Nunchucks Month

Time to learn these bad boys. #nunchuks pic.twitter.com/Uv5qpB6ZKU

— Matt Tuckey 🇬🇧 (@matthewtuckey) February 20, 2025

 

What are nunchucks? ‘Nunchucks, or nunchaku, are a traditional East-Asian martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30cm or 12 inches (sticks) and 2.5cm or 1 inch (rope). A person who has practiced using this weapon is referred to in Japanese as nunchakuka.’ – Wiki. 

Some time around the end of 2009, I trekked from Oldham to Stockport’s Decathlon to buy these nunchucks that I’d seen there a few years prior. It had been my plan at the time to spend a bit of time dabbling with them and seeing what I could pick up. I was training in Mixed Martial Arts at the time, so I was a little bit immersed in that world, but I never studied kung fu, karate or any of the disciplines that use nunchucks as a staple. 

I dabbled with a few YouTube videos and learned how to rotate the chucks around my torso in a few ways, but never solidly got the hang of them. 

I turned 42 last July, and decided I’d put together some plans for the year. One of these was to eventually get around to learning the basics of nunchucks, culminating in a video displaying what I’d learned. Why? Just for fun. I’m never going to use it anywhere else. A bit of upper body toning. Expand the mind a little. That kind of thing. 

I’d also – shock – like to get fitter through this, so I figured I’d keep in theme and try out some eastern recipes, mostly from Rukmini Iyer’s books, cut out the junk food and alcohol and try to - once again – get down to 72kg. I’m currently 78. 

Here’s an example of a solid, simple instruction video. Matt Pasquinilli gets straight into it.

 

I’ll upload my own at the end of the month’s project. The emphasis on learning, and fighting food cravings, makes this perfect for #psychologysaturday.