Today there are many who seek perfectly balanced Sai to
practice with. While this is OK, I
believe there is a case to use unbalanced weight Sai for your training.
It is rare that you would study Sai today for instant self
defense needs. While they might exist it is doubtful that those circumstances
should dictate why you select Sai for practice.
In my opinion, the purpose of Sai study is for deeper
purposes. The reason is for deeper purposes than retaining a part of Okinawan
culture. The study of Sai becomes a long term force enhancer to your training.
I see what the Sai training offers over the decades of
training. Your work strengthens your arms to make your open hand techniques
more powerful. I realize it is difficult to understand this use. However,
having trained myself and some of my
students for such a time, I have come to understand this purpose.
Long term practice involves strengthens the grip, fingers
and builds arm strength. Each of which contributes to the Karate application
use in application. As we age it allows us to improve when life wants to tear
us down.
Now the additional logic for imperfect or unbalanced Sai.
The true balance for your sai comes from decades of work. You will learn
internally, through practice, how to make the imperfect perfect for you.
Should others attempt to use your Sai they would be
imperfect for them, without the years of skill building you spent. Theoretically
should they attempt to use them against you, the Sai would not be readily
familiar in their hands.
But though perhaps plausible, the additional effort over
time to make their use perfect for you outweighs this consideration, to my way
of thinking.
1 comment:
When I bought my sai in 1987 I was in Philadelphia for business and went to the old Asian Worlc locatin on Broad Street in north Philadelphia. I bought steel sai and they lasted for my years till I gave them to my students. One set of sai, one lifetime.
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