r/kobudo • u/Arokthis Godan (5th dan) • Jun 12 '26

Bō/Kon Perfect example of why I can't stand tournament toothpicks.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/966862176133149

20 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

7

u/LikelyBigfoot Jun 12 '26

The worst part is XMA routines being called traditional kobudo because they wear a white gi.

3

u/toragirl Jun 12 '26

I appreciate creative kata for what it is, but this is a 'traditional' division? Yikes.

That being said, I've had to beg for a bo because I entered a tournament that disallowed any taper on the bo. Mine is a solid ash bo, but it has a taper. Oops.

3

u/Arokthis Godan (5th dan) Jun 12 '26

Not allowing a tapered bo is kinda bullshit, but I get it. It helps prevent crap like the video.

6

u/Cainnech Jun 12 '26

My sensei is the director of our state sanctioned tournaments for Karate and Kobudo, and he bans non-traditional weapons and is very clear about the glitter batons that people twirl around and call bō being disallowed. Inevitably, every year, someone shows up with one and gets mad because they have to go around and beg someone to borrow a real bo, and their whole "routine" is messed up because they can't do it with a heavy oak staff.

5

u/OyataTe Jun 12 '26

Soooooo many tournament bō just makes me sad. Gut wrenching screams, glued to the center and balsa bō just degrades it for me.

3

u/gurom74 Jun 13 '26

Un papelón. Ese bo te alcanza y se parte, y no te produce nada, salvo risa...

3

u/luke_fowl Matayoshi Kobudo & Shito-ryu Jun 17 '26

In all fairness, here is Toshihiro Oshiro also breaking a bo in kata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXGbQ1KUuRM . You don't really get more legit than him.

1

u/Arokthis Godan (5th dan) Jun 17 '26

He's also using a tournament toothpick.

It broke in the same way as in the video I posted.

You're just reinforcing my point.

1

u/luke_fowl Matayoshi Kobudo & Shito-ryu Jun 17 '26

I think calling them tournament toothpicks is disingenuous since Yamane-ryu normally does use very thin bo. The standard bo they use tend to be untapered and less than an inch in diameter. 

1

u/darkknight109 Jun 24 '26

If the "weapon" you're using breaks simply by swinging it too hard, is it actually a weapon?