event. To find out what these are for yourself, and to overcome them, you will need to practice taking the spear - the Jo won’t suffice.
The global warning here is about expertise - if you are an expert on one thing you are not an expert on similar things, you simply have some sort of starting point.
In this case the tasks are quite similar yet you have already fallen off the cliff of expertise. Imagine then how different Karate is to BJJ.
The idea of being a ‘Martial Arts Expert’ is a little strange to me - it has always been my observation that people are loathe to admit that once they step out of their wheelhouse they can know very little, they tend to think they are on a linear drop-off curve - unfortunately the curve is exponential.
This is why practice needs to be relevant. If you need to take spears, practice taking spears - and deal with a Jo if need be. If you need to take Jo then practice taking Jo - and deal with a spear if need be. If you need to take both, practice taking both. If you think fighting with a chair is going to be useful - pick up a chair in training.
Always caution yourself with regards to extrapolation.