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Many martial arts have weapon forms. These forms are taught usually after all the non weapon forms are learned. How these weapons came to be, specifically Chinese martial art weapons, can be traced back a few hundred years ago. Many of these weapons started out as farming tools but we're adapted to fight off attackers. In wing chun there are 6 forms in total. The last 3 being the wooden dummy form, dragon pole form, and butterfly sword form.
The wooden man: The wooden dummy was made and used in case the practitioner has no partner. The wooden dummy can be made of wood or metal. Metal being a more advanced form. Along with being able to be used for regular forms, the dummy would also condition the arms and legs, making them hard and more resistant to pain. The dummy is a long log of wood with 3 arms protruding out of it. 2 on top parallel to one another and one below them in the center. The wooden man is great for practice and conditioning. The wooden man forms can also be applied in combat.
Luk Dim Boon Kwan, Dragon Pole, 6 1/2 ft pole form: The pole form in WC has been adapted to fit the style. When Wing chun was being spread in it's early stages, a master of the shaolin pole form taught a practitioner the pole form in exchange for WC lessons. Due to the pole being a different style, having different principles, etc it needed to be changed to fit WC. The pole form can be used for attack, defense, and partying. There are also a number of techniques to trip the opponent with the pole. Due to the length, it takes a while to get used to the weight.
Bart Cham Dao, Butterfly Swords: The origin of these swords is a mystery. They were a secret primarily in southern Asia but after ww2 they became more known with the spread of kung fu. They did not originate in WC but we're adapted. The Bart Cham Dao form in WC is the final form. The reason being is because " Many practitioners would come, learn the swords, and stop practicing wing chun"(Wing chun compendium). They would learn the swords and think that is what they would only need from wing chun. In Wing chun yes individuality is praised, but at the same time so is loyalty to the style. Love and passion for it would determine if someone is worthy enough to learn it. The final form, Bart Cham Dao, can be used without the swords. The swords are an extension, not a foreign object. Since WC was meant to be effective in all situations, even the non sword forms can be used with the swords. It's a complete system. You can even use the baat Cham Dao on the Dummy. The Bart Cham Dao is usually compared to a sai. Many people even think the form can work with the sai. But it cannot. The Bart Cham Dao has a different shape and size.
Shaolin: In shaolin kung fu there are a lot of weapons. Poles, swords, spears,etc. The last and hardest weapon is the rope dart/chain whip/rope javelin, and meteor hammer. The rope dart and meteor hammer are very similar. The only difference is the end piece. The rope dart is a long rope(about 14-16 feet), with a flag(to conceal) and a heavy metal dart. The meteor hammer is the same but instead of a dart there's a heavy metal ball. It is very hard to use(I know from experience) and very dangerous for the user and opponent. It focuses on kinetic energy and angles. More advanced techniques include bouncing the rope on the body to make the dart or hammer shoot forward. The weight of the end piece can also wrap around the opponent when swung. There are many uses to it and it is easy to make one.
Kung Fu Metal Fan: The metal fan is a deceptive weapon. At that time almost everyone carried a fan. So having a weapon that can be hidden in public was perfect. The fan can be made out of metal or bamboo. Some advanced versions have knives on the tips of the metal plates. You can open the fan and place it on your body to act as a layer of defense, or keep it closed to hit someone with the blunt end.
Nunchaku, nunchucks: Nunchucks are two sticks connected to a chain or cord. There is some debate about where these originated from. Some say Japan, some say southern China, others say Okinawa(has a different culture than Japan). They are a great example of chain weapons. Chain weapons such as nunchaku or a collapsible bo staff, are connected by a chain. They use kinetic energy to create power and uses circular motions to change direction. Unlike a chain whip these cannot shoot forward or bind an opponent. These can be used for entertainment or combat. For entertainment purposes, the user holds the nunchaku farther from the body and makes more circular motions. The more circles the better. For combat they are help closer. In some instances you can indeed bounce them off your body. With kinetic energy you cannot abruptly go in the opposite direction or quickly bounce it off your body. It's like stopping a car. You need to slow it down enough to have control. With chain weapons there is a small window of time where you lose control. So for beginners, it's easier to get hit with them. But they are a very effective weapon. There are some that are heavy for conditioning as well.
Any form of weapon training is used to develop new skills, improve your other skills, control of energy, accuracy, etc. Though yes, Chinese Martial arts have numerous weapons, In the case of wing chun, the actual non weapon side is the focus. That's why all the forms can be done without them.
If you have any interest in any weapons, I suggest getting a training version of it first. No one can just jump into something full force. It takes gradual practice and understanding of what you're wielding.
Me personally, when I first touched nunchucks I didn't use any video or expose myself on how to use them before. I took my time studying the motion, observing how the energy flowed, and just had fun using them. Then I actually used things for reference on how to use them, which actually helped me learn those things. Remember the system is ultimately there for reference. Sometimes we just need to tweak it to work for our bodies.
The wooden man: The wooden dummy was made and used in case the practitioner has no partner. The wooden dummy can be made of wood or metal. Metal being a more advanced form. Along with being able to be used for regular forms, the dummy would also condition the arms and legs, making them hard and more resistant to pain. The dummy is a long log of wood with 3 arms protruding out of it. 2 on top parallel to one another and one below them in the center. The wooden man is great for practice and conditioning. The wooden man forms can also be applied in combat.
Luk Dim Boon Kwan, Dragon Pole, 6 1/2 ft pole form: The pole form in WC has been adapted to fit the style. When Wing chun was being spread in it's early stages, a master of the shaolin pole form taught a practitioner the pole form in exchange for WC lessons. Due to the pole being a different style, having different principles, etc it needed to be changed to fit WC. The pole form can be used for attack, defense, and partying. There are also a number of techniques to trip the opponent with the pole. Due to the length, it takes a while to get used to the weight.
Bart Cham Dao, Butterfly Swords: The origin of these swords is a mystery. They were a secret primarily in southern Asia but after ww2 they became more known with the spread of kung fu. They did not originate in WC but we're adapted. The Bart Cham Dao form in WC is the final form. The reason being is because " Many practitioners would come, learn the swords, and stop practicing wing chun"(Wing chun compendium). They would learn the swords and think that is what they would only need from wing chun. In Wing chun yes individuality is praised, but at the same time so is loyalty to the style. Love and passion for it would determine if someone is worthy enough to learn it. The final form, Bart Cham Dao, can be used without the swords. The swords are an extension, not a foreign object. Since WC was meant to be effective in all situations, even the non sword forms can be used with the swords. It's a complete system. You can even use the baat Cham Dao on the Dummy. The Bart Cham Dao is usually compared to a sai. Many people even think the form can work with the sai. But it cannot. The Bart Cham Dao has a different shape and size.
Shaolin: In shaolin kung fu there are a lot of weapons. Poles, swords, spears,etc. The last and hardest weapon is the rope dart/chain whip/rope javelin, and meteor hammer. The rope dart and meteor hammer are very similar. The only difference is the end piece. The rope dart is a long rope(about 14-16 feet), with a flag(to conceal) and a heavy metal dart. The meteor hammer is the same but instead of a dart there's a heavy metal ball. It is very hard to use(I know from experience) and very dangerous for the user and opponent. It focuses on kinetic energy and angles. More advanced techniques include bouncing the rope on the body to make the dart or hammer shoot forward. The weight of the end piece can also wrap around the opponent when swung. There are many uses to it and it is easy to make one.
Kung Fu Metal Fan: The metal fan is a deceptive weapon. At that time almost everyone carried a fan. So having a weapon that can be hidden in public was perfect. The fan can be made out of metal or bamboo. Some advanced versions have knives on the tips of the metal plates. You can open the fan and place it on your body to act as a layer of defense, or keep it closed to hit someone with the blunt end.
Nunchaku, nunchucks: Nunchucks are two sticks connected to a chain or cord. There is some debate about where these originated from. Some say Japan, some say southern China, others say Okinawa(has a different culture than Japan). They are a great example of chain weapons. Chain weapons such as nunchaku or a collapsible bo staff, are connected by a chain. They use kinetic energy to create power and uses circular motions to change direction. Unlike a chain whip these cannot shoot forward or bind an opponent. These can be used for entertainment or combat. For entertainment purposes, the user holds the nunchaku farther from the body and makes more circular motions. The more circles the better. For combat they are help closer. In some instances you can indeed bounce them off your body. With kinetic energy you cannot abruptly go in the opposite direction or quickly bounce it off your body. It's like stopping a car. You need to slow it down enough to have control. With chain weapons there is a small window of time where you lose control. So for beginners, it's easier to get hit with them. But they are a very effective weapon. There are some that are heavy for conditioning as well.
Any form of weapon training is used to develop new skills, improve your other skills, control of energy, accuracy, etc. Though yes, Chinese Martial arts have numerous weapons, In the case of wing chun, the actual non weapon side is the focus. That's why all the forms can be done without them.
If you have any interest in any weapons, I suggest getting a training version of it first. No one can just jump into something full force. It takes gradual practice and understanding of what you're wielding.
Me personally, when I first touched nunchucks I didn't use any video or expose myself on how to use them before. I took my time studying the motion, observing how the energy flowed, and just had fun using them. Then I actually used things for reference on how to use them, which actually helped me learn those things. Remember the system is ultimately there for reference. Sometimes we just need to tweak it to work for our bodies.