There can be no doubt that the handgun is the ultimate weapon of self-defense. The ability to go legally armed with a handgun, however, is severely restricted in many cities. Thus, it is necessary for citizens who reside in urban areas where they cannot carry handguns look to other options for self-defense.
Unarmed close combat skills are necessary for everyone, everywhere. It is the foundation – the “bottom line” – in personal protection, and every able-bodied citizen, male and female, should put in the necessary time and effort to acquire a seriously dangerous level of skill with unarmed personal defense.
It would be a mistake, however, and a very serious one, to assume that unarmed self-defense is enough. It isn’t. For persons who are attacked by larger, stronger, or, in many instances, younger, more agile, faster, and more mindless assailants (sometimes more than one assailant), some kind of personal weapon is needed.
One of the finest self-defense weapons – handy, legal, formidable, intimidating, and destructive, as well as reliable and easy to use – is the simple hardwood walking stick.
Within four to six hours of practicing basic yet effective techniques utilizing a walking stick, the person of average or even below-average strength and condition can offer formidable resistance to almost any opponent; including in many instances any opponent who is himself armed with a bludgeoning implement or a knife. Defense against a gun is possible for a highly skilled expert, providing he perceives the assailant’s being armed either before or just as that assailant initiates action to access his firearm.
The walking stick in skilled hands can be employed to excellent effect in many cases against a pair or even a group of attackers who do not possess weapons.
This article cannot train you in the many techniques possible with a walking stick. What it can provide is a description of some basic methods. These will, if you practice them, put a considerable level of mastery in your hands and confidence in your mind.
While the conventional crook-ended cane can be used in self- defense, my recommendation is that a straight walking stick, rather than a cane, be selected for protective use. My experience has demonstrated that the straight walking stick is a superior weapon.
Personally, I always have liked the English blackthorne walking stick. It tends to be thicker and, in my experience, more substantial than the Irish blackthornes. Still, you can never go wrong with a walking stick made of hickory, oak, cocobolo, ash, or African ironwood – all are excellent choices.
And, for legal reasons, it is wisest to purchase a walking stick, not some “self-defense stick” or implement sold as a martial arts weapon. Besides… the quality you are likely to obtain in a good walking stick is probably going to be superior to a store bought “martial arts” weapon as well as less expensive.
Carrying a walking stick in a manner that is not intimidating per se (certainly never brandishing the thing!), yet clearly displays you not requiring the stick as an aid to walking, carries a serious warning to street garbage. Given the choice of going after a man or woman who has a stout walking stick in hand vs. a man or woman who has nothing in their hand… the empty-handed “victim” obviously will be selected.
Okay… now what are some simple ways the stick may be employed in an emergency? With the recommendation you pursue the art of stick-work more seriously, if you aspire to full confidence and ability, following are some tips on how to use a walking stick in emergency defense of yourself or someone else.
- Using the stick as a brace to lean on, stabilize yourself and lash out with a side kick to your assailant’s knee. When the kick connects, secure a two-hand grip on the end of the stick and smash the opponent in the head using all of the force you can muster.
- Holding the stick just below the pommel, with the end resting on the ground, suddenly drive the pommel in a straight, hard thrust into the opponent’s bladder, lower abdomen, solar plexus, or sternum. Now grab the attacker’s hair or collar with your other hand and smash him in the face repeatedly with the pommel.
- Secure a two-hand grip (hands widely spaced just below each end of the stick) and snap the center of the stick upward, smashing the attacker in the throat or face with the center of the stick. If desired, you can then take a two-hand grip close to one end of the stick and smash him with it like a baseball bat across his head or face.
- Holding the stick nonchalantly in a two-hand grip (hands spaced so that about four to six inches protrudes from each hand) thrust one end of the stick violently into the attacker’s face, throat, or abdominal area; then step forward and with all of your bodyweight behind the action, slam the center of the stick powerfully into him. This will send him reeling. You can followup by smashing him again across the knees or shins with a baseball bat type swing, if necessary.
- Holding the stick as described above and thrusting an end into the attacker as explained in that description, step to one side of the assailant after jabbing him; secure a two hand grip at one end of the stick and swing a powerful smashing blow across his knee/shin area (trying to literally cut his legs out from under him). As he crumples from this blow, continue smashing him across the head with the stick, using the two hand “baseball bat” type grip.
The stick is versatile and adaptable to an unlimited number of predicaments once time and effort in training have acquainted you with all of the ways it can be employed. I hope I’ve got you interested!
by Bradley J. Steiner