Ninjutsu Melbourne
The bo staff is one of the most popular traditional weapons, and one of the most rewarding to learn. If you have never held one, here is what to expect as a beginner.
What is a bo?
A bo is a 6 foot wooden staff. It is the longest of the three staffs in Bujinkan training, alongside the 4 foot jo and the 3 foot hanbo. Its length gives you the greatest reach, which makes it ideal for learning to control distance.
How beginners start
Beginners start with the basics: how to hold the staff, basic postures (kamae), and simple strikes and blocks. You learn how the hands slide along the staff so you can strike with either end, and how to move your body with the staff rather than swinging it with your arms. Once the basics are comfortable, you start practising with a partner.
Move with your whole body
A 6 foot staff is too long and heavy to swing with your arms alone. Good bo work comes from posture, footwork and moving the staff with your hips and legs. That same whole body movement is what gives Bujinkan taijutsu its power without relying on size or strength, so bo training improves your unarmed techniques too.
Bo kata
There are 60 kata in Bujinkan bo jutsu, all done against an opponent with a sword. We concentrate on the kamae and sabaki (body movement) levels of technique, and also use the bo for strikes, locks, chokes and throws. Our Junior Adults students learn around a dozen of the kata, and many more are covered in adults classes.
Common beginner mistakes
- Muscling the staff with the arms instead of moving the body.
- Gripping too tightly, which makes movement stiff and slow.
- Watching the staff instead of your partner.
Every one of these improves quickly with regular practice and good coaching.
Want more detail? See our wooden weapons page, or ask your instructor about the bo staff kata Kote Zuke.
What to expect in your first bo classes
Your first bo classes usually focus on getting comfortable with the length of the staff. You will practise holding it in different postures, shifting your grip, and simple strikes and blocks, first on your own and then with a partner. It feels awkward at first; a 6 foot staff takes up a lot of space. Within a few classes most beginners start to move with it rather than fighting it.
Bo vs jo vs hanbo
The three staffs teach three distances. The bo gives you the longest reach and teaches you to control a large space. The jo works at a middle distance and changes direction quickly. The hanbo is a close range weapon about the length of a walking stick, used for striking, locking, throwing and choking. Training all three teaches you how quickly distance can change, which is just as useful empty handed. The history of the jo staff is a story in itself.
Is bo training safe?
Yes. Training is introduced step by step, most partner work is done against a nominated attack with a nominated defence, and you build speed only as your control improves. Like all our weapons training, the risk of injury is much lower than football or many other activities.
Do I need my own bo?
No. Training staffs are available at the dojo, so you can try bo training before deciding whether to buy your own.
How bo training helps your self defence
Bo training builds posture, footwork, timing and whole body movement. It also teaches you to read the distance between you and your partner, which is one of the most important skills in self defence. The same idea of distance sits behind lunge punching too.
Pick up a bo staff
Staff training is part of our adults and Junior Adults classes. Book a $19.95 trial using the form below, or call 03 9495 1929. You are not under any obligation to join at the end of your trial.
