The Cane: Part 2 – Two Hand Strikes - Thrusts

When starting out with the cane as a weapon of self-defense, two-handed techniques based on bayonet drills are the most secure and effective.

Holding the cane with both hands improves your ability to control your cane when your opponent grabs it. Retaining control of your weapon is just as important as executing effective techniques.

A two hand grip increases the power of a straight thrust, the security of a block or parry, and brings the crook end of the cane into play as a striking surface. Vertical and horizontal butt strokes are of little practical valve with a one-hand grip; but with a two-hand grip they are important tools in your tool box.

Two basic thrusting techniques are available with a two-hand grip on a crooked cane. They are:

Lunge with thrust:
· The striking surface is the cane tip
· The target is the abdomen, solar plexus, Adam’s apple or the bridge of the nose
· A forward lunge is executed simultaneously with the two-hand forward thrust
· The forward grip can be underhand or overhand; the underhand grip allows a longer thrust but requires a grip change from most starting positions; the overhand grip does not normally require a grip change.

Back stance with thrust:
· The striking surface is the cane tip
· The target is the abdomen, solar plexus, Adam’s apple or the bridge of the nose
· A shift into a back stance is executed simultaneously with the two-hand forward thrust
· The forward grip can be underhand or overhand; the underhand grip allows a longer thrust but requires a grip change from most starting positions; the overhand grip does not normally require a grip change.

Additional two-hand techniques will be described in future posts.

Link to Special Report Topics: The Neko Ryu Cane