In our modern times, stick weapons are largely "out". You can only get an approximate idea of how to use weapons from the cinema and TV. Impressive battle scenes such as in Star Wars, in the film Pacific-Rim (Yonshakubo), the fight of the Wing Chun master in the windmill with the Long Pole in the film "Ip-Man", or the Bō, as he does in the series Cobra-Kai by Daniel Larusso is demonstrated very impressively on the stage give insights into the similarities.

Even today, these traditional long-stick weapons are taught in various forms. In Germany mostly in the context of martial arts. Traditional in Asia, such as the stick in the monasteries of the Shaolin monks, the Bō in Okinawa, or exotic species such as the Luk-Dim-Boon-Kwan - the long stick with a length of around 2.85 meters, as it is in the Chinese Wing Chun Kung-Fu is used in the form of a weapon.

In Japan, Okinawa, the Rokushaku-Bō stands for the oldest and most famous weapon. It forms a central connection to karate. The punch of a karate punch corresponds to that of a Bō punch. The Bō is conveyed as the main weapon along with other Kobudo weapons such as Tonfa, Sai and Nunchaku. The common styles of bojutsu are Yamanni-Chinen Ryu and Ryukyu-Kobudo.

During the occupation of the Ryukyu Islands in 1609 by the Satsuma clan, all weapons that would be suitable for their defense against this rule were stripped from the residents. So they began to develop hidden strategies that would enable them to increase their own fighting strength against the armed invaders through the skillful use of simple objects.

It made sense to use everything that was inconspicuous and already in possession. The staff that had often proven to be a useful helper when it came to moving loads.

For example, baskets with goods or vessels filled with water were picked up on the shoulders in equal parts at the ends of the rods, or one person each took one end of the rod so that the load in the middle could be carried together.

A stick or long stick was inconspicuous and practical at the same time when it was used to push off the bottom of a boat, for example, so that one could move forward in the water.

The story of the origin and use of the Rokushaku-Bō on the then Ryu-Kyu Islands goes back a long way and, in addition to facts, is also fraught with many theses for which there are no clear records and evidence.

The Ryukyu Islands' flourishing trade relations with China, Thailand and Vietnam led to new knowledge of foreign fighting styles being combined with their own existing local fighting style and to creating a martial art that was adapted to their needs and improved.

It was shaped by the union of the Chinese Tōde (technique of the China hand, master Sakukawa) and the Japanese style Té (hand) - today's traditional Okinawa karate. By adding the "technique of ancient weapons" - the Kobujutsu, in which simple peasant tools were converted into weapons and incorporated into the fighting style.

It is suspected and it cannot be ruled out that simple farmers also benefited from the secret knowledge which was primarily reserved for the higher-ranking in order to defend themselves against the invaders. However, in addition to performing your actual work, sufficient time and financial resources had to be available for this.

The Bō, on the other hand, turned into a terrifying and dangerous weapon in the hands of an accomplished fighter through sweeping blows, thrusts and whirling techniques.

Even attackers armed with heavies could be routed or even killed if this was essential. Even today the most famous wooden weapons of the Kobudo are the tonfa or the nunchaku, which Bruce Lee was a master at.

Translated, Rokushakubō means: Roku, six. Shaku stands for the Japanese unit of measurement with about 30 cm. Bō here means staff. It is a stick six by a foot long.

In today's Okinawa, the Bō is also called Kun or Kon.

It is usually made from red or white oak. In the Chinese area, however, rattan or bamboo are common. The diameter of the weapon varies between two and a half to three centimeters. In addition to the round shape, it also has a four-, six- and octagonal cross-section.

The mode of action here is increasingly devastating.

The traditional length is 182cm.

It should be individually adapted to the student and about two hands wider than the body size to enable optimal training.