| Despite its (initial) appearance,
the Sai is not a stabbing weapon. The pommel
or knob at the top of the handle is the
main part of the Sai used in striking. |
| The shaft is
occasionally used to 'punish' (the hand
that grips a weapon) but is mainly used
to protect the user's forearms when the
Sai is held with the pommel positioned thumb-side
of the hand, and also in conjunction with
the foil to catch and trap an incoming weapon
when the Sai is used with the pommel positioned
little-finger-side of the hand. |
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| Famous
photo of Master Uechi in an "elbow
strike" pose taken in the 1950s
|
Nathan
Johnson demonstrates the same pose
with Sai |
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| Take
note of the formation of Master
Uechi's fingers, indicating the
grip of the Sai. |
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