At the Arizona Hombu martial arts school, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe and Apache Junction karate students train in kobudo weapons including bo at the international dojo on Baseline Road and MacDonald at the border of Mesa and Gilbert. The karate students are learning to use the bo. The bo is a common Okinawa weapon and farming implement used to carry material in the Orient by placing the stick over one's shoulders and balancing goods at both ends.
In times of trouble, merchants and farmers would take their bo and use it to fight off thugs and even samurai. Students in the East Valley of Phoenix continue this tradition by learning Kihon (basics), Kata (forms), Bunkai (applications) and Kumite (sparring) with bo. They are taught by expert instructors in Karate and Kobudo.
The Arizona Martial Arts Students began training with the bo. The students must learn by rote and demonstrate several kata (forms) and self-defense applications certify in bo-jutsu. They are expected to learn 8 to 10 kata and all self-defense applications (bunkai) hidden in these forms (kata)
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| Training in the sand outside the University of Wyoming Education Building Gym in Laramie, Wyoming. Soke Hausel from the Arizona Hombu shown teaching bo clinic to the University of Wyoming Campus Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Club. |
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Martial artists also learn to defend against the bo and other weapons. Here Sarah (2nd dan) trains with tonfa defending attack by Dr. Adam (6th dan). |
