A popular weapon among martial arts enthusiasts, the kubaton has several advantages. It's useful both as a striking weapon and for enhancing your grappling technique. It's small and portable, and t's not easily recognized as a weapon, meaning you can carry it for self defense without asking for trouble. Kubaton techniques can be very complex, but beginners can start with a few basic applications.
Supported Punch
This is the simplest and most intuitive use of a kubaton in self-defense. To apply, wrap your fingers and palm around the shaft of a kubaton, making a hard fist. It doesn't matter how much of the kubaton extends out of your fist on either side. With the kubaton in hand, punch as you normally would. The extra weight of the kubaton adds power to your strike, and the support inside your fist makes your striking surface harder.
Limb Destruction
You can use a kubaton as a powerful defensive weapon by gripping it as you would an ice pick, with one end protruding out of your fist on the pinky finger side. If your kubaton has a tapered end, the thinner end should be the one that protrudes and the one you strike with. As an attacking arm comes in, swing your arm like a hammer and strike the biceps with the tip of the kubaton. Combined with the force of the incoming attack, this can cause serious damage to the attacking arm -- rendering it useless for the rest of the fight.
Bear Hug Escape
This technique is applicable against a bear hug from the front, with your arms pinned against your sides. Your kubaton should already be in one of your hands. As your opponent grapples you, wrap your arms around his waist to the best of your ability. Put the tip of your kubaton against his spine and press as hard as you can. Use both hands if at all possible. This causes so much pain that your opponent should let go. If you can't reach the spine, try this technique on the kidneys or short ribs.
Grab Escape
This move is popular in womens' self defense classes, since women are statistically more likely to be attacked with a grab. When an attacker grabs you, start by striking the back of the hand with the tip of your kubaton -- to this point, the technique is very similar to the limb destruction above. Lay the shaft of the kubaton along the knuckles of the hand grabbing you. Lever one or more fingers backward against the hard material of the kubaton. This causes intense pain and can break or dislocate the fingers if your attacker doesn't let go.
References
- Dave Coffman; Martial Arts Instructor; Hillsboro, OR
- "Personal Protection Handbook"; Tom Patire; 2005
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