Nunchucks are a martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks connected by a rope or chain. During Edo, nunchaku was popular as an informal self-defense weapon among common people, samurai, and monks. They can be translated to "one handful," referring to the amount of rice that can be grasped in one hand. 

Today striking with nunchaku is often practiced for sport alongside full-contact karate competition; however, it is not considered a true form of competitive fighting since it lacks many elements found in other martial arts styles such as grappling and throws. In the United States, nunchaku is commonly used as a martial arts and self-defense training tool.

After much controversy, the government of Japan officially banned nunchaku on January 11, 2008, saying that it was a skilled use of a weapon. The "nunchuk" is similar to the Chinese dao and Japanese kama. Nunchakus are not to be confused with "udon-chakra," which is a Japanese cuisine dish consisting of noodles in an egg soup with chicken wings and diced bacon tossed in; there are also two variants called "nukudon.

History Overview of Nunchucks

Nunchucks are the weapon of choice for ninjas. They were made by the Japanese during the 1600s and were originally used for farming. The device is made up of two sticks, usually wood or metal, that are connected by a cord or chain and swung around in order to create momentum. It was later adopted by the Japanese police force as a weapon and was eventually taught in military schools. It has been called many different names such as the nunchaku, chukkuksu (the Japanese name), hanjiequan, and kusari Fundo.


Nunchucks are still being used today, but they are grouped into categories of martial arts like karate, tae kyon, jujunitsu, and ninjutsu. The device is useful because it is easily accessible and can be used in close-quarters areas such as buildings and alleyways where a lot of footwork is required. In ancient times, it was commonly played with by children and apprentices alike as a way to hone their hand-eye coordination.

The Nunchucks' history also shows how the design changed in order to make the device easier to use. In feudal Japan, nunchucks were more commonly made from wood as they were too heavy to be swung quickly enough for them to be used as a weapon. The earliest versions of this species of weapons have lost their bokken form and are more typically seen today with just two sticks or no sticks at all.

Further advancement in the design occurred during the Warring States era when Chinese immigrants were brought into Japan to help expand its culture. The Chinese immigrants brought along their martial arts with them and the Japanese adapted parts of that martial art into their own, which eventually gave birth to jujutsu, which has been a major part of Japanese culture for centuries.

Nunchucks history, as well as the origins of the device, are in dispute by many historians. Some believe that the device originated from the farming tool used by rice farmers in Japan and was later modified as an instrument of self-defense. Others have claimed that the device was adopted from Chinese immigrants who used it for martial arts training. The powerful weapon is now mainly used for sport or exhibition because of its slow speed and short range.

Read More: Who Invented Nunchucks?


Tricks to Perform with Nunchucks

Although they look more like a weapon than a martial art, nunchucks are actually a striking tool that has been in many forms throughout history. Nunchucks were also designed to be easy to carry and use on the go. Today, they are still used in competitions and other martial arts training for their practicality. Here are some techniques performed with nunchucks:


1. Front Kick

This technique is a simple front kick to the abdomen, similar to a regular front kick in taekwondo. The key in this technique is using the momentum of your arm by swinging it back.

2. Back Kick 

This technique involves a backkick using two nunchucks to target your opponent’s legs or feet. It’s perfect for fighting against someone with long hair or a weapon, such as a tomahawk axe or real swords.

3. Roundhouse Kick 

A roundhouse kick is performed by kicking your opponent from the right side, and then returning back to your original position for another attack. This requires you to be very fast with your attacks because of how close you are to your opponent on the second hit.

4. Jump Kick 

A jump kick is an attack that uses the momentum of your body to propel yourself in the air. This is one of the best ways to get behind your opponent or counter a move.

5. Stab

A stab with nunchucks can be a very fast hit, making it good for taking out someone from a distance if you don’t have any other weapons available. The most important thing to remember when executing this technique is to make sure you pull back for another attack immediately after stabbing, as stabbing leaves you vulnerable for a few seconds.

6. Kick to the Head

This technique is pretty straightforward: just kick the person in the head. If your arms are long enough, you can also hit your opponent with the handle of your nunchucks while executing this move.

7. Sliding Kick

This technique is extremely effective for attacking someone who is on their feet – it allows you to slide into them without having to rush them or run at all. The only thing that makes this attack difficult to execute is that you will have to bend down a bit and try not to fall over when performing the kick.

8. Swing Kick 

A swing kick involves kicking someone while swinging your arm forward, similar to a tomahawk axe swing or a baseball swing. This technique can be performed from both the front and behind as well.

9. Knee Strike 

A knee strike is performed by aiming for your opponent’s knee joint, knees or shin joints. The most effective application of this attack is against someone who has grabbed you from behind, such as in a chokehold situation. This technique can be used to stop someone who is trying to grab you in mid-air or just a random person on the street.

10. Jumping Side Kick 

This move is quite similar to a jump kick (technique #4 above), except that your opponent is standing. Like any other type of jumping kick, you will be using all the momentum from your leg(s) in order to attack the opponent.

11. Strike To The Abdomen 

This technique is mainly used for someone who has grabbed you from behind or has blocked your attack with their arms; it involves kicking them in their abdominal area.

12. Spinning Back Kick

This technique involves quickly spinning back and then kicking your opponent with one leg while simultaneously blocking with the other leg.


Uses and Applications of Nunchaku

The origin of the nunchaku is a Japanese martial arts weapon that was used thousands of years ago as a flail. It gained popularity during the 17th and 18th centuries in Okinawa and was modified to be used as a farming implement. The increased interest in nunchaku came after its introduction in Okinawa's 1614 "Rekohu Benki," an early manual on Okinawan martial arts, originally written by Shigeru Nakamura. 

Nunchaku can be used to strike at an opponent either with one or both sticks or to block and control their movement. The nunchaku forms a cross-like structure of sticks that can be used offensively or defensively. Unlike martial arts weapons such as staffs or swords, the swinging motion is created by both sticks coming together in front of the user's body, rather than by extending outward from the user's arm. This allows for more mobility and better balance while attacking. 

There are two primary techniques used with nunchucks: Tai Ukemi (or "Tai Tsuki") and Sankyo Ukemi ("Sankyo Tsuki"). The former is useful to evade an opponent's strikes while using nunchucks offensively; the latter is useful to leave an opponent powerless as they attempt to strike with nunchucks. Nunchucks are a widely used weapon in an assortment of disciplines, including karate, jujitsu, and various styles of martial arts. 

They are also occasionally used as self defense weapons by modern-day civilians or armed forces personnel. Nunchucks feature two sticks that come together near the top of the handle to form a cross. These sticks are connected by short lengths of chain, which is wrapped around a length of cloth at the end opposite the cross (the connection between these two pieces is sometimes leather). Nunchucks are typically around long and are generally made out of wood.

Read More: How to Use Nunchucks?