Sai is pretty unconventional yet one of the famous
ninja weapons owing its popularity to the movies such as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Daredevil and Xena. If you too are a fan of these movies and the swoon-worthy sai weapon. To find out about one of these
ninja weapons, Read on to learn more about it.
A Brief History
The Sai has two curved prongs resembling a fork that protrude out from the hilt of this dagger-like weapon. The actual purpose of the Sai weapon is highly debatable. While some think that the intended purpose was to be used as a weapon, others speculated that it was initially designed for agricultural purposes. These included measuring crops, baling hay, holding rolling carts and planting rice.
Clarifying the Misconception
The prongs of the Sai are usually mistaken to be very sharp. However, contrary to the belief it is not sharp at all. Instead, it is a rounded rod that is smooth from its handle to the tip. The bottom part of the handle is a diamond-shaped exposed steel. However, despite the blunt tip, the Sai does not fall into the category of a club. If sufficient force is applied to the thrust, this weapon can easily break bones in addition to ripping through skin.
The Technique Used
As the sai weapon cannot be classified as the sharpest of the weapons, the Ninja mastered the technique of using it backward; the blade that ran across their forearm was used to deflect attacks and the diamond-shaped handle was used to punch the opponent. The massive force of the punch is similar to a brass knuckle strike.
The technique that the Sai is well suited for is the elbow stab. In this technique, the Sai is slung along the forearm and the prongs protrude from the elbow for several inches. This protrusion makes it perfect for the back elbow strike. Despite the blunt tip, the thrust from the blow can easily pierce the opponent’s skin.
Used as Defense weapon
The Sai is a defensive style weapon. The space between the two prongs can perfectly catch the opponent’s wrist, clothes, and swords. With just a twist of the weapon, the Ninjas could trap anything they wished for. Moreover, Ninjas could easily flip the blades of the Sai from the forearm towards the opponent and back again. This action meant the difference between life and death when the Ninja fought the Katanas of their worst enemies- The Samurai. As the Samurai were highly trained at slicing their enemies in an instant, the Ninja had to use lightning speed swipes in order to avert their strikes and demobilize the Katana. The light weight of the weapon and its speed helped the Ninjas in finding an opening to strike, hence, making it ideal for countering the Katana.
Used as a Training Weapon
The Sai is also used as one of the training ninja weapons in Martial Arts such as Jujitsu, especially during Kata and Form. In this, the trainers focus on certain movements and hence, add Sai for aesthetic panache. However, the already dull tip is dulled even further to avoid hurting the opposition.
Conclusion
The distinct shape of the sai weapon proved advantageous for the Ninjas during combat as it could easily trap the opponent’s weapons and even disarm them. If you want to be the owner of your very own
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