KOBUDO – TONFA

                                                                   Part 1

                                                     By Fumio Demura

The tonfa originally was a wooden handle fitted into a hole on the side of a millstone used by the Okinawans for milling grain. This handle became a very effective weapon for self-protection. The main part of the tonfa is a large hardwood body about 15–20 inches in length, with a cylindrical grip secured to the main body about six inches from one end.

Karate and Kobudo are mutually supported arts and many of the tonfa actions reflect principles used in Karate. The practice of any Kobudo weapon improves coordination, strength, and balance for the Karate practitioner.

The tonfa is a great training tool by itself. It develops strong hands, wrists, and forearms, since all the actions are generated using these parts of the human body. For instance, the snapping action of the tonfa originated in the wrist is similar to the wrist action of a Karate punch. In many ways, training with this weapon will increase the karateka’s empty hand skills in a very short time.

The correct length of the tonfa is determined from the grip to the back head, and the back head should extend past the elbow by one-half inch. Once this important distance is determined, we can adjust the balance of the weapon by reducing the length from the grip to the front head. Based on these requirements, every practitioner should choose a length and balance to fit his/her personal characteristics. Although the basic configuration of the weapon is the same, the main body of the tonfa can have different shapes.

End of Part 1

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