Melanie, sai in their most popular form are usually used in karate. Interestingly enough, although they're usually depicted as edged, they're actually metal clubs with hooks.
My learning of the Sai was mostly as a blocking, thrusting, and disarming weapon. Personally I didn't like them much but they are very effective. Rob
Ive never learned a form with them but i have messed around with them. I do like them but not as well as others. If anyone has a form with them (of any other weapon) that they would like to post please do so. It just might be fun to learn. -Chazz
These weren't actually Sai (or what we Japanese styles like to call sai) because they were a bladed weapon. Sai are a pointed weapon used for blocking and striking. Most schools train them as for defence again an oponent using a sword. The really dangerous thing about Sai is trying not to impale yourself with them when you come back with hikite
Well, I was under the impression that there weren't any bladed sai but Chazz has told me otherwise .Although I thought a bladed Sai or something similar to it is called a Jutte or Jitte (not to be confused with the kata), but these normally only have two prongs (one long, one short) not three. There are many native Epytian fighting system, most are based around grappling techniques.
This is the best I could find so far on the Sai..... still looking for info on the EGyptian version. Sai- (pronounced sigh) The sai was developed for planting rice or vegetable seeds. It resembles a trident and has central, rounded or octagonal shaped steel blade approximately 16 inches long. On either side of the blade there are two prongs that are wrist guards. Sais can be used for a number of things such as stabbing, slashing, punching, blocking, and even throwing. It is believed that farmers who used the sai would carry three at a time. One sai for each hand and one was kept in the belt to throw if necessary. Legend states a strap of some sort was occasionally tied to the handle so the farmer could retrieve it.
The third 'throwing Sai' had prongs that pointed in opposite directions to aid in throwing (my Sensei has a set of these). The strategy was apparently to throw it at a oncoming horseman and either finish him with one strike, or more often than not, pul him off his horse with the attached cord (when the spikey ends stuck in him). Move to close range and dispatch him with the other two Sai.
Is there a ancient Epytian sai. Everywhere that i looks talks about asian sai's. The bladed version on the sai might have been a Jutte or Jitte. I dunno. -Chazz
Getting back to legal weapons as you said chazz anything can be used as a weapon my fav is an umbrella with a hook handle can be very effective, when i was in hong kong you could pick one up in every shop so its no wonder that it has become a well used weapon in many kung fu styles, it is very similar in technique to a cane or walking stick. another legal weapon to have is change in your pocket very effective if thrown in your attackers face even if it distracts them enough for you to land a strike that is if you dont mind loosing a few pounds .PS Khafra if you want to learn how to use a sam ge kwan [three section staff] get a good instructor as i have been using one for years and it is my fav weapon because it can be so much fun, but sometimes i still catch myself with it, not that often any more just when learning something new with it but thats half the battle and it builds up your conditioning whether you like it or not.
One of my favorites, as an avid reader, is a book Also, I love flexible weapons because they're nearly always available (the clothes I'm wearing or the clothes my attacker is wearing or anything flexible that comes to hand). Mike
I have seen some grappling styles using the GI as a weapon! Is training using your own clothes something you feel to be worth pursuit? Now where did I put that Suspender Belt?
I've used my own Gi as a weapon in training and would suggest to others to try it as well, they can be used to get more leverage when grappling and trying to throw an opponent (bl**dy tricky though!). Oh yeah, you can also strangle people with your belt. Freeform
Personally, I think so. But I don't stop at my own clothes. I'll use their clothes or anything else flexible I can get my hands on. This means that if I get attacked fresh out of the shower in my bathroom then I can use my attacker's clothes, or he shower curtain, or a towel (all within easy reach) ... and that's not even getting into things like the shampoo bottle or the bar of soap (which, tossed into a washrag can be used *really* nicely). Yes, but you can also use, for instance, a person's shirt sleeve or his shirt tail or jacket (or your shirt tail or jacket while wearing it) to trap his arm to hit him or throw him. You can use his clothes to pin a limb to the floor or wall. There are many ways the clothes (yours or his) can be used both to choke him or to tie him up. Mike
Pesilat.......I gotta say; If you consider defending yourself with a bar of soap, then I aint coming near you. You scare me on paper. And I know you don't mean washing your attackers mouth out either! Lol
LOL So you'd be terrified to hear about using a plastic grocery bag with a pint of ice cream (or maybe some candy bars) in it Mike
Remind me to stay out of Wal-Mart and public restrooms now lol I think stressing using the things in your own environment for weapons, such as Mike has talked about, is really the key to training with weapons at all. Every technique learned with a traditional weapon can be adapted to something within 3 feet of you right now. Some things that wouldn't even click at all would be really effective such as computer cables, CD's for software (have someone throw one at you sometime and hit the face or neck lol)and if it comes down to it, throw the printer or monitor lol. Rob
Absolutely. "Wargaming" is a good way to raise awareness of this. At random points during the day, look around and see what you might be able to use in a fight, either as a weapon or a distraction. Try to think of different ways the various items can be used. There really are a plethora of weapons available to us at any given moment in our day to day lives. Mike
Wargaming is one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp. I tend to do it even walking down the street, just to keep myself as prepared to react as possible if anything should ever happen. Rob
