• by Fumio Bemura
• Paperback book
• Sai Daggers book
• Great read

Sai: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense Description

During the Japanese occupation of Okinawa some 350 years ago, invading warlords prohibited the use of ordinary weapons such as the sword or spear. So the Okinawans turned to karate and kobu-do (the use of karate weapons such as the bo, a staff; nunchaku, two hardwood sticks securely connected by rope or chain; kama, a sickle; and surushin, a length of rope with weights attached to both ends) for protection. Some kobu-do weapons were farm implements which the ingenious farmers converted into effective protective devices. For instance, the sai (short sword) was dragged through the soil by one peasant, while another would plant seed in the resulting furrow. If approached by a marauding samurai, the sai (pronounced "sigh") doubled as a weapon with which the peasant could counter a sword attack. Usually the peasant employed two sai, one for each hand, and concealed a third inside his obi (wide belt), which even a proficient sai artist may have found cumbersome when engaging in battle with a talented swordsman. Thus the third sai was actually used to throw at the warrior. This maneuver was often the key to winning the encounter.

The basics of sai anatomy, history, and technique are presented in this critically acclaimed vintage text that demonstrates a variety of warm-up, gripping, handling, flipping, striking, blocking, and sparring techniques--as well as footwork, stances, and combinations--through detailed photographic sequences and illustrations. The author's clear and concise explanations foster an understanding of the weapon as an extension of the body, making this a perfect book for the new martial artist or for the veteran seeking to expand his or her repertoire.

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