The yawara stick, and its cousin the kubotan, are short sticks carried in one hand and used for self defense. They are legal to carry in all U.S. states and in most other countries. Even if not legal, they are easy enough to improvise that knowing how to use one is a good investment of your training time. These techniques will work with a yawara, kubotan, small flashlight, even a pencil or pen.
Limb Destruction
Hold the yawara in your hand like you would the handle of a tennis racket, with an inch or so protruding from each side of your hand. Wait for the attacker to punch, push or reach for you. Swing or thrust your hand toward the attacking arm, depending on the attack, striking the biceps or forearm with the protruding end of the stick. Since the attacker is swinging toward you, the yawara will strike the arm with surprising force. Done right, this renders the attacking arm useless for several minutes. You can then take the opportunity to escape or to counterattack, taking advantage of the fact that your attacker has only one arm.
Vitals Thrust
For a vitals thrust, hold the yawara as you would for the limb-destruction technique. You will need to be close to the attacker for this technique, either because you moved in or because the attacker is crowding or even grabbing you. Thrust hard with the yawara to strike a vital area of the attacker's body with either protruding end. Good targets include the throat, temples, solar plexus, groin, collar bone and sternum. Note that some of these targets can cause serious injury and even death. Using this technique with a pen or pencil is particularly effective, as it turns the strike into a stab.
Lock Support
If you are trained in a grappling and lock art such as aikido or jiu jitsu, you can use the yawara to make your locks more effective. During any technique that locks up an attacker's joint, you can press the yawara against the attacker's knuckles or other protruding bones. This hurts quite a lot more than a standard lock pressing with only the fingers or forearms. This is a very technical use for the yawara, so practice consistently before attempting to use this in a real situation.
Punch Support
This is the simplest use for the yawara and works best with thicker sticks. Wrap your fist around the yawara and punch as you normally would. By packing your fist with a rigid object, it makes your fist harder. This imparts more force to the target you strike, causing more pain and damage.
References
- Self-Defender: The Kubotan
- Phil Porter; Self-Defense Instructor; USMA, Sacramento, CA
Member Comments