Japan Karate Federation

I began working on this syllabus for 2 reasons. First, I wanted to learn more about working with a Bo. Second, I have had a number of people ask me over the past several years if I could teach them how to use a Bo. My initial answer was always Yes. It very quickly occured to me though, that I could merely pass on a handfull of combinations that I had been shown. I also memorized a Kata by watching it over and over and over. I really did not have a graps on the Kihon that accomanied any of the movements I was executing.

Am I a Kobudo Master? Certainly not! Kobudo encomasses far more weaponry than I will ever touch, let alone have an opportunity to learn. I am just a Sensei who has written a syllabus designed to teach the basic skills of using a Bo while following the same formula that I utilize while teaching empty handed Karate. First some Kihon, next some simply combinations, onto an elementary Kata, and we'll carry on from there. Eventually we will get into more complex combinations, harder Kata, Ippon Kumite and I'll through in history all along the way.

Most of what I have to offer comes from the Taira Shinken lineage. Most of the names for these techniques came from Sensei Fumio Demura's book Bo - Karate Wepon of Self Defense . I have also used concepts and techniques from Bo - Ancient Martial Arts of the Ryukyu Islands by Motokatsu Inoue and Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts by Patrick McCarthy . These invaluable sources along with a lot of study from web sites around the world are what I have studied so far.

Techniques marked with [C,K]. The C means the technique is used in a Combination. The K means the technique is used in a Kata that you will learn soon.

Combinations marked with an [R] are part of the original 10 Ryobu-Kai combinations that I was taught.

e-mail: admin@jkfnw.com