A ledgendary technique from the past

[Spartacus Maximus]

The history of martial arts, especially those of China and Okinawa are full of stories about masters and experts who were known for having extraordinary skills.

Knowing that in Chinese and Okinawan culture it is common to expand and exaggerate the qualities of those who were reknowned or notorious after their passing; a reader must look for more plausible explanations for the amazing almost superhuman feats of past masters.

A particular case would be a story about an okinawan master who supposedly was able to literally scalp(cut or tear off skin and hair from the head) an attacker by kicking.

Other than the result of the kick, the actua kick is not described so there is no clue as to what kind of kick it might have been. How this could possibly be done is difficult to imagine but my guess is that it may have involved some type of footwear or a foot weapon attached to the foot.

Does anyone else have any idea how to realistically explain this kick or any other ledgendary technique mentioned in a story about a master in the past?

[Montana]

I could explain it to you, but then I'd have to hunt you all down and kill you!

I've never heard of that particular technique, and doubt if there really is such a thing.

On a quick personal note about something my original sensei witnessed during his training on Okinawa..he told me that there were often people that would stop and look in the open windows of mys dojo as he practiced with his sense, and sometimes the grandmaster...Soken Hohan.

On one occasion while OSensei Soken was visiting and working with the class, a american Military Policeman (off duty) with his trained German Shepard stopped and watched the class. The dog continually barked and barked and OSensei Soken eventual;ly tired of it and went over to the serviceman and asked him, thru an interepter since he spoke no English, if he would please silence the dog. The military policeman just smiled and said nothing...and the dog continued to bark at OSensei.

After a few minutes of this, OSensei walked over to the dog and slapped it on the nose..which of course infuriated the dog, causing the dog to lunge at OSensei...who BTW, was in his mid-80's at the time, and stood maybe 5'4" tall and thin.

When the dog opened his mouth to bite OSensei, OSensei, without hesitatiion, quickly reached in the dogs mouth and grabbed his tongue and held it. The dog immediately stopped his aggression and started whimpering. OSensei proceeded (In Okinawan) to chastise the dog and basically tell it to behave...then released the dog. There were no further issues with that dog.

I didn't see it, but my sensei witnessed it, and I've never known him to lie to me.

[Spartacus Maximus]

The story I am referring to is one that I remember reading in a book about Okinawan karate by Mark Bishop. I will try to find it again as the names and style of the master involved escapes me.

I know for fact that a well trained and correctly aimed kick can cause all sorts of nasty internal damage. Especially from an expert with years of toe conditioning. However, I cannot imagine how the foot could possibly cut or tear the skin of the area struck. Uncut toenails maybe? Or perhaps some sort of weapon akin to the hand-claws used by the ninja?