INTRODUCTION The Nunchaku/ Sern Jit Gwun is both light and easy to use, but even a brief lapse in concentration can make them dangerous to the user. They are generally made of some kind of hardwood, but some have been built of blackwood or metal, further adding to their power.   Simple in design, they consist of two short bars connected by a length of chain, rope or nylon cord. In combat they are equally effective for attack and defense, able to cover a wide area with lightning-swift blows and whirling parries and blocks. The range of moves is almost unlimited, with single-handed vertical and horizontal circular spins, direct thrusts and two-handed blocks all playing a part in the Nuchaku's arsenal of fighting motions.

The Sern Jit Gwun/ Nunchaku, along with other Okinawan weapons like the Tonfa and Sai, became world-famous after the kung-fu boom inspired by Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon." There are no definite records of when they first came into use, but it is believed they were brought to Okinawa in the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries by Chinese immigrants. The Nunchaku is directly related to the various sectioned staves used throughout Chinese history.

The Sern Jit Gwun/ nunchaku, as we know it, comes from Okinawa (Uchina), today a part of Japan. Okinawa lies almost midway between Taiwan and the Japanese "mainland", and is the largest island in the Ryukyu (literally "rope") archipelago, a 650 mile long chain of small islands between southern Japan and Taiwan. The Okinawans are not Japanese and have their own culture and language, although the latter is gradually being replaced by Japanese. The Japanese language does not even contain a word for the nunchaku. When one needs to write "nunchaku" in Japanese he may do it in one of two ways: He may use katakana, the syllabic/phonetic alphabet used in the Japanese language to write foreign and loan words, writing the syllables "nu-n-cha-ku". Or, instead, he may use the Chinese characters for "two piece stick" (or "double part stick"), which is pronounced "shuang jie gun" in Chinese or "Sern Jit Gwun" in Cantonese, "nun cha kun" in Okinawan and "so setsu kon" in Japanese.

Nunchakus (also known as "nunchucks") were used because they could be adapted for many situations. Aside from being easy to carry, the nunchakus were used to defend against most any weapon from a bo to a sword. By trapping the blade of a sword with the chain between the two sticks, a Ninja could entangle and disarm a sword-weilding attacker. The same concept applies to almost every other weapon. The nunchakus were not just used for defense, they could also be effectively employed against an enemy in an offensive way. The Ninja could strangle an opponent or even execute joint locks with the chain or cord between the two sticks.

Nunchakus have a unique and interesting background. They were believed to have personalities emanating from the actual sticks themselves. Oriental tradition says that after you have practiced long enough and hard enough, the Nunchakus you use will take on some of your spirit and character. Your nunchucks, it is believed, are becoming a part of you. But this is not an overnight process! It takes countless hours of practice and perfection to reach this point.

Type of Nunchucks: The designs and styles of Nunchaku are just as long and colorful as their history! Used as self-defense weapons, and also for training and learning, Nunchakus were first bought to the attention of the western world when they were popularized by the immortal Bruce Lee. After Lee helped to propel this simple weapon into the spotlight, it went on to become a weapon of choice by many people, especially martial artists. Various sizes, materials and colors can be found. Most Nunchakus are made of metal, plastic or wood and are attached by a chain or a rope. Surprisingly, as small and lightweight as this weapon is, it is a powerful one.

A user should begin with foam ones then progressing to rubber, wood and metal.