Are You a Nunchaku Fan? Look at This Guide!

Most nunchucks use a pair of small sticks with a chain. These small sticks are joined together by the chain and wrapped with a grip at the top of each stick. This grip is primarily for striking, but it also provides an effective grip for the nunchaku to wrap around the arm or leg of an opponent. 

When wrapped around an opponent's arm and tightened, the nunchaku can be used as a type of garrote, choking weapon. In other forms adapted for grappling, such as Judo's use of katas, there are different shapes and sizes of nunchucks and pairs instead of sets. Some commercial versions of the chain-linked nunchuck replace the chain with a short length of rope, often to make them easier to conceal.

Origins of Nunchucks:

Nunchaku is often manufactured to be small, lightweight, and easy to carry around and use. These special types of nunchucks are designed to make the weapon easier to perform and provide a better experience than traditional wooden versions. They usually have a spring mechanism that can be released or a tube that is attached to the crook of the stick into which a long pole can be inserted so that it forms an S-shape at its end.

The first known reference to this weapon was in 14th century China where it was used as a weapon known as 'Jian'. The weapon became popular during the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1912) when it was used primarily by officers of the Royal Household Troops, who were known as "Mencia". In later years, the weapon spread to other parts of China and was used in the war against Japan (1894-5).

In Thailand, this tool has been known since the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767), where it was called nok. A 1715 Thai law banned peasants from owning weapons. The nunchuck was also banned in 1905. The law was repealed in 1935, but it remained a symbol of rebellion for a long time afterward.

How Does Nunchaku Look Like?

Nunchaku is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon with a long, hardwood shaft wrapped in rattan. They consist of two pieces connected by a short chain handle that can be held by the user's hands or tied to the user’s waist for convenience or balance.

Traditional nunchuck utilize both ends of the short handle and are swung in an arc, resulting in powerful blows from either side. Some schools of Okinawan karate-dō now teach kata (forms) specifically for this weapon, although their use has largely been replaced with another modern Okinawan martial arts weapon, the tonfa.

Historical and Modern Use!

Nunchaku is popularly associated with Kung Fu movies due to their frequent use in forms of martial arts, but they are also used in other martial arts like Karate. They were originally agricultural tools. The two pieces of wood were used to knock rice down into the bottom of a wooden pail. 

Nunchuck started being used as a weapon during the late Edo period when it was employed by farmers and villagers to defend themselves against invasion by Japanese feudal forces and then by Chinese farmers fighting against pirates in Southern China. By the mid-19th century, the usage of nunchuck had spread throughout Japan, and then to China by the Japanese Navy.

It is still used in some forms of martial arts like karate today. Even though it is more popularly known for its use in movies, it has become a staple weapon of other martial arts' practitioners as well.

Nunchaku can be Dangerous!

Nunchucks are often considered the quintessential martial arts weapon. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they do so many different things that they are almost impossible to master. There are reportedly over 150 types of nunchucks in the world today, with each type having a unique name.

There is one thing about these weapons, however, that makes people worry: their potential for danger. Some people feel that using nunchucks can be too dangerous to be allowed; others feel it is not only unsafe but also unethical to use them as a weapon. I think this is a valid concern because there have been several documented cases of people dying from using nunchucks either for fighting or for self-defense purposes.