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…

Why Did Ancient Warriors Destroy Their Own Swords?

Archaeologists occasionally uncover ancient swords that look as though someone deliberately tried to ruin them. Blades have been bent into dramatic curves, folded back on themselves, snapped into pieces, or otherwise damaged before being placed in graves, rivers, bogs, and other deposits. What makes…

Why Do Caltrops Always Land With a Spike Pointing Up?

Drop a handful of caltrops onto a road, trail, or battlefield and they do something that still surprises people today. No matter how they tumble, one spike ends up pointing upward while the others support the weapon against the ground. There is no mechanism inside, no weighted base, and no need for …