Nunchucks, also known as nunchaku, are a martial arts weapon used mostly in Okinawan kobudō and karate, but are also used in Korean hapkido, and Filipino eskrima.
Nunchucks are a popular weapon because they are compact in size and quick. Historians are not certain when nunchucks were invented, but one theory is nunchucks evolved from a agricultural tool used in south-East Asia.
Construction
Nunchucks are a weapon that consists of two wooden, or metal dowels that are attached at their ends by a chain or rope. Nunchucks are typically made of wood, such as oak, loquat or pasania, but they are sometimes made of a metal, such as; brass, steel, or aluminum. Each stick is about 30 cm long(11.81 inches), and the chain or rope is about 2.54 cm(1 inch). Nunchucks are sometimes covered with foam rubber to prevent a martial arts pupil from sustaining an injury.
Police
Police forces sometimes use nunchucks as a striking weapon and for restraining unruly people. Orcutt Police Nunchaku(OPN) was created and developed by Sgt. Kevin Orcutt (Ret.) for law enforcement, corrections, government and military personnel. The OPN has been field tested and adopted by law enforcement and corrections agencies across the U.S.A since 1984.
Legality
Possession of this weapon is illegal in some countries, except for use in professional martial arts schools.
Popular Culture
- Bruce Lee was an actor and a martial arts expert who occasionally used nunchucks in his films which were popular in the 1970s.
- Michelangelo is one of the 4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and user of the nunchucks.
- Hon-Fu is a video game character who was introduced in Fatal Fury 3 He is a police officer from Hong Kong who specializes in using Nunchucks.
- Ninjas were specially trained mercenaries or covert agents who first appeared in the 15th; nunchucks were one of the many weapons used by these highly skilled martial artists.
