Anyone who has ever seen a martial arts movie probably knows what a grappling hook is. Grappling hooks are famous ninja gear. Whether or not they were actually used by ninjas, they have developed a powerful fascination for a lot of people. Along with ninja climbing spikes and other cloak and dagger weapons, the grappling hook is popular with everyone from children to serious martial arts enthusiasts. It is not one of the most practical martial arts weapons that you can get, but it is definitely one of the most fun ones.
My fascination with it first started when I was eight years old. I nagged my mom until she relented and bought me a toy grappling hook. Although she wasn’t really interested me owning a grappling gun, she said that she would try letting me have it for a little while. She told me that if I got into any trouble with it, I would lose it immediately.
Needless to say, I did not keep the grappling hook for very long. I couldn’t resist throwing it at everyone and everything I saw. In the end, however, it wasn’t my mom who took it from me. It was one day I tried climbing a tree with it. I broke it and couldn’t fix it.
Although I have always thought that grappling hooks are cool, I didn’t actually see one again for a few years. In the meantime, I studied martial arts, and got more involved in unarmed combat. Then one day, I was cruising a martial art supply store when I saw a grappling hook. It is actually not a very common martial arts weapon, but it is still occasionally used in some forms of combat training. I was curious, and on a whim I bought it. I am glad that I did.
The grappling hook was so cool. I couldn’t resist trying it out. I went to the local high school building, and after a few throws manage to get it onto the roof. I was actually able to scale the entire building. I’m glad that I got away with it. If I had been caught, I probably would have gotten into a bunch of trouble just for trying out that stunt. Still, I suppose that all is well that ends well. Like the real ninjas of old, I was able to climb the roof and get back down unseen.
|
