How to Twirl a Bow Staff

A Bo staff is a Japanese weapon incorporated into several different martial arts styles, particularly bojutsu. Bo is the Japanese word for staff. These weapons are made of hard wood such as oak, but some are also made from bamboo. A typical bo staff is at least 6-feet long, but can be longer for a person of greater than average height. Twirling a bo staff is less useful than striking techniques; however, many bo staff users practice the basic twirl for strengthening hand-eye coordination.

Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the staff out in front of you horizontally with arms extended, parallel to the ground. Position your hands 6 inches apart at the staff center.

    • 2

      Position your hands on the staff with the left hand palm down and right hand palm up. Keep your grip firm but relaxed.

    • 3

      Flip the staff upward in a clockwise motion. Take your left hand and cross over the right and grab the staff as it passes back to your hand.

    • 4

      Keep repeating the process to twirl the staff. Concentrate on keeping your hands positioned at the center, otherwise the staff will become harder to twirl and you could lose your grip if the weight of the staff becomes too heavy on one end.