Welcome back to the Art of Nunchaku training series with Alex Stick, a 2x martial arts world champion, Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, and instructor with 40 years of nunchaku experience.
In Lessons 1 and 2, students were introduced to a basic beginner form and then shown how timing, rhythm, pauses, and tempo can bring that form to life. Lesson 3 moves into a short intermediate form.
This form is still brief, but the movements are more complex. It introduces more coordination between the nunchaku hand and the off-hand, more grip changes, sharper timing, and a more layered combination structure.
The goal is not to rush through the sequence. The goal is to understand how each movement connects to the next.
What Makes Lesson 3 More Intermediate?
Lesson 3 is more advanced than the first two lessons because it asks the student to coordinate several things at once.
Instead of simply moving through a basic block, strike, and stance sequence, this form includes:
- A rear cat stance
- Spear finger movement with the off-hand
- A palm-rake motion with the nunchaku
- Butt-end striking
- A forearm-timed jab
- Backhand grip changes
- Forward stick rotation
- A powerful upward thrusting block
- A hand-to-hand snatch
- A face block
- A high-low pendulum strike
That is a lot of information for a short form, which is why this lesson should be practiced in small sections.
Starting the Form
The form begins from a ready position: feet together, hands at the sides, and the nunchaku held at the side.
From there, the student steps back into a rear cat stance. Most of the weight stays on the rear leg, with the front foot lighter and more mobile. At the same time, the off-hand comes up into a spear finger motion.
This is not just a decorative hand position. It is part of the coordination of the form. The off-hand and the nunchaku movement are timed together.
As the off-hand comes up, the nunchaku rakes across the palm and can be used with a butt-end strike in the opposite direction. Alex describes this as a “two for one” movement because both actions happen together.
This is an important idea in nunchaku kata: the empty hand and weapon hand should not feel separate. They should support and balance each other.
Adding the Straight Jab
After the opening movement, the form steps forward and adds a straight jab.
This jab is timed with a crisp contact against the forearm. The sticks curve slightly as they make contact, creating a sharp, penetrating motion.
This detail matters. The movement is not loose or casual. The forearm contact helps create structure and timing. It gives the jab a cleaner stopping point and makes the strike feel more deliberate.
Students should practice this part slowly until the timing feels natural.
Grip Change and Forward Rotation
From the jab, the form moves into a grip transition.
The student reaches down, grabs the butt end of the stick with a backhand grip, and rotates the sticks forward in a half-turn. This adds a more technical handling element to the form.
Grip changes are where many beginners get sloppy. The hand has to move with intention. The goal is to keep control of the weapon while changing position, not to fling the sticks around and hope they land correctly.
This section should be practiced by itself before connecting it to the full form.
Step, Stop, and Upward Block
After the forward rotation, the student steps out to the side, stops, steps together, and turns the grip over again at the butt end.
The nunchaku then comes back into the waist before thrusting upward into a strong block. At the top of the movement, the sticks curl slightly for added power.
This connects back to a principle from the earlier lessons: power comes from the body and the center. Bringing the sticks back into the waist before the upward block helps the movement load properly before it releases.
This is not just arm movement. The body position, grip, timing, and upward thrust all work together.
Snatch, Face Block, and High-Low Strike
Next, the dominant hand lets go, reaches back, comes forward, and snatches the nunchaku from the other hand. As this happens, the off-hand releases and comes up into a face block.
This is one of the more important coordination moments in the form. One hand is transferring the weapon while the other hand is protecting and positioning.
From there, the butt end strikes high, then pivots downward like a pendulum into a low strike. This creates a one-two rhythm: high, then low.
The movement should be controlled and readable. Do not rush the pendulum motion. Let the high-low structure become clear before adding speed.
Returning to the Beginning
After the high-low strike, the student reaches down, grabs the butt end again, steps to the side, and rotates the sticks forward.
The form then repeats the beginning movement by stepping back into the rear cat stance and pulling across.
Finally, the nunchaku is brought in, reholstered, and the form ends cleanly. A kata should not simply fade out. It should have a clear finish.
Practice Notes for Lesson 3
Because Lesson 3 introduces more technical handling, students should break the form into smaller pieces.
A good practice structure would be:
- Practice the opening rear cat stance and spear finger movement.
- Add the palm-rake and butt-end strike.
- Practice the forearm-timed jab.
- Isolate the backhand grip change and forward rotation.
- Practice the upward block from the waist.
- Work on the hand-to-hand snatch and face block.
- Practice the high-low pendulum strike.
- Put the full form together slowly.
Do not expect the whole form to feel smooth immediately. The transitions are the point of the lesson. If the grip changes feel awkward at first, that is normal.
Final Thoughts
Lesson 3 introduces a short intermediate nunchaku form that builds on the foundations of the first two lessons. It adds more coordination, more precise timing, more grip transitions, and a stronger connection between the weapon hand and the off-hand.
Practice this form slowly. Pay attention to the stance, the grip changes, the hand coordination, and the stopping points. Once the structure is clean, speed can be added later.
This lesson is another step toward building complete nunchaku forms from controlled, repeatable combinations.