Well I'm no Bruce Lee and I don't ever intend to be. I must say I have found a new found appreciation for all the skills that man possessed though. The many years of practice, mistakes, the obstacles and dedication made him into a master of the Nunchaku.
Today I was introduced to a new weapon, the Nunchaku. In Canada we never practiced or trained with this weapon because it is illegal. In the US, they are more lenient with the use of this weapon. Any boy who has seen a Bruce Lee movie or watched Ninja turtles knows what this weapon does, I, on the other hand, have very limited exposure to it. Sensei handed me this weapon, I examined it like it was some alien. Not even sure how to hold it properly. He began doing a training drill with all of us. I must say I was humbled by my clumsiness with it, and laughed at my uncoordination with this foreign object in my hand. Sensei saw me struggling so halted the class to show demonstrate how to manoevur it to my side... I couldn't grasp it and fumbled with this weapon trying to get it to my shoulder. When I get nervous or I'm put on the spot I laugh, I must say I felt much laughter brewing today.
Sensei knew I needed some one on one time, he instructed the other students to go through the drill and came over to me to help me. First thing was to get the basic over the shoulder set and to switch from side to side so it becomes a fluid motion... grasping the nunchaku in both hands, hand being one inch from the bottom, bringing your right hand and moving the left hand at the same time to have the right hand over your shoulder and the bottom left hand in a ready stance... all to come together in a fluid motion was a MAJOR challenge for me... switching it to the other side was even a bigger one.
Once I got the flow I continued to do it, back and forth, back and forth, training my muscles to feel and learn that motion... over and over, repetition is key when learning something new... then Sensei wanted me to learn the low block with the Nunchaku... getting into the set position, right hand in the upper position, then turning that hand, to make the nunchaku into a straight line... kinda like a bo, then striking down with the lower half which is in your left hand... all in one fluid motion... sounds easy... NOPE... nothing's easy when you're just starting out... over and over and over, I repeated this... after getting it as good as it was going to get for a first timer, Sensei wanted to teach me how to do a punch with the Nunchaku.
This is the swinging motion you see the masters of this weapon practice with ease... letting it swing forward and then bringing it back into ready stance... over your shoulder... UH HUH... this didn't go well... first attempt... swinging forward, out SLOWLY... because I'm unsure... it flutters, and wobbles clumsily in the air... doesn't go where it should go... bringing it back, it flies over my shoulder and hits me not so softly on my buttocks... I let out a loud yip... the class starts to laugh... yes, at this point, I'm feeling very humble and a tad bit embarassed, I start to laugh. Sensei tells me to take it slowly again, teaching me proper form on how to throw/swing the nunchaku... it goes where I want it this time, but over the shoulder set doesn't exactly go where I want it, and once again, I feel the portion of the stick hitting me in my buttocks again... I know I will have a bruise there. Then I switch to the other side, my bad side, the left side... oh god, I'm sure I will do some damage this time... I throw the nunchaku out, I bring it back in a slow arc, I see it coming towards my head, I duck, and start to laugh uncontrollably... at this point, I'm thinking out loud and say, "I"m definitely not a Bruce Lee" which causes some chuckles from the other students... over and over I practice, not even catching the nunchaku as it swings over my shoulder, my hand either makes it bounce out, and then my grab isn't timed... I'm not giving up, I'm getting annoyed with myself, over and over I practice with this blasted thing in my hands... over and over, it bounces across my buttocks or almost hits me in the head... over and over, until I feel it going over my shoulder at just the right angle and I finally grab the end that went over... YES! I did it. I finally executed a proper left punch/swing with the Nunchaku. That was my first obstacle with this weapon, I'm certain there is going to be much more obstacles to overcome, but that little ordeal left me with hope.
I will not be as skilled as the Master, Bruce Lee, who I applaud for his years and years of practice of this weapon, but I will be skilled enough by my own standards and limitations. I also applaud Sensei for his unwavering patience and understanding. There were times I wanted to give up on doing the technique, but he just watched and twecked my technique as I did it, pointing out my mistakes and correcting them before they became habits... Hai Sensei, and Domo Aregato!!!
Today I was introduced to a new weapon, the Nunchaku. In Canada we never practiced or trained with this weapon because it is illegal. In the US, they are more lenient with the use of this weapon. Any boy who has seen a Bruce Lee movie or watched Ninja turtles knows what this weapon does, I, on the other hand, have very limited exposure to it. Sensei handed me this weapon, I examined it like it was some alien. Not even sure how to hold it properly. He began doing a training drill with all of us. I must say I was humbled by my clumsiness with it, and laughed at my uncoordination with this foreign object in my hand. Sensei saw me struggling so halted the class to show demonstrate how to manoevur it to my side... I couldn't grasp it and fumbled with this weapon trying to get it to my shoulder. When I get nervous or I'm put on the spot I laugh, I must say I felt much laughter brewing today.
Sensei knew I needed some one on one time, he instructed the other students to go through the drill and came over to me to help me. First thing was to get the basic over the shoulder set and to switch from side to side so it becomes a fluid motion... grasping the nunchaku in both hands, hand being one inch from the bottom, bringing your right hand and moving the left hand at the same time to have the right hand over your shoulder and the bottom left hand in a ready stance... all to come together in a fluid motion was a MAJOR challenge for me... switching it to the other side was even a bigger one.
Once I got the flow I continued to do it, back and forth, back and forth, training my muscles to feel and learn that motion... over and over, repetition is key when learning something new... then Sensei wanted me to learn the low block with the Nunchaku... getting into the set position, right hand in the upper position, then turning that hand, to make the nunchaku into a straight line... kinda like a bo, then striking down with the lower half which is in your left hand... all in one fluid motion... sounds easy... NOPE... nothing's easy when you're just starting out... over and over and over, I repeated this... after getting it as good as it was going to get for a first timer, Sensei wanted to teach me how to do a punch with the Nunchaku.
This is the swinging motion you see the masters of this weapon practice with ease... letting it swing forward and then bringing it back into ready stance... over your shoulder... UH HUH... this didn't go well... first attempt... swinging forward, out SLOWLY... because I'm unsure... it flutters, and wobbles clumsily in the air... doesn't go where it should go... bringing it back, it flies over my shoulder and hits me not so softly on my buttocks... I let out a loud yip... the class starts to laugh... yes, at this point, I'm feeling very humble and a tad bit embarassed, I start to laugh. Sensei tells me to take it slowly again, teaching me proper form on how to throw/swing the nunchaku... it goes where I want it this time, but over the shoulder set doesn't exactly go where I want it, and once again, I feel the portion of the stick hitting me in my buttocks again... I know I will have a bruise there. Then I switch to the other side, my bad side, the left side... oh god, I'm sure I will do some damage this time... I throw the nunchaku out, I bring it back in a slow arc, I see it coming towards my head, I duck, and start to laugh uncontrollably... at this point, I'm thinking out loud and say, "I"m definitely not a Bruce Lee" which causes some chuckles from the other students... over and over I practice, not even catching the nunchaku as it swings over my shoulder, my hand either makes it bounce out, and then my grab isn't timed... I'm not giving up, I'm getting annoyed with myself, over and over I practice with this blasted thing in my hands... over and over, it bounces across my buttocks or almost hits me in the head... over and over, until I feel it going over my shoulder at just the right angle and I finally grab the end that went over... YES! I did it. I finally executed a proper left punch/swing with the Nunchaku. That was my first obstacle with this weapon, I'm certain there is going to be much more obstacles to overcome, but that little ordeal left me with hope.
I will not be as skilled as the Master, Bruce Lee, who I applaud for his years and years of practice of this weapon, but I will be skilled enough by my own standards and limitations. I also applaud Sensei for his unwavering patience and understanding. There were times I wanted to give up on doing the technique, but he just watched and twecked my technique as I did it, pointing out my mistakes and correcting them before they became habits... Hai Sensei, and Domo Aregato!!!
