Force and Power of Okinawan Nunchaku

Dai-Shihan Ben Froidevaux, 6th dan and All-Europe 
representative of Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate
Kobudo Kai

With today's unrest, one might consider carrying self-defense weapons, such as nunchaku. Nunchaku can generate tremendous forces when handled by a properly trained martial artist. But, the weapon must have sufficient mass, and the martial artist using nunchaku must be able to rapidly accelerate the tool to develop necessary kinetic energy to cause damage. 

Those who train at the Seiyo Hombu start with foam-rubber chuks during bunkai (self-defense) and kumite (sparring), or some train with DIY magazine-chuks (see link in list under the blog title). But even foam-rubber and magazine chuks can generate considerable force when handled correctly. 

We had a father and daughter combo in our dojo some years ago, and was able to film her (about 7 years old) creaming her dad with foam-chuks. The father ended hopping up and down on one foot, holding the other foot in his hand, after she had smashed his foot without warning with foam chuks, I asked permission to send the video to America's Funniest Home Videos and told him I would divide the winnings with him because we had a winner - but the father refused. 

In Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo, students are taught not to use their karate or kobudo against another except in self-defense, as nunchaku can produce some impressive forces. According to one source, a nunchaku tip of 6.3 ounces, can accelerate to 88 meters/second (282 feet/second) and generate 350 joules of kinetic energy. According to this source, this would equal the energy generated by a bullet fired from a Colt M1911! But, a nunchaku will not penetrate a body, unlike aerial dynamic bullets with high specific gravity. Luckily, few can generate this kind of force with nunchaku.

Nunchaku made from two magazines and tape

Human bones are strong! For instance, a bone can survive a strike of 10,000 joules of kinetic energy (3,700 foot-pounds of force) as long at the strike is perpendicular to the surface. Additionally, most bones are padded with soft tissue to adsorb the impact. But a strike at an angle of less than 15 degrees can potentially fracture a bone with about 375 joules of kinetic energy (277 foot-pounds of force). Keep in mind that each bone in the human body, had different masses and different amounts of padding.

The impact-force of nunchaku depends on the speed of the nunchaku and surface area of impact. The damage to a person depends on how fast that chuk travels, the mass of the chuk, and the surface area the force is applied to. In addition, if the surface is soft, such as a stomach, the flesh will absorb considerable amounts of kinetic energy. But if the surface is a hard (such as a collar bone with little surrounding flesh) the damage will be greater (Hausel, in prep).

The tip of a Colt M1911 bullet has a surface of 25 square-millimeters, thus the impact force is calculated as 350/25 = 14 joules/square-millimeter. But if a nunchaku strikes the same surface, the impact force will be notably less because of the surface area, or size of nunchaku. So, we might end up with about 350/100 = 3.5 joules/square millimeter, or essentially 4 times lower impact force than a bullet (assuming that the striking area of the nunchaku is about 1 square-centimeter (0.15 square-inch)). This is why octagonal nunchaku are more effective than round nunchaku. Because of the geometry of the octagonal chuks, the chance of hitting a target with one of the eight octagonal edges is relatively high, and such a smaller surface area will result in an increase in impact force. 

Nunchaku-jutsu, Seiyo Hombu in Mesa, Arizona

Because of small bone diameters with minimum amounts of soft flesh enclosing finger and hand bones (as well as many nerve endings), fingers and hands provide good striking surfaces. Other targets with little soft tissue include toes, ankles, shins, elbows, collar bones, and the head. But one should always avoid the head, which has areas that could lead to death if struck with nunchaku.

In the following video, Soke Hausel of Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai, demonstrates one of many kata. It is important to learn to handle kobudo weapons, with force, speed and power, but don't try this without proper guidance, as you can easily end up with a serious injury if you strike yourself, or are struck by another person, or receive a strike from a ricochet of nunchaku. And hospitals today, are places to avoid, unless you appreciate violation of constitutional and human rights. 

Hausel, W.D., in prep., Making of a Grandmaster: traditional Okinawan Karate & Koabudo in North America, in preparation.

Nunchaku - Learn from a Qualified Instructor, or buy lots of Ice.

Shihan-Dai Ben Moeur with nunchaku

Nunchaku is one of my favorite Okinawan farming tools. But if you decide to learn to use this, don't just be a farmer, be a farmer in angry white pajamas and learn to use it correctly!

The few schools in the Phoenix Valley that teach this tool usually have little expertise and charge an arm and a leg to teach you how to swing it and often people end up with bruises. If you are learning to use one of these with a pair of glow lights attached to a cord, my recommendation would be to search for a new sensei and school. 

Nunchaku is more or less thought to be indigenous to Okinawa, and thus many of the traditional Shorin-Ryu karate schools teach this weapon along with traditional karate. At our school on the corner of Baseline and MacDonald, we teach this weapon in both kata and in self-defense. Come join our friendly Okinawan and Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert farmers - we would love to meet you. Our hombu dojo is opened to the public and we are just right down the street from Gilbert Costco and Walmart.

Kyoshi Adam, 8th dan, demonstrates hillbilly kobudo at the Arizona Hombu

Soke Hausel and other black belts demonstrate kobudo at International
Students Day, University of Wyoming. 

Training in kata at the Hombu in Mesa, Arizona

Nunchuks and the Law

 Started training in martial arts early in life, and the first kobudo weapon I learned was the Okinawan nunchaku. All who trained with this tool, realized it was not something you could learn over night. It took considerable muscle memory and practice, and periodic self-inflicted bruises to learn correctly. I taught nunchaku while at the University of Utah in the late 1960s, and later at the University of New Mexico in the 1970s.

Nunchaku is thought to be an Okinawan farming tool (aka chuks, numchuk, numbchuk, etc). So, years later, when I left the University of Wyoming after teaching karate and kobudo for three decades and moved to Arizona, I was mystified nunchaku was illegal in the Copper State - a known conservative state that supported the US constitution. In all other states I lived in, nunchaku was legal and protected by the 2nd Amendment - but four states; for no apparent reason, outlawed this martial arts tool (Arizona, New York, Massachusetts, and California). Now, only in California and Massachusetts can a person be arrested for expressing his/hers right to bear arms and learn this kobudo weapon.

Today, I teach students to use nunchaku in kobudo and samurai arts classes in Mesa, Arizona, and I include many other tools and weapons; such as samurai weapons known as katana (sword), yari (spear), naginata (pole arm), hanbo (half-staff), bo (full staff), manrikigusari (chain), jujutsu, tanto (knife), kubotan and others. Then there are the many kobudo tools or weapons, such as kuwa (garden hoe), ra ke (rake), sai (forks), kama (sickles), nuntei bo, sansetsukon, and others. Prior to moving to Arizona, I taught these weapons in traditional martial arts classes to students, faculty and staff at the University of Wyoming.

"My bruises are better than yours"

"In the hands of an expert, nunchaku can be lethal, but in the hands of an amateur, nunchaku can only be dangerous to one's self".  But to make nunchaku illegal, makes no sense - there are rocks, sticks, bats, manufactured weapons and even vehicles that are much more lethal, and require little to no training or philosophy to use".

Nunchaku was popularized as a martial arts weapon by Bruce Lee in the 1973 movie, Enter the Dragon as well as by Tadashi Yamashita. Enter the Dragon was not only entertaining, but apparently gave some future lawmakers nightmares. How else can one explain outlawing this tool.

The nunchaku is an excellent martial arts tool designed to improve motor skills along with ethics and concern for others, when taught in traditional martial arts schools. It takes time to learn proper muscle memory to use the Okinawan kobudo weapon, and each martial artist is also taught to be concerned for his/hers fellow men and women. Most bunkai (self-defense applications) use nunchaku as self-defense sticks while held in your hands, and only a small percentage of bunkai use nunchaku with release strikes.

When I started martial arts in the 60s, it was common knowledge that if you wanted to get even with someone, you simply gave them a pair of nunchaku without instruction. In those days, all nunchaku were made out of hard wood with chains in garage workshops and were brutal when a person began swinging them around, especially after the 1973 Bruce Lee movie when many wannabes tried to imitate Sifu Lee and bruised their heads, elbows, knees, shins - and ... well let's say, most are lucky they were able to later have kids. So, what is so wrong with this?

We even heard one story back in the early 70s or a person apprehending themselves for the California police after they attempted to rob a bank using nunchaku. Stepping back from the teller to give a performance, the criminal accidentally struck himself in the head - but apparently did not receive any award for apprehending a bank robber. 

In Kentucky, apparently a person can obtain a permit for concealed carry of nunchaku and shuriken. In Arizona, nunchaku was listed with bombs, grenades, rockets, poison gas (does this include outhouses?), automatic weapons, sawed off shotguns. But finally, we are now free to swing our nunchaku out in the public.

It is crazy for any legislator to outlaw something they know little to nothing about. Martial arts requires dedication and integrity, something lacking in legislators. Ever see a Congressman in a traditional martial arts class? 

We searched the internet (which is full of misleading information) to try to gain insight on what is legal and what is illegal when it comes to kobudo. Do not consider the internet as an authority on laws and legislation - instead, visit your local police department and ask about laws on kobudo weapons. Be sure not to take any with you.

Here are some pieces of information we found on the internet about the possession of nunchaku: Nunchaku are still illegal in California for civilians, but not for police officers, but in California it is legal to be illegal and many other weird things. Personally, I've never heard of a single person dying from a nunchaku attack, although there are reports in Great Britain - but what would you expect from a nation that drives on the wrong side of the road? A few people in Great Britain drank themselves to death last year, but you don't see booze being outlawed. 

Personally, I feel government  should be required to operate on tips rather than taxes. Thus, if they offer good service, they should receive a tip, but we all know that if this policy were instituted, governments worldwide would go out of business within a week. 

We were glad to see that a legislator in Lake Havasu City, Arizona moved forward with a bill to legalize nunchaku in Arizona. Wow, a government representative who actually appears to be working for the concern of its people.  After all John Adams wrote - “Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny, or private self-defense.” Nowhere does it specify what can be used as a self-defense weapon. And the US Constitution supports John Adams. So, how can individual states override the US Constitution?

So, whether its Bruce Lee, the Ninja Turtles, or an ex-girlfriend, we need to investigate just how dangerous nunchaku is before legislators outlaw a perfectly good martial arts tool.

It seems that modern society is doomed to repeat history. After King Shoshin on Okinawa outlawed bladed weapons, Okinawa was invaded by samurai from Japan. And even the feared weapon by legislators today couldn't save the Okinawan people in the 17th century. But finally, in May 2019, justice prevailed, when Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill making nunchaku legal to carry in Arizona once again. Thank you!

Where does it say in the Constitution that Nunchaku should be illegal for civilians?

Nunchaku & Kobudo

   

Traditional Okinawa Karate and Kobudo arts along with self-defense and samurai arts, are taught in the east valley of Phoenix at the Arizona Hombu Dojo on the border of Chandler with Gilbert and Mesa.

Nunchaku is a tool used by some Okinawan farmers that was converted into a weapon of self-defense following the ban of bladed weapons on Okinawa by King Shoshin in 1480AD due to his concern over a possible revolt by the people. In the hands of an expert, it was a formable weapon, but in the hands of an amateur, it provided and still provides considerable entertainment.

Tsuki uchi with nunchuks (thrust strike).

Okinawan kobudo is thought of as the ‘ancient, or old, martial way of Okinawa’. Kobudo evolved from kobujutsu, a koryu (old system) that refers to ancient fighting methods of the Okinawan penchin and Japanese samurai. Many people better know these as martial arts weapons. Kobujutsu implies fighting techniques without esoteric value, whereas kobudo has esoteric philosophy. 'Kobu' translates as old and 'jutsu' refers to the techniques or schools of Okinawa pechin class that were equivalent to Japanese samurai. This is unlike kobudo which implies there is philosophical and redeeming values by adding the suffix ‘do’. A word that is periodically used in place of kobujutsu is bukijutsu: 'buki' meaning weapon. Thus bukido would imply some kind of esoteric influence. That esoteric value would manifest itself in kata.



Most non-Asians ignore the semantics between kobudo and kobujutsu and use these words interchangeable as do many martial artists in Arizona. But it is important to understand there is a difference. Both may use the same techniques, but it is in how they employ those techniques that makes a difference. Kobudo uses techniques in kata and emphasizes philosophy and self-improvement of the person and spirit. Each time we practice kobudo kata, there is a subtle reminder of the 'way' or 'path' we seek or the person we would like to become.

We bow (rei) at the beginning of karate and kobudo kata and we bow at the end of kata just as we do at the beginning and ending of our martial arts classes. This emphasizes respect for one another and provides an unspoken contract that we will humble ourselves to learn from our Sensei (martial arts teacher). The more you train in traditional karate & kobudo, bowing stimulates your subconscious telling you to respect, act with good manners, be non-violent, set goals to be a better person, etc, simply because you learn to affiliate these positive thoughts and philosophy with bowing in martial arts.

As budoka (practitioners of the martial way) we must always be aware that the opposite can happen. If you were to train in a dojo (martial arts school) that emphasized negative thoughts, these would sooner or later manifest themselves as negative affirmations in your subconscious. Even though it was just a movie, this is what we saw in the first Karate Kid. Every time martial artists from the Cobra-Kai dojo trained in sport martial arts, they were reminded by their Sensei to win at any cost and “show no mercy”; whereas, Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel-san to associate karate kata and training with positive affirmations.

Gichin Funakoshi pencil sketch by Soke
Hausel

I’ve trained in karate schools that were similar to Cobra-Kai where students were encouraged to fight on the streets to practice martial arts. In Seiyo Kai, this type of activity would get you expelled from our association and lead you down a path that ultimately could end up in your incarceration. This is the one quality anyone should investigate in any dojo prior to training – find out about the philosophy of the dojo and Sensei. This was why Gichin Funakoshi and other Okinawan karate masters of the 20th century so strongly objected to the Japanese turning karate into sport: it provided a strong negative overtone by focusing on winning and attacking, rather than its real purpose – to make us better people. But the old ancient fighting systems (bujutsu) had a different concept behind them, they were designed for one thing, and one thing only: to defeat your enemy on a battlefield – no philosophy required. Ancient bujutsu taught practitioners to attack and kill with little regard to human life. But with evolution of bujutsu to budo, things changed dramatically. To be sure you find a school and instructor with good credentials and a good reputation, we always recommend that you simply type in the name of the martial arts school or the name of the instructor and do a quick websites on Bing and Google. It shouldn't take long to find out if the school is the type of school you would be interested in. Remember, there is a very high percentage of schools with instructors that have no evidence of proper certification let alone any certification other than what they purchased on the internet. But just the opposite will also be found. Many good instructors that have evidence of certification and lineage.

Master Cho, copyright pencil sketch
by Soke Hausel

Today, most traditional martial arts in the world (and Arizona) are a discipline with esoteric benefits for the mind and spirit and physical benefits for the body.

It doesn’t take a genius to see some influence of Buddhism and Shinto in martial arts, but even so, martial arts are not a religion and the influence is philosophical. For example, we do not have to practice martial arts to go to heaven nor we do not have to practice martial arts to be a good person. It’s just a tool to help us become more confident and better members of society. It teaches us valuable lessons in building affirmations (or goal setting). By following a martial arts path, one can improve no matter what their beliefs or practices. Martial arts should complement one’s religion, unless that religion is based on evil. The majority of our students worldwide are Christians as is our Soke (Grandmaster), but our association also has a large number of Mormons, along with some Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and agnostics. Through martial arts, we build positive relationships.

There is another important characteristic of budo that people miss. Budo requires a lifetime commitment. No matter how long you train, there is always more to learn in martial arts. If you earn a black belt, it means nothing if you do not continue to practice. It would be like earning a college degree in engineering and then going to work as a shoe salesman. You may have an engineering degree, but you would really be a shoe salesman rather than an engineer.



Nunchaku kata training in Mesa, Arizona

Kobudo (martial arts weapons) uses agriculture and fishing tools such as: (1) bo (wooden staff), (2) sai (trucheon), (3) tonfa (millstone handles), (4) nunchaku (rice flail), (5) kama (sickle), (6) tekko (knuckle dusters), (7) tinbe-rochin (turtle shell shield & spear), (8) surujin (chain), (9) eku or sunakakebo (oar), (10) tanbo (short staff), (11) kuwa (farmers hoe), (12) nunti (staff with attached sai), (13) sansetkun (3-sectional staff), (14) kobutan or yawara (stick), (15) manrikigusari (weighted chain), (16) hari (fish hook), (17) chizikunbo (fish net handles), (18) gifa (hairpin), (19) ra-ke or kue (rake), (20) utsubo or kudamonbo (threshing flail), (21) shaku kama (pole with attached kama), (22) hanbo (half bo), (23) tanto (knife) (24) nireki, (25) surichin (rope with rocks) (26) tetsubo or kanabo and other tools.

Unlike karate - kobudo was family oriented and developed different kata and techniques derived from various families and/or geographic locations on Okinawa with little interaction from outsiders; whereas karate was developed geographically within three different Okinawa villages – Shuri, Naha and Tomarei. This resulted karate kata affiliated with distinct villages or styles, while kobudo kata either bared the name of a person who developed the kata or the name of the village where it was created. For example, Sakagawa no kun translates as ‘Sakagawa’s bo form’ in probable reference to Tode Sakagawa, one of the early members in the Shorin-Ryu Karate lineage as well as the lineage of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Renmei practiced at the Arizona Hombu dojo in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler just a short distance from Tempe.

One of the kobudo tools or martial arts weapons that remain a mystery is the nunchuku (also spelled nanchaku and nunchaku) and known to many Westerners as nunchuks or numchuks. Its place of origin and how it was developed is a matter of controversy. Did it originate in China (or some other southeast Asian country) and was later introduced to Okinawa: or was it weapon indigenous to Okinawa?

Actually there are several possibilities that include: (1) Chinese weapon, (2) threshing flail, (3) cart rail, and (4) horse bridle.

Even the word nunchuku is subject to controversy. The word may be from China, it may have been from the Japanese pronunciation of a two sectional staff, or it may have been derived from the word used for horse bit or bridle. By combining two Japanese words: nun meaning ‘twin’ and shaku the approximate ‘length of bamboo between two nodes’ (about one foot in length), one ends up with the word nunshaku that is very similar to nunchuku. The word for Okinawan horse bit or bridle is nunchiyaku, also similar to nunchuku. The parts of a nunchaku consist essentially of two short staffs attached by horse hair.

Many suggest a possible origin for nunchuku was modification of a farmer’s threshing tool. The threshing flail consisted of a long stick attached to a smaller stick by horse hair. Threshing tools were once common agricultural tools in farming communities around the world including Okinawa where it was used to separate grain from husks, or rice from stems. A threshing tool once used in Quebec had a handle 5 feet in length with the striking stick about 3 feet in length. Although there are only extremely rare references to use of a threshing flail as a kobudo weapon, it is not hard to imagine farmers, who used this tool 10 to 12 hours a day during harvest, becoming very affective in using it as a weapon without any modification.

Some school teachers train in kobudo at the Arizona Hombu dojo in Mesa. Our dojo has many school teachers and university faculty members because of Soke Hausel's past association with universities, because of the traditional and historical education taught to the members of our school, and
because of the pragmatic approach to self-defense.

A flail could not have been used as nunchuku without modification. Imagine the difficulty swinging a flail around like you would a nunchuku. Thus, if the flail was the origin of nunchuku, it would have to have been modified by cutting one or both sticks to make them equal length.

Horse wearing nunchaku bridal - one of
the more likely origins of this Okinawa
tool.

One variation of nunchuku is a three-sectional tool known as a sansetsukon (or sanchuk). The sanchuk was likely a Chinese weapon introduced to Okinawa. By breaking a link of a sanchuk, either on purpose or by accident, one has a nunchuku. There is a tool used on Okinawa that looks like a sanchuk, it is essentially a cart rail. This was a removable rail which prevented large stacks of cane from slipping off of a flat-bed hand cart.

Another possibility for the origin of this weapon is the Okinawan horse bit or bridle (nunchiyaku). The Okinawan horse bridle has similarities to nunchuku, not only in name, but also in shape. Although the handles are curved rather than straight, in time, such a weapon could have been modified to straight sticks.

A nunchiyaku, or Okinawan horse bridle, consisted to two curved sticks attached by horse hair and placed around the horse’s neck.

Another interesting feature of nunchaku is that this martial arts weapon has no traditional kata like many of the traditional kobudo kata. The bo has more than a dozen traditional kata named after the authors or geographical locations. Many of these are practiced at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and also by members of Seiyo Kai International. It is considered by others that this was due to the lack of popularity of nunchaku in Asian history and it was seldom used in self-defense.

Even so, the nunchuku is a good weapon if used properly. Most techniques are designed similar to karate blocks and strikes with few release strikes; however most nunchaku kata have many release strikes which can be dangerous to the user because of rebound. Another problem with nunchuku is distance. A samurai sword (katana), halberd (naginata) or spear (yari) easily out-reaches the nunchaku. On the other hand, a martial artist who was skilled in nunchaku had the edge on multiple unarmed opponents or against an opponent armed with a knife (tanto). Students learn to use nunchaku in self-defense against armed opponents with knives and guns and unarmed opponents. Our Seiyo Kai International students also learn to use nunchaku against the classical samurai weapons..

A similar weapon to the nunchaku taught at the Arizona Hombu in Mesa is that of sansetsukon - or three sectional staff.