New Shaolin Rope Dart
December 13, 2009
The original rope dart was ten to sixteen feet long with a metal dart attached at the end. The classic version was used in ancient times to strike long range targets, while the rope allowed the practitioner to retrieve the dart. When the rope dart is anchored in the left hand and played with the right, it can be twined around various limbs and joints and shot out suddenly at an attacker. Rope dart play allows for deceptive and hidden striking with blinding speed and power.
Our modern version of the rope dart or meteor hammer is made from a single piece of silk brocade, to ensure lasting strength. It is 12.5 feet long (3.8 meters) and 4 inches wide (10 centimeters), with a pocket at both ends designed to hold steel meditation balls for self defense purposes or softer weights for training. It retains all of the technical advantages of the traditional rope dart while enabling the user to remove the steel ball for in close striking or simply to carry the fabric with ease. The silk blend also removes any danger of rope burn that comes with traditional training.