Training in Matayoshi Kobudo.

To train in traditional Matayoshi Kobudo you don't need to have had any other martial art experience. Most dojo instructors will be able to provide new students with some of the weapons until they purchase their own.

The lessons in the system are structured to progressively improve the student in each of the weapons taught. This allows them to grade at intervals through a coloured belt system, just like other Japanese martial arts. The Matayoshi Kobudo Kyu Grade belt system is shown in the table below.

Hachi Kyu - 8th Kyu (White Belt Black Stripe) 3 months or longer since started training
Nana Kyu - 7th Kyu (Yellow Belt) 3 months or longer after 8th Kyu
Roku Kyu - 6th Kyu (Yellow Belt Black Stripe) 3 months or longer after 7th Kyu
Go Kyu - 5th Kyu (Green Belt) 3 months or longer after 6th Kyu
Yon Kyu - 4th Kyu (Green Belt Black Stripe) 3 months or longer after 5th Kyu
San Kyu - 3rd Kyu (Brown Belt) 3 months or longer after 4th Kyu
Ni Kyu - 2nd Kyu (Brown Belt 1 Black Stripe) 6 months or longer after 3rd Kyu
I Kyu - 1st Kyu (Brown Belt 2 Black Stripes) 6 months or longer after 2nd Kyu

The order in which the weapons are learnt are as follows: Bo, Sai, Tunkua, Nunchaku, Nunti and Ueku etc. The syllabus is structured so that the student can build up their skills for each weapon. These skills come from Hojo Undo (Basic Techniques), Kata (Forms), bunkai (Analysis of these forms) and Kumi Waza (Pre-arranged Sparring). Within the Matayoshi Kobudo system the student is drilled in the Bunkai for each of the weapons. Thereby learning the correct Ma-ai (Fighting distance and speed) of each of the weapon.

Some of the Kata in the Matayoshi Kobudo system is:

1. Bo
   • Shushi no Kun
   • Choun no Kun
   • Tsuken no Kon
   • Sakugawa No Kun
   • Shi ish No Kun
2. Sai
   • Nicho Sai
   • Sancho Sai
   • Shinbaru No Sai
3. Tunkua
   • Tunkau Dai Ichi
   • Tunkau Dai Ni
4. Nunchaku
   • Nunchaku No Kata
5. Nunti
   • Nunti No Kata
6. Ueku
   • Aka Chu No Ueku Di

These kata are covered as the student progresses to black belt and beyond. Other weapons in the system are also taught - see Weapons Page