Bo Staff - Overhead Strike Defense

This is a defensive technique aimed to combat against an opponent wielding a Bo with intent to strike you over the head.

Instructions for Technique

• First and foremost you must move off the line of attack
  • If they are throwing the downward strike with their right, you lunge into their left (your right) and vice versa
  • This lunge is similar to front stance
• Nearly simultaneously with the lunge it is preferable to block the attack as well with an overhead high block
  • It is crucial that the block works with the lunge blocking as close to the hands as possible minimizing the impact of the block
• Grabbing the bo by each of their hands
  • The grab can be on the outside, inside of either hand as long as it is as close to the hands a possible
  • Make sure that you are close to the opponent (no more than a foot), shuffle forward if need be
  • Depending on the speed of your actions or the reaction of the attacker, a headbutt or knee to the groin can be utilized here
• You then pull on the back hand of the attack breaking their line of strength on the stick and then level the stick at chest level
  • If the bo user is inexperienced then this move is easy
  • If they are experienced this is crucial to break their line of strength
• Once the bo is leveled back leg of the lunge, if left swings to the right as the body turns around 150 degrees to the left
  • At the same time you lift up the right side of the stick and push it into their neck with the swinging momentum
• If done correctly this will send the opponent to the ground and leave you with the bo
  • If they only falter to their knee you still have advantage over the weapon and can easily deliver an upward strike with the left side of bo to the face
  • If they only falter, you still have advantage of the weapon with a quick upwards strike to the groin, and should release their hold if they still had one on the bo, and then follow up with side strike to the head with the right