Meteor Hammer

In the past few years the meteor hammer has been a prominent weapon in action movies. It appears in Kill Bill Volume 1, wielded with expert skill by an insane young Chinese girl, and is also hilariously featured in the spoof film Kung Pow: Enter the Fist by the villain Betty.

The basic idea of the weapon is a long sturdy rope with one or two “meteors” attached at the ends. The rope is swung around the user’s body to build momentum and then the meteors are released to cause a quick and devastating blow to the opponent. The meteors can take many different forms. The two examples above are the same weapon with completely different styles. The young Chinese girl wields a single meteor hammer with a spiked ball resembling a mace at the end of it while Betty chooses to fix his meteor hammer with a sharp iron claw.

“Should I dodge the flying claw with a back flip or take it in the face? I think I’ll take it in the face!”

In reality, the meteor hammer is one of the most difficult weapons to handle and therefore almost impossible to master. It takes an incredible amount of grace and composure to build the momentum of these weapons and launch them with any accuracy. The meteor hammer is also one of the more dangerous weapons for the wielder. One wrong move, an accidental wrap around a limb or worse a neck, and the wielder will be at a significant disadvantage.

The risks to using the meteor hammer are balanced by the benefits. This is one strong weapon. An especially well placed strike to the temple can down an opponent from a far. The rope can be used for hog-tying or strangling an opponent from a distance and the meteor at the end packs a wallop of a punch.

These are not weapons to take lightly in practice though. In order to properly master the meteor hammer it is important to choose a toned down practice version. Ancient Chinese monks used to construct water meteors for this purpose. They would make their meteor hammers out of two joining bowls and then fill the bowls with water. The goal in practice was to spin th

e meteor hammers around with enough care and focus so as to keep the water from spilling with centripetal force. This is quite an accomplishment if done properly and a horribly wet mess if executed poorly.

Meteor Hammer Techniques and Styles

The meteor hammer is unique in the chain weapon genre. It is usually weighted at both ends allowing for easier momentum control and even at the most toned down levels of use it can be seen as intimidating just for the fact that it is incredibly unpredictable and deadly. There are a few basic techniques one can use the meteor hammer for, some of them are:

The throw: Simply put, you will throw the meteor at your opponent. Build up the moment of the weapon and then let it fly through the air towards your enemy. If you’re skilled enough to hit your mark, this can be one of the most painful blows.

The grab: Having a rope can be a handy little device. Loop it around your opponent to draw them close to you and deliver some punches or kicks or keep them tied away from you and immobilize them.

The swing: Bring the meteor down from the heavens above and try to hammer it on your opponents head. Not the most effective techniques as it has a low accuracy rate but when you connect with one of these your enemy will surely feel it.

There is also an application to the meteor hammer that included the use of fire. Expert meteor hammer users can build a device similar to the water meteors I mentioned before only this time fill them with a flammable liquid. Before the battle these can be ignited and if wielded properly will not only injure through blunt trauma alone but spread flame and ember all over the place as well.

Before I leave you, I must express that you not try to use the meteor hammer unless you have practiced under a master and have sought professional guidance. These are dangerous weapons and should not be played with as toys. Be safe and live to fight another day.