Cane - Up close and personal

[Dave McNeill]

  

            The bad guy has picked his spot carefully; the hallway between the restaurant and the bathrooms is unusually narrow, the lighting dim, the noise from the crowded restaurant and piano bar will effectively drown out any sounds of struggle, or calls for help.  You, the good guy, cannot swing the cane you are carrying, as you normally would, because of such close quarters.  Also, your mobility is severely limited by the narrow confines, as well as the stacks of extra chairs along the wall.  The good news is that you saw him coming, and your instincts told you he was up to no good. Fortunately you had a few seconds to grasp your cane shaft in the “half-again” grip, and position your body just like you had been trained to do.  Unfortunately for the attacker the tables had just been turned on him.

 

            The assumption that all assaults can be life threatening has never been truer than it is today. Terrorists aside, there is enough citizen-to-citizen violence in your hometown to make paranoia seem reasonable.  Obviously the cane can be taken with you anywhere in the world, and on any mode of transportation, without hassles.  That alone should elevate the status of the cane to the top of your must-have list.  Given the choice of being armed or unarmed, who would vote to go weaponless?  Who in their right mind would not want a potentially life-saving device at their side?  And who would not want to know how to use the self-defense cane efficiently and effectively?

 

            Soke McNeill started his studies of Goju-Shorei in 1971, and in 1986 was asked to develop a weapons system that would teach the use of legal weapons.  He soon realized that besides being legal, of equal importance, the weapon had to be practical.  After all, an ironing board may be legal to possess but it could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered a practical self-defense implement.  After some time, and extensive research, McNeill settled on three weapons; the cane, short-blade knife and fan.  The fan can represent a short stick or even a rolled up magazine.  However, the foundation weapon for the Goju-Shorei Weapons System is the cane.

 

            At one time the sign of a gentleman or a genteel lady, the cane can still be carried in a jaunty manner without undue notice.  And because of the crook, it lends itself to all sorts of new self-defense possibilities.  The cane, approximately 36 inches in length, is almost always thought of as a long or medium distance weapon.  As such, a certain amount of room is usually needed to bring the cane into self-defense play.  Most people think that the cane is used like a skinny ball bat, and all you have to do is deliver a hero-like swing and the villains are vanquished.  Of course that hit takes time and room to wind up.

            The restaurant, bar, shopping mall, movie theatre, and your own hallway at home would preclude the full-power swing because of the confined area.  More importantly, innocent bystanders could get in the way of your mighty swing.  Tipping over Granny instead of the bad guy wouldn’t win you points with the home crowd.  If all you have done is train to swing hard and big, then the one time that you have to defend yourself in the real world will turn into a disaster for you, and probably Granny. You seldom get to pick where you make your stand, but with proper training, you can pick how that stand is made.
 

            The following techniques will give you a good idea of why the Goju-Shorei cane is a surprisingly effective and superior close-quarter self-defense weapon.  In close-quarter defense, the crook will be the primary cane part used for striking, deflecting and locking. 

The cane is held in the “half grip” when the adversary is at arms length.  The half-grip is accomplished by holding the standard walking cane at the middle of the shaft, with the crook towards the ground.

For very close situations, the cane is gripped halfway between the crook and the “half grip” position, which is called the “half-again grip”. The crook, in both cases, should be pointed down towards the ground so that it will not get hung-up in your clothing when the action starts. A simple rule is that the closer the potential action, the closer the hand is moved towards the crook.

If time and circumstances allow, the cane should be moved slightly behind, and close to your body, so that it is hidden from the view of the night-crawler that is intent upon doing you harm. Surprise is of utmost importance.  The first indication to anyone that you have a weapon should be when the attacker feels pain on his body, and his head is ringing.

            The cane can be a powerful weapon when it is used as a weapon, but in all cases the cane should be a self-defense weapon; a tool to protect life and limb of your loved ones, and yourself.  Having a legal to carry, self-defense implement with you is all very well and good, but if you don’t know how to use the cane in every situation, then your cane could very well end up marking the spot where your body came to rest.  The outcome not only depends on luck, but how much you have practiced, practiced correctly, and also how experienced and knowledgeable your instructor is.  A deficiency in any of these areas can get you hurt or killed.
 

            The right haymaker is the most common punch that you are apt to see coming your way.  In this case Soke McNeill, holding the cane in the half-grip position, blocks to the inside of Master Andy Tourin’s arm.

The block must be between the wrist and elbow so that the fist will not hook into the side of your head.  The pain of the wood slamming into the arm bones should cause the attacker to briefly delay throwing a follow-up attack.

Bracing the shaft of the cane against his forearm, McNeill drives it upwards to strike Andy’s mouth and/or the nose.

The right side of Andy’s head is now open for an immediate follow up strike with the horn.

As Master Tourin staggers back, McNeill grabs the lower shaft with his left hand and delivers a two-handed stab with the cane tip to Tourin’s solar plexus or ribs.

            Notice how one technique flows into the next – called, originally enough, “the flow”.  Also, there is very little foot movement except for rotation and small balanced steps.  Finally, there is no re-cocking of the cane, which would stop the flow and slow down the response. These are the hallmarks of all the close quarter Goju-Shorei Weapons System techniques.

Although rare, sometimes the right punch might be coming straight at you, just like you practiced in the dojo.  Using the same half-grip, block the punch up and across your body as you shift slightly to your left, closing the opponent up. Let your reflexes work for you. Automatically raising your hands in response to an attack is what initiates the block.

Now grip the shaft with the left hand and rapidly, and repeatedly, stab the tip into his rib. 

This should give you enough room to drive the horn of the crook into the top of his wrong-thinking head.

            There are lefties out there, and the smart martial artist trains for them.  Using the half-again grip, the hooking left punch is blocked to the outside with the cane, opening the opponent up.  At the same time, strike the opponent’s eye and forehead area with your left open hand.

Immediately strike his left temple with the back of the crook, which in combination with the previous strike will stun the attacker.

 

Move the cane across his face so the crook is now on the right side of his neck, and pull back on the shaft so that the bad guy is leaning to your right, and the horn is against his spinal column, in the neck area.

With your left hand, strike with full force to the top of the crook which will drive the horn into his neck and spine.

            Word of warning:  Unless you have the local wheelchair franchise, practice this technique extremely carefully, as this move could cause permanent injury to the spine.

Again using the half-again grip, block a left haymaker, or hook, with the cane to the inside of the attacking arm, between the wrist and the elbow, which will open the opponent up.

 

Still holding the shaft, raise your right hand up and drive the tip down into his chest, causing the attacker to fall back. If you press the shaft against your forearm it will help to stabilize the cane.

 

 Then grab the lower shaft with your left hand, and slam the flat side of the crook to his head.

            This technique is executed using the half-again-grip.  A prelude to a major assault can be when you find yourself in the embarrassing position of having both of your lapels grabbed. It’s embarrassing because you didn’t see it coming.  Nonetheless, you at least know where his hands are so all is not lost.

 

Secure both of his hands to your chest with your left hand and arm, at the same time strike the left side or back of his head with the back part or top of your crook. If you don’t get the reaction that you’re looking for, keep ringing his bell until you do.

 

Still holding his hands, hook the right side of his neck with your crook, and pull back and down.

Take him down by stepping back slightly with your right foot and pivoting to your right.

 

Gripping the cane with two hands, drill him with the tip. Anywhere will do.

 

            You know that things have gotten real serious when Mr. Big-and-ugly grabs your lapel with his left hand, and pulls his right hand back with the intention of rearranging your face.  Having seen the problem coming you are holding the cane in the half or half-again grip.  The primary task is, of course, not to get hit. 

Raising your left arm – a reflexive action – and blocking the incoming swing accomplishes this.  At the same time that you block, strike the opponent’s left temple with the top of the cane crook.

 

Then press the shaft of the cane to the back of the attacker’s grasping left hand, at the same time grabbing the shaft with your left hand.

The very second that you grab your cane with your left hand, pivot to your left and strike the back or side of the evil-doer’s head with the lower shaft.

 

Continue the pivot, bending forward slightly, to accomplish the take down.

 

As soon as the assailant hits the ground, release the pressure on the back of his hand and kick him in the face with your left foot. If you still perceive a threat, neutralize it with the cane, anyway you want.

 

            Remember that the principles of angle of block vs angle of attack, body positioning, pressure point theory, and the flow are the foundations for Goju-Shorei Weapons System self-defense success.  Large static stances, stiff movement, fighting against your opponent’s power instead of redirecting it, improper gripping or hand positioning on the cane, and finally, not knowing simple body mechanics are the keys to failure.

 

            The few close-quarter cane techniques that we have demonstrated in this article are but a small sample of some of the principle teachings of the Goju-Shorei Weapons System.  Through the skillful teaching of these guidelines, the Goju-Shorei Weapons System is able to provide its students with the realistic training needed to handle any assault when it is up close and personal.