Opinions on training with large heavy bokken

Suburito
Builds strength while adding stress to joints and tendons

I train with a 10lb sledgehammer and i find it quite beneficial to my hema practice.

But, you do need to start slow and work upwards if your joints arent used to the stress, or you'll get an injury

Even after getting used to the hammer, i still do the motions slowly, with larger gross motor actions (e.g. no wrist rotations, only shoulder powered cuts)

So in summary id say go for it, but do not train with ut as hard and fast as you would with a normal weighted trainer, or injuries are almost guaranteed

I believe in training with an overly heavy weapon, as the Romans did. Keep in mind that one is not a traditional bokken, but an oar/paddle. There is a school that teaches MA using an oar. In the past Japanese fisherman learned to use an oar as a weapon. Musashi used an oar in one of his more famous fights because the one he made was longer than a katana.

As for heavy training weapons; I wanted heavy canes as my experience showed heavy was more effective as a weapon. On one particular morning for some reason, I chose a light cane to go down the mountain to fetch some eggs. On the way back I was attacked and was amazed at the speed that thing had. Probably worked better than my EDC.


You posted while I was writing. It is important to build up to a heavier weight and not to just jump in. Also use some common sense regarding the amount of weight. It’s best to train with the weapon you intend to use.

We used to put rebar in our shinai for warm-up and exercises.

Its quite common to use a heavy training sword. After exercising with a heavy, the regular weight seems light as a feather 😁

You asked for it, a long story.

I use Cane Master canes as an edc cane. Partly because they make a good weapon, as intended, but they make a handy tool. It was a Saturday morning and I was out of eggs. I knew a mama-papa store farther down the mountain that sold them. So, I put on my hat and picked up a cane out of the rack and was off. I don’t know why, but I chose up a cane made of a light weight Chinese wood instead of a heavier oak jobby. I remember the company in their advertising stated while light they were fast. I still preferred my heavier jobbies. On the way in that direction I pass a storage area that has a large black watch dog that didn’t like me worth a diddly squat, and would try to make sport of me. Whenever he saw me, he would charge, slamming into the wire security fence with force. And I would normally say to myself damn, I’m glad that fence is there. On that morning I passed uneventfully going to the store. I bought the eggs, I can’t remember the number 8-10, 12? The store keep placed the individual eggs in a plastic bag. I paid and headed home, uphill. Since passing the bodega earlier someone did not completely close the gate. On approaching I saw the black dog setting outside of the building some distance away. There was a smaller dog in his company. When he saw me, he charged with the other dog following. During the whole affair the black dog was the leader and the small dog after exiting the gate stayed in the background as though to see how things were going before committing. I had completely passed the gate, and I think the property before Blacky caught up with me and attacked from behind. I watched out of the corner of my eye. I turned to face him making a clearing swing. At that point the charge ceased and we danced. I opened with a pair, 3(?), horizontal figure 8s (^#1 and ^#2 swings). At that point we both paused, sizing the other up. I figure the dog thought that was all that I had. I had stopped with the cane in a down position, in place for a ^#4. I also extended the cane. I had shortened up to disguise my measure. If you have never noticed a dog reacts better to an overhead movement than from one come from beneath. I don’t know if that is because his snout partially blocks his view, or what. We stood there for a few seconds, 2, 3 I don’t know. Then I struck solidly scoring against his head with ^#4, sounding like someone hitting a home run. The speed that light cane moved surprised me. The dog yelled and made a fast retreat. At that point the smaller dog had made up his mind and followed.

To bring close the story, we had an understanding after that; the street side of the fence was mine and the other his. It wasn’t long after that I discovered the dog out. He had managed to find or make a hole under the gate. When he saw me, he ran and I declare tried to dig a hole through the sidewalk to escape. He would charge me from his side but always stopped at the fence, never hitting it as before. It wasn’t long after the first event, next day?, I was going down the mountain and passing the bodega there were two men on the outside of the fence working. They had neglected to close the gate and the dog charged. The men saw me, the open gate, and the charging dog. I could tell from the oh sh*t expression on their faces and conversation that they realized they screwed up. I was carrying a CS sword cane that time. However, the dog ran up to where the gate would have been if closed and stopped. I could also see the relief the worker’s faces. I didn’t bother to tell them of our conversation the day before and of our understanding.

Thanks.  I’ve had several discussions with them and have always won. When mentioning canes on the forum people tend to sneer, underestimating them. And that is part of their beauty, people underestimate them and it’s always in my hand ready, no need to play fetch.

Yes, very true.  Good advice. Everything in moderation. 


You don't have to warm-up using an engine block from a 1958 Cadillac, just something maybe 50% heavier than the sword type you are training with should be more than sufficient. 

I think a healthy source for weighted movement tools and motions is the Indian club. There is a long history to weighted club motions, and they pretty directly target the muscles in the upper body that are intrinsic to swordsmanship. I personally prefer calisthenics and naturalistic movements like those found in Indian club swinging to the typical gym weights and exercise machines (though I confess to owning a treadmill, because I live in South Texas and don't want heatstroke). I even keep a pair of light (5 pounds) steel Indian clubs in my car, because I sometimes will work on my grip and forearm strength by performing moulinets during my tediously long work commute.

Thanks, you saved me the trouble.