There is a danger that when students train regularly with weapons that they become blasé, when the danger should be the weapons training itself.
There can be no lasting benefit, physically, mentally, or spiritually, in martial arts training, if it is not approached from a life and death perspective.
This can be a difficult concept to get across. Our current culture is one based on the fear of litigation and excessive insurance premiums. One in which there is a duty of care to ensure that all risks are, if not eliminated, then minimalised. A training environment where danger is an illusion and everyone knows it.
An attitude that makes a mockery of Budo.
I used to tell my students, that, if weapons training was not scary, then they were not doing it right.
Now I tell them to beat the awareness into their partner.
Kai Cho
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