A lot of martial artists have taken the study of the nunchaku more as a labor of love than as something that could be a chore when it comes to making them a part of the wider martial arts way of life. How many of us have undergone constant bruising of our arms, back, legs, neck and other parts of our body, when we first decided to take a pair of "nunchucks" and began to do more than just twirl them around with no real purpose? We're pretty sure that the answer would be "all of us."
In the martial arts, as in many parts of life, great achievement sometimes comes from a little bit of pain, either spiritual or physical. We know that this is so because all of us have stood patiently, right or left hand (or both) in Shuto-uchi ("knifehand strike) readiness, constantly striking a makiwara in an attempt to toughen our hands and improve our minds enough to deliver the perfect defensive block and counter-strike without really thinking about it.
The same thing is true for using "nunchucks." To become technically "good" at using them, you must practice with them. A lot. Whenever you can, for as long as you can. Okay, so that covers the physical part of things, just like striking a makiwara will make the edges of your hands physically tougher and more able to take and deliver a blow. But there's more to using the nunchaku well and with a lot of "chi" or "ki" spirit.
Call it "meditation-in-action," or "thinking-without-thinking," or whatever makes you comfortable. What we mean is that any real study of the nunchaku will involve learning the physical techniques (blocks, strikes, katas, fragments and so forth) but also taking the time to learn to deliver a block or a strike with real meaning.
Picture yourself in the dojo, "nunchucks" in hand and warming up with Figure-8 movements, sideward movements or any other movements you've selected to limber up. You're moving the weapon faster-and-faster; surer of yourself than you've ever been before. It's almost like you can see in your mind what you're going to do with the nunchaku five or six or even twenty steps further along, but you know all this without knowing. You and your "nunchucks" have become a single thing. There's no difference between the weapon and you, and both of you can support each other in any block or strike against any attacker right at that moment in time.
This state of awareness (knowing without knowing or seeing without seeing) goes by many names, and it's not just restricted to the martial arts. Many famous musicians report going through the same thing on nights when it's just them and their guitar, or piano or whatever instrument it is they play. The point is that the simple joy of doing something well takes over and the energy flow you create allows you to be better at using the nunchaku than you ever were before. This is what you need to work towards in the study of whatever martial art it is that you do, and however it is that you plan on including your "nunchuck" practice into that martial art.
So, remember this when it comes to nunchaku: There are two sides to learning it. The first is all about the physical. You practice and practice with your body and your weapon. The second side is the mind, or the mind and the spirit. Trust us when we say that if both sides come together when using the "nunchucks," any system you use to learn them will be a great system.
