By Jennifer R Scott

Most of the gear used in martial arts was actually created through necessity. In the year 1477, King Sh� Shi banned the people of Okinawa from having, carrying or collecting swords. All of these weapons were collected from the people of the island and stored in the royal castle. This left the people of Okinawa unarmed and defenseless.

In the year 1600, the Japanese invaded the island and found the invasion easier than expected because there was no public resistance. This was to change.

This unfair territorial invasion inspired the people to be creative with their readily available resources. This creativity bred some of the popular karate implements still used today.

The Nunchaku is probably the most well known of all martial arts devices. Made popular by the Bruce Lee movies in which he demonstrated great skill and dexterity with the Nunchaku. They were originally a tool for thrashing rice and to the Japanese invaders they looked like a harmless implement for working. As we now know, it was anything but harmless. The Nunchaku requires the martial artist to be proficient in combat with both arms to be truly effective with them.

The Bo staff is another well-known device used in modern interpretations of martial arts. The Bo staff was originally used in Okinawa to carry water buckets over the shoulders. This looked harmless enough to the Japanese army until the staff was used against them. The staff could disable an opponent of their sword whilst keeping at a safer distance. The principles and skills associated with Bo staves can be translated to use with everyday objects, such as a broomstick or even an umbrella.

If you are considering learning a martial art, you will not use any advanced techniques at the beginning of your training. These will come when the teacher feels you are ready. You should be advised that many schools of martial art do not use any devices other than hands and feet. It is the belief of these schools that the most effective techniques can be employed by an empty-handed student.

Do not expect to go into your first lesson and start sparring straight away. Karate is a refinement of patience, skill and dedication. The first thing you will need before you enter a class is a willingness to learn. Karate is going to need your dedication and your respect. To begin with, it may be very demanding on your body, but show strong character and stick with it, because the rewards are great and many.

Jennifer R. Scott has been writing for over ten years on a broad range of topics. She has a background that includes such diverse areas as environmentalism, cooking, animal care, and technology. If you would like more information on karate gear, please visit this site.

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