The Infamous Sai

The Sai is not only one of my favorite weapons, but also one of the most recognizable. Made popular by the ninja turtles, it is the most stylish weapons in martial arts. Traditionally it had a wooden base with three metal prongs attached, but today it can be fashioned many different ways from steel to bamboo. You pronounce the Sai like (zz-eye). The most common type of Sai is a black rubber grip with three blunt metal tips. Used as a farming tool, the Okinawan people turned it into a weapon to catch and break/disarm swords. It was very useful and kept many alive. Sai are typically used in pairs, but are sometimes used in combination with a sword or knife. They can be used for striking, blocking, and even trapping, but are most popularly used nowadays in weapon demonstrations at martial arts tournaments. The history of the Sai is very rich and will remain the most recognizable weapon around.