Why Are Some Chinese Swords So Flexible?

Watch a modern Chinese martial arts demonstration and you may see a sword blade bend so dramatically that it seems almost impossible for it to be made of steel. Some blades ripple during fast movements, flex deeply with surprisingly little pressure, and spring back into shape as though they were des…

Why Are Throwing Axes Shaped Differently from Fighting Axes?

At first glance, a throwing axe and a fighting axe seem to have the same basic job: put a sharpened piece of metal on the end of a wooden handle. Look closer, however, and the differences begin to reveal two very different design problems. An axe meant to stay in the hand can be built to maximize re…

Why Was the Kusarigama So Difficult to Fight Against?

The kusarigama looked like a weapon designed to break the rules of a fight. At one end was a razor-sharp sickle meant for close combat. At the other was a weighted chain that could strike, distract, entangle, or interfere with an opponent from several feet away. A swordsman facing one could not simp…

Does Breaking Boards Actually Prove Striking Power?

Breaking wooden boards has become one of the most recognizable demonstrations in martial arts. A practitioner lines up a punch, palm strike, elbow, or kick, explodes through the target, and sends pieces of wood flying while everyone watching immediately assumes they have just witnessed tremendous st…