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MARCH 1987

About the Cover: Kung fu kingpin Eric Lee puiverizes an opponent with a three-sectionai staff strike. KKi photographer Art Foxaii was there to catch the action with his Leica M4. Harry Sherman did the cover iayout.

DISCLAIMER RAINBOW PUBLICATIONS, INC., as a publisher, does not

endorse and makes no representation, warranty or guarantee concerning the safety or effectiveness of either the products and services advertised in this magazine or the martial arts or other techniques discussed or iiiustrated in this magazine. The publisher expressiy disciaims any and all liability relating to the manufacture, sale or use of such products and services and the application of the techniques discussed or illustrated in this magazine. The purchase or use of some of the prod­ucts, services or techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine may be illegal in some areas of the United States or other countries. Therefore, you should check federal, state, and local laws prior to your purchase or use of these products, services or techniques. The publisher makes no representa­tion or warranty concerning the legality of the purchase or use of these products, services or techniques in the United States or elsewhere.

Because of the nature of some of the products, services and techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine, you should consult a physician before using these products or ser­vices or applying these techniques.

Publisher Michael James

Assistant Publisher Geii Simon

Executive Editor Loren Franck

Art Director Harry Sherman

Copy Editor Jack Vaughn Photographer Art Foxaii Typography

Deborah R. Brown Advertising

Barbara Lessard Customer Service

Biiiie Voss Circulation

Mercy Caudillo Editorial Consultants

Jane Hailander Julie Meyers

Contributing Editors Graciela Casillas

Pat McCarthy Yu Jia-Ming Scott Wong

Contributors Ben Dover

James William Holzer Bill Kiase Bob Penn

Mike Replogle Alex Simpkins, Ph.D.

Annellen Simpkins, Ph.D.

FEATURES 2 2 VERSATILE AND VOLATILE: THE THREE-SECTIONAL S T A F F — O n e

of China's least understood weapons, the three-sectional staff is actually one of kung fu's most lethal f ighting tools. Noted weapons authority Eric Lee shows you the ropes of three-sectional staff combat.

27 KOBUDO WEAPONS: ARE THEY REALLY WORTH SAVING?—There's been a lot of talk about weapon bans by Congress and other legislative bodies. Should kobudo weapons be outlawed? Or do these weapons give martial art ists tremendous training opportunit ies? At last, discover the bottom line.

3 2 WHEN IT COMES TO KICKBOXING, THE THAIS HAVE I T - D e s p i t e almost a decade of education to the contrary, many people believe that American kicktxjxing and muay Thai are the same sport. Now, learn the dif­ferences as James Wil l iam Hoizer describes the Thai's best f ighting secrets.

4 4 FIGHTING AN OPPONENT WITH A CHAIN: STRENGTHEN YOUR WEAKEST LINK—When a tough street hood comes your way swinging a chain, what should you do? These strategies could save your life.

5 0 THE HEART AND S O L E O F CREATIVE F O O T W O R K - F o o t w o r k is too often overlooked when building a winning f ighting repertoire. Fortunately, if you're guilty of such oversights, you can do something about them.

5 9 TAE KWON DO KIDS: THEY'RE OUT FOR MORE THAN FUN AND GAMES—Some parents send their kids to tae kwon do school because it's a good babysitter. But Roger Carion's tae kwon do kids just want to be their best.

SPORTKARATE 6 6 EIGHT FACTS ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN KARATE CON­

F E R E N C E — I n the scramble to become sport karate's number-one sancitoning body and organization, the NAKC has announced startl ing plans to revolutionize the sport and catapult it into the arena of major league athletics.

71 THE NAKC LIBERTY CLASSIC—The NAKC put on a firework display of forms and f ighting at Madison Square Garden.

72 CHUCK MERRIMAN'S EAST TOURNAMENT—A successful tourna­ment promoter runs a successful tournament.

DEPARTMENTS 7 Editorial — Can bad apples spoil the

bunch? 9 Counterkicks—Pros and cons of pressure-

point fighting. 10 Japanese Traditions— Live and die the

budo way! 12 Chinese Traditions—Discerning truth

from error. 13 The Warner's Weapon—A nunchaku

update.

16 Casiiias' Comer—Can anyone monopolize martial arts knowledge?

18 Survive!-When can you legally use a weapon?

20 The Shaoiin Way—The woman's martial art.

76 Dojo Directory—A roadmap of martial arts schools.

KARATE/KUNG FU ILLUSTRATED—ISSN 0888-031X-magazlne is published monthly by Rainbow Publications, Inc. Editorial, advertising and circulation offices at 1813 Victory Place, P.O. Box 7728, Burbank, OA 91510-7728. Second-class postage paid Burbank, CA, and additional post offices. Postmaster send form 3579 to Rainbow Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 7728, Burbank, CA 91510-7728. Telephone: (818) 843-4444 or (213) 849-2181. Consultants: Uyehara Management Inc., 1314 S. King Street, Suite 520, Honolulu, Hi 96814. Subscription rates in the United States are one year (12 issues), $19.50; two years, $39.00. (Foreign coutries add $4.00 per year for postage.) The publisher and editors will not be responsible for unsolicited material. Manuscripts and photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Printed in the United States by Foots and Davies, Lincoln, NB. Copyright ©1987 by Rainbow Publications, inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Versatile and Volatile: The Three-Sectional Staff

by Mike Replogie

What is as long as a spear and as short as a baton?

What has the strength of a sword yet the flex of a whip chain?

What can deliver a fatal blow or sim­ply grapple and hold?

What is more dangerous to the novice that it is to his opponent?

What is as beautiful to watch as it is effective to use?

If you haven't guessed already, the answer Is sawm jeet gwivn—the Chi­nese three-sectional staff.

The three-sectional staff is a weapon rich in heritage. Since its invention over 1,000 years ago by the first Chinese em­peror of the Sun Dynasty, Jin Hong Van, j its incredible versatil ity has made it one j of China's most popular and fascinat ing j f ight ing implements. \

The three-sectional staff basically j consists of three short st icks joined t o - 1 gether with flexible metal connectors j and rings to form one long pole with two i jo ints. The materials used for the shafts vary.

Chinese Combat Weapon In combat the three-sectional staff

can be used in its extended form to fight long-range weapons, or In its flexed and folded form for short-range f ighting. It can be used as a rigid st ick o r ; just as easily as a f lexible v snaking around the guard and d< of an opponent. This unique vo culminates in a weapon that

staff, or

atilit

Showing the versatility of the three-sectional staff, Eric Lee uses the weapon to strike (top), high block (middle) and double middle block (left).

MARCH 1987/KARATE/KUNG-FU ILLUSTRATED 23

The Three-Sectional Staff

adaptable—one that al lows personal­ized appl icat ion.

The three-sectional staff Is capable of generating great power in a variety of ranges. The weapon is noted for its swift, f lexible movements. The very aspects of range, speed, power and f iex-ibliity that make the weapon so appeal­ing are the same qualit ies that make it a very compiex and potentially dangerous weapon to learn. Indeed, the three-sectionai staff requires special dedica­t ion from students who want to master it.

According to kung fu expert and in­structor Eric Lee, learning the three-sec­tional staff can be a dif f icult but very re­warding process. "You know," he con­fides, "I practice the weapon mostly for pure enjoyment. It's an art form. If you don't like it, you don't appreciate it and it doesn't do anything for you. It's a good exercise for your arms and for the whole body."

Exercises In his recently published Ohara book,

Advanced Three Sectional Staff: Kung Fu Weapon of Self-Defense, Lee dis­cusses the necessity of special physi­cal condit ioning as preparation for

three-sectional staff training. As wi th the study of any art or weapon, exer­cises are a vital aspect of the learning process, and the three-sectionai staff is no exception. The development of strength in the wrists, forearms, shoul­ders and back is essential for the proper control of this exotic weapon.

In his training methods, Lee has developed specif ic techniques to give strength to needed muscle groups. These exercises are especially impor­tant due to the weight, size and unforgiv­

ing temperment of the weapon. The three-sectional staff, like its

smaller cousin the nunchaku or the flex­ible whip chain, can easiiy strike its un­practised practioner. The size, weight and f lexible properties of the three-sec­t ional staff combine to create a weapon that has distinctive properties of move­ment, very unlike those of any other weapon. Special skil ls are required to strike with the three-sectional staff and not be struck by it; to catch it and not be caught by it.

As Lee is attacked with a low thrust, he blocks with the middle section (1). Then he raises the staff (2) and wraps It around his attacker's neck while chambering his leg (3). Lee then places his foot on his attacker's upper chest while he squeezes the staff together (4).

24 KARATE/KUNG-FU ILLUSTRATED/MARCH 1987

Lee shows how effectively the three-sectional staff can block. He uses the middle section to block a thrust (1), the end section to block a high blow (2) and a low attack (3), and then he uses both end sections to stop a diagonal attack (4).

The three-sectional staff, with end sections at top and bottom, and the middle section In the center.*-.

-4When swung fully ex­tended, the three-sec­tional staff can have a devastating, whipping effect.

The momentum generated by a three-sectional staff strike creates an awesome power that the student must ieam to safely control . But one must also not be afraid to unleash the weap­on's power.

As Lee explains, "To really be good at anything, especially learning some­thing like the three-sectionai staff, you have to be somewhat gutsy, because if you are afraid of it, i t 's going to hit you harder. Therefore, just let go and relax, if you really feel unsafe, you can wear a

footbal l helmet or some other kind of protective gear."

Technique and Form What is the first movement a student

of the three-sectionai staff learns? "Ba­sically, you learn how to do the figure-eight," says Lee. " i start out with a long pole, and i teach how to do the figure-eight with a stick. When students can do it wi th a stick, then I'll start them wi th the three-sectionai staff." Once the stu­dent is proficient with the movement of

the three-sectionai staff and the figure-eight, he can start learning combina­t ions of techniques.

"When the student finishes one set of combinat ions," Lee explains, "he learns another set of combinat ions. Pretty soon he's learned a lot of basics."

Of course, basics combine into forms and Lee, sometimes called the Little King of Kata, stands f irmly behind the concept of form as a learning meth­od for the three-sectionai staff.

"Form is very important in t ra in ing," he stresses. "The student learns and practices many techniques and com­binations in a form. Your stances, bal­ance and technique ail improve."

Accuracy For the beginner or advanced stu­

dent that already has an understanding of the potential of the three-sectionai staff. Lee's book presents several effec­tive dril ls to improve accuracy wi th the weapon. As wi th any weapon, use of the three-sectionai staff is pointless (and potentially dangerous) if it can't be used accurately.

Target exercise can improve the clarity and focus of a strike, which is especially useful in forms and compet i ­t ions, if the student cannot handle the

MARCH 1987/KARATBKUNG-FU ILLUSTRATED 25

The Three-Sectional Staff 1

A good accuracy drill for swinging strikes with the far end section is to chamber the staff (1) and swing it at a smali, hanging baii (2).

thiree-sectlonal staff accurately against a target, any effective application to self-defense Is virtually impossible.

A North American Weapon? Is the three-sectional staff a weapon

that can be carried and used in contem­porary North America? No. It is not something that ordinary North Ameri­cans would expect to run Into in the course of their daiiy iives. It is not some­thing that you wouid normaily see being carried down the street, as you would a walking cane or umbreila.

As far as carrying the three-sectional staff, whether in transit from class to class or to and from your car, Lee states, "I suggest that you be very careful. You don't want to expose too much of the weapon. Who's going to carry a three-sectionai staff on the street anyway? You're only going to make trouble for yourself, either with the law or with somebody else In the street."

The three-sectional staff was devel­oped for warfare In ancient China, and for that use Its flexibility and variation of length are unsurpassed. In combat against horsemen, spears, staffs and

swords, the three-sectlonai staff was unique and very effective.

But the weapon is impractical in modern North American quick-and-dirty streetfights. Self-defense is likely to be a spontaneous, unexpected occurrence where the defender uses whatever de­fense is at hand. Of course, if he hap­pens to be carrying a three-sectionai staff on the way home from a workout, mugger beware!

For strength, speed, power, flexibility and beauty of movement, the three-sec­tional staff is still unsurpassed. Excel­lent form can be achieved from training with it. And for a martial artist who is familiar with weapons but wants a real challenge, pick up the three-sectionai staff and try to master it.

"If you like the weapon," Lee says, "then you will accept the challenge. You want to learn it and it's not difficult at all because you like what you are doing. You've got to like It first, and second, don't beafraid. Experience!" •

About the Author: h/like Replogle is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and Is a frequent contributor to KKI.