This course introduces students to the six foot staff. Students will learn stances, postures and alignment as well as defensive maneuvers and striking. The instructor will share insights and history as well as home practice drills to develop a strong foundation in this ancient art - a system studied by warriors since the 14th century. This class is a prerequisite to further drills and kata and eventually free flow sparring and contact training with the long stick.

You will learn about wood types and qualities of different species and develop an appreciation for the modern usefulness of this method. More than simply self defense, practice with a Bo Staff is beneficial for circulation, balance, posture and complete mind and body wellness.

5 lectures are arranged to guide students through basics and give them a foundation for additional study. The course finishes with a written exam that can be sent to our school for a knowledge recognition certificate.

The instructor, Spencer Bolejack, runs Riverside Martial Arts and LOTSWild (Land of the Sky Wilderness School) in western North Carolina, USA. He holds teaching ranks in a variety of martial arts styles including kenpo, integrated martial arts, tang soo do, and budo taijutsu. His rank in the material presented in this course is 5th Dan. He tested in Japan for this level under the guidance of Masaaki Hatsumi, Soke of the Bujinkan.