| People have been picking up sticks to beat each other | | | | realm of Korean martial arts. She herself had started |
| since time immemorial, but the joong bong, the Korean | | | | with the joong bong, and though she had progressed |
| Middle staff, is something really special in the world of | | | | to a mastery of several other weapons, the joong |
| martial arts. This is the most commonly taught weapon | | | | bong remained one of her favorites. As I watched, she |
| in the Korean martial art of Kuk Sul Won, though | | | | demonstrated some of the moves associated with |
| tournaments and ease of use have brought the joong | | | | this ancient weapon. |
| bong into other arenas, like Tae Kwon Do. | | | | The joong bong is held at one end, rather than in the |
| I got my first look at joong bong technique a few | | | | center. My friend emphasized that that this is used |
| years ago, when I was interviewing one of the | | | | primarily for striking and as such, the tip should be |
| advanced students at a Kuk Sool Won school in | | | | aimed at the opponent's neck for maximum |
| Milwaukee. She was giving me the run down on the | | | | effectiveness. Slowly, she took me through the four |
| basic kicking and striking techniques used when | | | | basic striking techniques that make up her joong bong |
| something caught my eye. Next to the fans and | | | | practice and then she sped it up. As I watched in awe, |
| tridents, most people wouldn't have given the homely | | | | she became the center of a whirling storm, the slow |
| stick a second glance, but I could tell from the wear | | | | exercises she had been demonstrating turning into a |
| that this was a weapon that many students had | | | | fierce burst of activity. |
| trained with. | | | | She grinned at me when she finished up and asked if I |
| The joong bong itself varies depending on the school | | | | cared to try. I was ready to go ahead so I stepped on |
| and the preference of the user. Usually, it is made out | | | | the mat to face her, but she laughed. |
| of wood or rattan and measures between 2 and half | | | | "I was thinking about pairing you with one of our newer |
| to three feet long. My friend mentioned that some | | | | practitioners of joong bong," she said and pointed at a |
| heavy hitters like their joong bong to be made out of | | | | thirteen-year-old boy, who was taking his own stick |
| metal, and after I did a few passes with it, it makes | | | | through the motions. I was going to laugh too, until I |
| sense; in terms of practicing, the heavier the stick is, | | | | noticed how fast he was moving and how hard he |
| the better the workout you'll get. | | | | could bring down his stick! |
| She explained that the joong bong was the | | | | Learn about laser face lift and face lift recovery at the |
| middle-sized staff that many students started off with, | | | | Healthy Face site. |
| and is one of the easier weapons to master in the | | | | |