Staffs are basically just long wooden poles. They were adapted from the tenbin, a stick held across the shoulders, usually with buckets hanging from each end that were used to carry things. When attacked, the defender could easily slip the buckets off each end and have a very handy weapon. Or staffs would be used as a walking implement. When attacked, what seemed a harmless tool, became a deadly weapon.

Staffs are mostly made from hardwood, usually oak because of its natural weight, strength, durability, and resistance to splitting. The ends of staffs are usually tapered to make them lighter and to consolidate their mass near their center so they will be lighter and easier to handle. The tapering also reduces rigidity to reduce breakage and to permit power, whipping attacks. Also, sharper ends make jabs more painful to the opponent. Some staffs have a square, hexagonal, or octagonal shape since the edges will case more damage during strikes. 

Staffs comes in three basic lengths:

• Bo: 5 feet 11 1/2 inches long and 1 1/16 inches in diameter

• Jo: 4 feet 2 3/16 inches long and 7/8 inch in diameter

• Hanbo: 2 feet 11 3/4 inches long and 7/8 inch in diameter

The photo shows staffs of various lengths compared to three bamboo shinai that are on the far left. The shorter jo staffs are next to the shinais. The longer bo staffs are to the right, with a rattan bo at the far right next to a presentation bo inside its protective cover..

Types of staffs:

• Maru-bo: round shape

• Kaku-bo: four sided shape

• Rokkaku-bo: six sided shape

• Hakkaku-bo: eight sided shape

• Take-bo: bamboo

• Yari: spear shape

• Naginata: long sword shape

• Kai: Oar shape

The bo staff, because of its length, was not a weapon for close-in fighting. Rather it was used to defend one's self from from outside the opponent's attack zone. It is also most useful in relatively open spaces and is best used when both hands manipulate its use.

Striking techniques include switching the weapon from side-to-side. This involves switching the places of the lead and end of the staff. The quicker this switch is made, the greater the potential energy of the strike.

The use may also twirl the bo either overhead, of in front, causing confusion in any attacker. The attacker never knows exactly from where the bo strike is coming. Because the bo can cover such a large defensive area, blocks may be made against head, side, and low strikes. Holding the bo above one's head will be an effective block against overhead strikes. Likewise, the bo may be held to the side to protect the side.

Reference

• Demura, F. (1976). Bo, Karate Weapon of Self-Defense. Burbank, California: Ohara Publications.

• Hatsumi, M. and Chambers, Q. (1974). Stick Fighting. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd.