The Cane: Part 5 – Two Hand Weapon Retention

Retaining control of your cane is of primary importance and a two-hand grip is a significant advantage.

First, the two-hand grip is simply stronger. Your opponent has to work harder to wrest control of the cane from your secure two-hand grip. Second, it’s flexible and gives you immediate options for countering your opponent’s attempt to take your weapon; to turn your defense into an attack.

There are three two-hand cane retention strategies.

1. Convert the attempt to take your cane into a strike with the free portion of the cane. This is sometimes called a shield strike. Shield strikes are appropriate if the opponent grabs one end of the cane. You can strike with the opposite end of the cane using a horizontal or vertical butt stoke; even if the free end of the cane is the tip instead of the crook

2. Use the opponents grip on your cane to draw him into a strike with a different weapon. A head butt or a kick are typically set up in this situation. If the opponent grabs the center of your cane or grabs both ends at the same time you can pull the cane towards your own body and simultaneously drive your forehead into your opponent’s nose or sidekick his leading knee.

3. Use the opponent’s grip on your cane as your grip on him and execute a throw. If your opponent has a secure two-hand grip on your cane you can move the can in a direction to off-balance him and set up a judo throw. For example, by moving the cane to your left you can shift your opponent’s weight in that direction and set up a right side o-soto-gari throw.

When retention of your cane is threatened, the flexibility of your two-hand grip should be used to immediately convert the threat into an attack (parry-repost).

Link to Special Report Topics: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 4 – Two Hand Cuts

A cut with a stick is a special kind of strike; the way it’s delivered looks and feels like a cut with a saber, broadsword, or katana. It’s called a cut because of this similarity. Since the stick or cane has no sharp edge it doesn’t cut the opponent. But a well delivered cut with a cane damages bone, cartilage, or tendons.

Two-hand cuts are delivered using katana techniques. With the katana, the Japanese two-handed saber, the objective is to rapidly pull the edge of the blade through the opponent letting the sharp blade slice through. It's not a power cut.

The katana cut is a coordinated finesse technique in which the hand near the kashira (pommel or butt of the handle) pulls while the hand near the tsuba (guard) pushes so that the katana rotates forward around a point in the middle of the two-hand grip.

At the same time the arms swing the katana in an arc centered on the swordsman’s torso. The result is two distinct forward motions. The two motions combine speeds resulting in a much faster cut than can be achieve by swinging the katana with the arms alone.

Lacking the sharp blade of the katana, the cutting strike of the cane delivers kinetic energy to the target. You might think that putting more arm and shoulder muscle into the swing increases the power of the strike. But kinetic energy is ½MV² where M is Mass and V is velocity. In the cane cut, the mass is roughly ⅓ of the mass or weight of the cane. This corresponds to the portion of the cane actually delivering the blow. Velocity is the speed of the cane at the moment of impact on the target.

But the formula is KE = ½MV²; the speed is squared. The formula could also be written as Kinetic Energy = ½*⅓*Weight of the Cane*Speed of the Cane*Speed of the Cane. I won’t spend any more time on the formula except to point out that doubling the speed of the cane multiples the kinetic energy delivered to the target four times.

The katana technique, rotating the cane with the hands while swinging the cane from the shoulders, increases the speed of the cane at impact. And, as discussed, increasing the speed of the cane squares the delivered kinetic energy.

The two-hand cut can be delivered vertically downward, horizontally, or diagonally.

A well delivered two-hand cut delivers damaging kinetic energy to the target.

Link to Special Report Topics: The Neko Ryu Cane

Special Report: Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu

Links to the Special Report: Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu:
What Is Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu?
General Principles: Natural Movement & Stances
General Principles: Elbow-Knee Alignment
General Principles: Adversarial Psychology
General Principles: Tai Sabaki (Body Movement)
General Principles: Positive Thinking
General Principles: Winning
General Principles: Parry-Repost
General Principles: Kuzushi
General Principles: Maximizing Effectiveness
General Principles: Maximizing Effectiveness - Curve Step

The Cane: Part 3 – Two Hand Strikes – Butt Strokes

A two hand grip increases the power of a straight thrust, the security of a block or parry, and enables the use of the crook end of the cane in vertical and horizontal butt strokes.

In all cases the forward grip can be underhand or overhand; the underhand grip allows a more natural stroke but requires a grip change from most starting positions; the overhand grip does not require a grip change from most starting positions.

Butt stroke techniques available with a two-hand grip on a crooked cane include:

Upward Vertical butt stroke:
· The striking surface is the horn (or end) of the crook
· The target is the lower jaw or chin
· The strike rises vertically toward the underside of the opponents jaw as in an uppercut punch

Forward Horizontal butt stroke:
· The striking surface is the horn (or end) of the crook
· The target is the hinge of jaw
· The strike swings in from the outside with a pushing motion toward the side of the opponent’s face as in a hook punch

Reverse Horizontal butt stroke:
· The striking surface is the top (or back) of the crook
· The target is the hinge of jaw
· The strike swings in from the outside with a pulling motion toward the side of the opponent’s face as in a side back fist punch

Straight forward butt stroke:
· The striking surface is the back of the crook
· The target is the bridge of the nose
· The strike moves straight forward in a horizontal line into the center of the opponent’s face

Two hand butt strokes with the crooked cane come straight out of military bayonet drills. They are effective, easy to learn, and easy to use. They are excellent techniques for a cane novice.

Link to Special Report Topics: The Neko Ryu Cane

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

The Cane: Part 1 – Types of Canes

My favorite weapon is the crooked cane. It’s legal to carry and it’s more acceptable to carry as you age. It’s also very effective.

There are many kinds of canes. Although crooked canes are the most versatile weapons, most of the canes you see on the street have straight, often padded, handles. Lengths vary with the height of the person using them and many canes are adjustable. Some canes have three or four tips. All of them can be effective weapons.

I’ve experimented with several styles of crooked canes and I recommend the wide-crook canes sold by Cane Masters. The wide-crook makes it possible to hook your opponent’s neck, calf, or thigh. Canes available in pharmacies and medical supply stores generally have crooks too small for these targets but they can be used to hook a person’s ankle.

Canes from Cane Masters also feature grooves cut in the neck, the transition area between the crook and the shaft. Since the neck and the crook are the most common gripping points for one-handed techniques the grooves improve your grip on the cane.
Cane Masters also offers instructional material for using the cane as a weapon which I found of little value.

Although you have to hunt for them there are many books, some very old, on using the cane for self-defense. From a number of these books I’ve developed a personal cane system compatible with Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu philosophy and principles.

The crooked cane is an effective legal personal defense weapon. I‘ll describe my cane system that I call “Neko Ryu Cane” in future blogs.

Link to Special Report Topics: The Neko Ryu Cane

Expedient Weapons: Other Expedient Yawara Sticks

Any short stick-like object, six to eight inches long and between 3/8” and 2” in diameter can be used as a Yawara (also known as a Kubotan). A “perfect” Yawara would be seven inches long, ½ inch in diameter and hard but not brittle.

An expedient stick is limited in its ability to duplicate the range of techniques available to a Yawara to the extent the expedient stick’s dimensions diverge from those of the “perfect” Yawara.

The “perfect” Yawara can be used in four different striking modes.

Ridge hand strikes
Hammer fist strikes
Front of the knuckle punches (straight, reverse, hook, upper cut, etc)
Back fist strikes

It can be used to apply leveraged pressure on fingers and wrists. And, it can be used to apply force to pressure points.

If the diameter of the expedient stick is too small the effectiveness of ridge hand and hammer fist strikes are reduced because the stick is difficult to grip and it tends to slip through the fist.

If the diameter of the expedient stick is too large the effectiveness of front of the knuckle punches are reduced because the stick distorts the shape of the fist making knuckle strikes awkward at best.

If the expedient stick is too short the effectiveness of leveraged pressure is reduced and if the stick is so short that it fails to protrude from either end of the fist then the force multiplying effect is lost on ridge hand strikes or hammer fist punches depending on which end protrudes from the fist and which does not.

If the expedient stick is too long all Yawara techniques become awkward and the stick is better used as a baton.

Some examples of expedient stick-like objects suitable for use as a Yawara are:

Felt tip markers and highlighters
TV and DVD remote controls
Table knifes
Staplers
Three hole punches
Large folding knifes with the blades folded
Hand-held dust pans (with one end of the handle protruding from the fist)
Pliers
Scissors
Hand mirrors (with one end of the handle protruding from the fist)

Many other objects would do as well. Practice finding suitable expedient sticks wherever you are. Regardless of the specific object used as a Yawara, the basic techniques are the same. Practice them with a variety of expedient objects and practice noticing expedient Yawara’s in your environment to improve your mental and physical ability to use them if the need should arise.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Expedient Weapons

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Expedient Weapons: Rolled Up Magazines

Rolled up magazines, like pen lights, make excellent Yawara sticks; And, because they are very common, they are more likely to be available as expedient weapons than most other objects. Any tightly rolled up magazine will make a useful force-multiplying weapon. Rolled up magazines can be carried everywhere and will attract no attention.

The rolled up magazine’s usefulness as a weapon is similar to that of the pen light as described below.

By grasping the rolled up magazine in the middle with the ends extending out from both sides of the fist the magazine multiplies the potential of the fist. The diameter is such that the barrel of the magazine reinforces and solidifies the fist increasing the effectiveness of the knuckles.

Four different striking modes are available with the magazine held in this manner.

Ridge hand strikes
Hammer fist strikes
Front of the knuckle punches (straight, reverse, hook, upper cut, etc)
Back fist strikes

The magazine is long enough to protrude more than two inches from both sides of the fist. However, it isn’t very effective when used as a lever to pressure the bones of the fingers or wrist because the diameter is too large and the rolled up magazine is not quite rigid enough to concentrate pressure into a point or line.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Expedient Weapons

Expedient Weapons: Ball Point Pen

Ball point pens, like pen lights, make excellent Yawara sticks. And, because they are very common, they are more likely to be available as expedient weapons than most other objects. Of course, if you pick one up as an expedient weapon – you take what you get. Ball point pens can also be carried everywhere and are even less likely than pen lights to attract attention.

Although any metal or plastic pen will make a useful force-multiplying weapon; if you chose to carry a ball point pen, the larger diameter pens with aluminum barrels make the best weapons.

The ball point pen’s usefulness as a weapon is similar to that of the pen light as described below.

By grasping the pen in the middle with the ends extending out from both sides of the fist the pen multiplies the potential of the fist. The diameter is such that the barrel of the pen reinforces and solidifies the fist increasing the effectiveness of the knuckles.

Four different striking modes are available with the pen held in this manner.

Ridge hand strikes
Hammer fist strikes
Front of the knuckle punches (straight, reverse, hook, upper cut, etc)
Back fist strikes

If the pen is long enough to protrude about two inches from one side of the fist and still protrude at least 1/4 inch from the opposite side, it can also be used as a lever to pressure the bones of the fingers or wrist.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Expedient Weapons

Expedient Weapons: Pen Light

Aluminum barreled pen lights that use two AA or AAA batteries are useful as weapons as well as flashlights. They are generally the right length and diameter to use as Yawara sticks (also called Kubotan).

By grasping the flashlight in the middle with the ends extending out from both sides of the fist the pen light multiplies the potential of the fist. The diameter is such that the barrel of the pen light reinforces and solidifies the fist increasing the effectiveness of the knuckles.

Four different striking modes are available with the pen light held in this manner.

Ridge hand strikes
Hammer fist strikes
Front of the knuckle punches (straight, reverse, hook, upper cut, etc)
Back fist strikes

If the pen light is long enough to protrude about two inches from one side of the fist and still protrude at least 1/4 inch from the opposite side, it can also be used as a lever to pressure the bones of the fingers or wrist.

The aluminum barreled pen light is a common tool that doubles as a weapon and can be carried everywhere – even on-board passenger aircraft.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Expedient Weapons