These Sticks And Swords Ain’t For Show |
14 Physical Benefits Of Training With Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Weapons
From the battlefields to the training grounds
Jeff Bolt demonstrating sword techniques with Dr Yang Jwing Ming
In the earliest days of traditional Chinese martial arts, when the practice was primarily undertaken by imperial soldiers in the northern regions of modern-day China, weapons training often took priority over hand-to-hand combat. This was because the likelihood of confronting a weapon in the battlefield was far higher than engaging in hand a fist-fight.
As ancient military combat traditions coalesced with ancient Chinese medical, metaphysical, and philosophical systems, the diverse martial arts schools that emerged over the last two millennia incorporated many of the traditional Chinese military weaponry into their training systems.
As these martial arts traditions spread into the more rural regions throughout southern China, traditionally northern weapons, such as spears and swords, were incorporated alongside farm and fishing tools repurposed as weapons into the various southern Chinese martial arts lineages (known collectively as 南拳 - Nánquán) such as Choy Lay Fut, Hung Ga, Jow Ga, Wing Chun, and many others.
While advancements in military technologies may have rendered these traditional weapons obsolete on modern battlefields, their legacies remain alive through traditional Chinese martial arts schools.
Employing traditional weaponry within a martial arts system challenges, develops, and strengthens the body in unique ways that complement other training systems.
Within the diverse array of traditional Chinese martial arts weapons, the four most commonly emphasized are: the staff, the spear, the straightsword, and the broadsword.
Weapons and their potential
Staff (棍 - Gùn)
“The staff is the ancestor of all weapons. It is simple, yet versatile, capable of both offense and defense. Master the staff, and you will understand the principles that govern all martial arts.”
— General Yue Fei (1103-1142 CE)
Ancient Chinese texts as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) mention Shaolin monks employing staff techniques in their martial training.
Throughout the centuries, staff techniques were adopted by various martial arts styles and lineages across China, from the Northern long-range styles such as Piquazhang to the Southern close-quarters style of Choy Lay Fut.
Physical Benefits of Staff Training
Full-Body Integration and Coordination
Proper staff techniques demand coordination between your upper and lower body, forcing harmonious work between multiple muscle groups.
Techniques like héng sǎo qiān jūn (“Sweeping A Thousand Armies”) engage your legs, core, and arms in a single, fluid motion, while the rapid thrusts of shé zhī tuō shēn (“Snake Sheds its Skin”) demand explosive power from your entire body.
Core Strength and Stability
Staff movements often involve twisting, turning, and shifting your center of gravity, engaging your core muscles for maximum stability.
Fast and powerful spinning and twisting staff techniques such as yún lóng qiān gùn (“Cloud Dragon Plays with Staff”) constantly activate and challenge core strength and balance.
Enhanced Shoulder and Back Strength
The staff's weight and length challenge your shoulder and back muscles. With each swing, block, and strike technique, you'll strengthen the various muscle groups within your upper arms and back, while improving overall posture and reducing the risk of injuries in other physical activity efforts.
Grip and Forearm Strength
Holding and manipulating the staff for extended periods builds incredible grip strength and forearm endurance, while the intricate wrist movements of techniques such as shé zhī tuō shēn (“Snake Sheds its Skin”) promote joint mobility and prevent stiffness — ultimately improving performance in sports and activities requiring strong grip (like climbing or weightlifting), and even everyday tasks like carrying groceries.
Agility and Footwork
Staff techniques like bō cǎo xún shé (“Parting the Grass to Seek the Snake”) require nimble footwork and the ability to change direction quickly.
This agility training enhances reflexes, improves balance, and translates to quicker footwork in sports or any situation requiring rapid movement.
Spear (槍 - Qiāng)
"The spear is the king of weapons. Its reach is unmatched, its power is decisive, and its techniques are myriad. A skilled spearman can hold their ground against a multitude of foes, their every movement a dance of death and defiance.”
— Qi Jiguang (1528-1588 CE)
The spear’s usage in Chinese martial arts has been documented in texts as far back as the early Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE).
The versatility and effectiveness in both warfare and personal combat made the spear a crucial training weapon for soldiers and martial artists alike.
Over the centuries, the spear's influence extended and influenced diverse styles across China, from the disciplined formations of Northern Shaolin, Longfist, and internal styles to the agile and explosive thrusts of southern styles like Hung Ga and Southern White Crane.
Physical Benefits of Spear Training
Dynamic Posture and Spinal Alignment
The spear's elongated shape encourages an upright posture, engaging the spinal muscles.
Unlike weightlifting, which often focuses on isolated muscle groups, spear training demands coordinated movement of the entire spine.
Techniques like qīng lóng tàn zhǎo (“Green Dragon Reaches for Claws”) involve twisting and extending the spine, improving posture, flexibility, and reducing the risk of back pain.
Lunging Power and Hip Mobility
Many spear techniques rely on powerful lunges, such as bái shé tǔ xìn (“White Snake Sticks Out Its Tongue”), where the practitioner extends their body forward while maintaining balance and control.
This movement strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, while also mobilizing the hip joints. Improved hip mobility translates to better range of motion in daily activities and can prevent stiffness and pain.
Shoulder and Arm Endurance
Holding and maneuvering the spear for extended periods, such as the wàwáng jǔ dǐng (“Overlord Lifts the Tripod”) technique, challenges the stabilizing muscles of the shoulders and arms.
The repetitive motions of thrusting, blocking, and parrying build muscular endurance, improving your ability to perform tasks that require sustained arm and shoulder engagement.
Straight Sword (劍 - Jiàn)
"The Jian is the soul of the warrior, an extension of their spirit and will. It demands not just physical skill, but a cultivated heart and a clear mind. To master the Jian is to master oneself."
- Li Jinglin (1885-1931 CE)
With its earliest documented mention dating back to the Spring and Autumn period (771-476 BCE), the straighsword quickly became a symbol of power, prestige, and martial prowess.
Throughout the centuries, its influence spread across China, becoming a quintessential weapon in various martial arts styles and a cultural icon representing heroism and chivalry.
Physical Benefits of Straightsword Training
Enhanced Coordination and Agility
Techniques like fèng wǔ jiǔ tiān (“Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens”) involve intricate footwork patterns, rapid directional changes, and precise coordination of the sword with body movements.
Regular practice of these techniques can significantly improve overall coordination, agility, and reaction time.
Increased Strength and Flexibility
Techniques like bái yuán tuī yuè (“White Ape Pushes the Moon”) engage multiple muscle groups, particularly in the shoulders, arms, and core, promoting strength development.
Meanwhile, techniques like qīng lóng bǎi wěi (“Azure Dragon Sweeps its Tail”) require a wide range of motion in the shoulders and spine, enhancing flexibility.
Improved Cardiovascular Health
The continuous movement and dynamic nature of straightsword forms, combined with the explosive bursts of energy required for techniques like diǎn xīn cì (“Heart Piercing Thrust”), provide an excellent cardiovascular workout.
Regular practice can improve heart health, lung capacity, and overall endurance.
Broadsword (刀 - Dāo)
"The Dao is not just a weapon; it is a path to enlightenment. To master the Dao is to understand the flow of energy, the rhythm of combat, and the harmony of the universe."
- Yu Dayou (1503-1579 CE)
The broadsword as a weapon has been referenced as early as the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE).
Records nearly a millennia later, during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), relate the broadsword used in martial arts demonstrations, indicating the weapon was adopted into the training standards of early developing martial arts systems.
Over the centuries, the broadsword was incorporated into nearly every martial art school and lineage across China.
Physical Benefits of Broadsword Training
Total Body Conditioning
Broadsword techniques like pī shān ("Splitting the Mountain") and è hǔ pū yáng ("Hungry Tiger Pounces on a Goat") engage the entire kinetic chain, from the feet to the hands, requiring coordinated movement of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Regular practice strengthens these connective tissues, improving overall stability and resilience to injury.
Functional Mobility and Balance Enhancement
The fluid movements and intricate footwork involved in techniques like cāng lóng bǎi wěi ("Azure Dragon Sweeps its Tail") and dú shé tǔ xìn ("Venomous Snake Flicks its Tongue") challenge balance and proprioception. These movements demand coordinated activation of multiple muscle groups, strengthening the joints and improving stability, agility, and overall mobility in daily life.
Cardiovascular Fitness and Explosive Power Development
The vigorous nature of broadsword training, involving continuous movement and explosive techniques like pī shān ("Splitting the Mountain"), elevates the heart rate and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Simultaneously, the explosive power generation required for these techniques strengthens fast-twitch muscle fibers, enhancing overall power output and athletic performance.
Start your martial arts journey now
While the staff, spear, straightsword, and broadsword are among the most common weapons to be found in Chinese martial art schools, lineages, and traditions, a diverse array of weaponry exists, each offering unique physical development benefits.
For those new to martial arts in general, weapons training helps to reinforce strength development, balance, and proper posture.
For those with prior martial arts experience, or who currently train in a different martial art tradition, weapons training can improve and enhance those existing skills.
Regardless of one’s ability or martial arts experience, weapons training can benefit any practitioner at any level — including old age, with taijiquan (“tai chi”) and baguazhang practice.
These styles and more can be learned at the Zhonghua Wushu School of Chinese Martial Arts.
Call today to start your traditional Chinese martial arts journey.
