World Of Swords

Most students of the martial arts Have probably seen a pair of nunchaku (Chucks) being used while in the martial arts. Whether it was in a "karate movie," or while training in the dojo -- martial arts school - where you train in your chosen discipline. They're so popular that they're known all over the world as "nunchucks," "chucks" or "numchucks."

The "twin sticks" (that's their meaning when the word "nunchaku" is spoken in native Okinawan), in the right hands, are a whirling blur of motion that can actually be hard for the eye to follow when they're moving fast enough. And they can pack a seriously hard wallop when they're used to strike at somebody during close-quarters fighting.

They can be used alone as a pair of sticks joined together by a short length of rope or chain, or in pairs (one set for each hand) for double the trouble. The nunchaku (aka. Chucks) has a long and interesting history, starting from when they first appeared on the island of Okinawa off the coast of Japan sometime in the early to mid 1600s. Nowadays, few craftsmen like the ones at Buki Yuushuu still turn out modern customized versions of this beloved and cherished classic weapon.

How the nunchaku came to be developed on Okinawa during that time is a bit unclear. The most popular story was that Okinawan farmers and others on the island, including the upper classes of that time, took a farmer's thresher, which was a handheld tool made up of two sticks joined by a rope, and suddenly became nunchaku masters!

We're just kidding about the "instant master" effect. It usually takes some time to study and practice with the nunchaku (and more than a few whacks on the head!) before a person becomes skilled enough to use it in a real self-defense situation.

Actually, the invention of the nunchaku most likely never happened that way at all, but it makes for a good story. In realty, this popular self-defense weapon probably was constructed for the role it played then and still plays today; as a weapon. The evidence for this is that the Chinese themselves had a weapon that was very close in appearance to the nunchaku back before the 1600s, and that Chinese immigrants to Okinawa brought it with them. Also, the word for "nunchaku" comes from the Chinese language, so we can assume that it really was built to be what we know it as today.

To understand why these "two sticks connected by a string" came into being, we should understand that on the island of Okinawa, as with the rest of Japan, most people were forbidden to carry a sword or other bladed weapon. Only Japanese who were of the samurai class, a professional warrior were able to have such things. Native Okinawans, who were not Japanese at all, fell under this same rule. But people being people were just smart back then as they are today, and soon the nunchaku (Nunchuck) began to be used for personal protection and the protection of property against any would be criminals or Japanese samurai who happened to take advantage of their situation.

The Native Okinawa's as with most people didn't like to be ordered and pushed around, and samurai were experts at giving orders to those under their class. Can you imagine what a surprise it was when one of these professional warriors felt or witnessed the blistering speed of these wooden sticks coming at him?

Today the essence of the "chuck" is still the same; they are just faster and flashier than the nunchaku of old. If you'd like to see what a modern pair of nunchaku look like, go to bukiyuushuu.com one of the leaders of Okinawan style of weaponry, look at all the different styles, colors and the different ways you can customize your made to order nunchaku.

Come and see the most styles and choices in custom Nunchaku click here Nunchuck

Hate to be the one that points it out, but both Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson happen to be dead. Period. End.

which leaves us with the burning question, which one of these superstars had more impact on the world. It doesn't matter that they were in different areas, we can still put 'em up against each other. So, let's examine the issue.

When it comes to acting, Bruce Lee wins. Heck, Michael didn't make much in the way of movies, so he gets a big zero. Bruce, on the other hand made several movies, and they are still avidly watched to this day.

You could argue for MJ when it comes to singing, but Bruce Lee is gonna come out on top again. The dilemma is that Bruce Lee's vocals are more memorable than MJ's. I mean, are you going to call that mugger a PYT, or give him a chilling woop woop that will remind him that there are people in this world who can kick some serious ass!

Bruce Lee has the edge when it comes down to the all important question of moves. Michael couldn't do the splits or kick somebody's adam's apple or anything worthwhile, all he could do was walk backwards funny. But, if asked to, I'll bet Bruce could have moonwalked like a sucker.

.Bruce wins on downright sheer impact. Michael encouraged a generation of young, impressionable minds to walk backwards funny, uh, walk funny backwards, uh, you know. Bruce, on the other hand, encouraged several generations, and is still going strong, as to the value of healthy living, being able to protect yourself, living an artistic lifestyle, and on and on and on.

I think it is obvious that Bruce wins, once again, and bigger time than ever, when it come to who had more presence. Michael filled a boombox, and an occasional stage, but he never said a line like...you have offended my family, you have offended Shaolin. Really, except for words from a few songs that are hard to understand, can anybody remember much of anything that Michael said?

So Bruce Lee would have kicked Michael Jackson's ass, bigtime, in life, and now even in death. Oh, you don't like it, you think I rigged the results worse than a Michael Jackson trial? Well, you better walk backwards funny away from me and say your piece so I can't hear it, because, my friend, I study Bruce Lee.

The first time I made time stretch I was jerked out of a sleep by a commotion outside my yard. I saw a couple of fellows trying to beat my dog when I looked down from the upstairs window. I yelled down at them to leave my dog alone, and they yelled something back at me, and the next thing you know I was careening through the house while pulling on my pants.

When I came out of the gate it was easy to see what had happened. A frightened, little girl was standing and holding her dog while my dog danced around and the two fellows tried to get him. My dog had jumped the fence when he had seen the little girls dog, and she had picked her dog up to protect it, and the two fellows were really just coming to the rescue of a small girl.

This thing had turned into a problem for me. The two guys werent bad. How could I turn things around without hurting anybody?

I began to walk slower, and the fellows suddenly glanced at each other, then back at me, and I could see that they were starting to get unnerved. My eyes were filled with confidence, and though they were bigger than me, they suddenly had time for worry to build within their minds. They began to perspire and sweat and even shake.

I walked ever slower, and my dog stopped barking and looked at me, the whole darned world started to go slow mo. The little girl stepped back with her dog and looked up at me. I asked everybody what was going on.

It was beautiful. You could see the relief in the two fellows eyes that things hadnt escalated into physical fighting, and they both began to babble. Each wanted to be the one to explain what had happened.

I finally looked down at my dog, who was looking up with a rather guilty expression, and they stopped their babbling. So, knucklehead, it was you, eh? He flopped his tail on the ground a few times as he looked down.

I told the dog, who was renowned for ignoring me, to get into the yard, and, miracle of miracles, he slunk on down the sidewalk and through the gate. I asked if anybody was hurt, and no one was. I smiled at the two guys and the little girl, and petted her dog, and left, and that was the first time I ever slow walked.