May
Instinctive Self Defense
If there was one thing I fault in most self-defense courses, it is the overwhelming emphasis on unarmed techniques. This is a holdover from the time when judo and jujitsu were first introduced to the West. A lot of hype went into unarmed fighting techniques that could supposedly disarm any attacker. While unarmed methods had their merits, little attention was paid to the value of armed methods of defense. The truth is that an armed person is better able to defend himself than one who is empty-handed.
The old adage of the street applies: pick up a stick.
Things change when you pick up something to use as a weapon. It may be a stick, a piece of pipe, a trash can lid, a bottle, etc. The fact that you wield it shows him that you intend to defend yourself. He will hesitate, at least momentarily. Instead of an unarmed victim, the opponent is faced with someone who intends to fight back. Even if he feels victory is assured, some part of his brain says that winning will not be painless.
A stick is a natural weapon. Millennia of instinct are evoked. The instinct gives one order: swing! Swing at his head, swing at his arms, swing at whatever is in front of you. Millennia of instinct on your opponent’s part warns him that this is going to hurt. He will back up a bit. He will hesitate for a moment. A stick brings the kind of pain he understands. Anyone who has bumped his head knows what to expect.
Men have fought with stick weapons since the earliest times. Staves, clubs, bars, poles, maces and hammers have been swung at the head, torso and arms of adversaries. They have raised bruises and welts. Sticks have lacerated flesh and fractured bones. All of it is guided by an instinct to swing.
Keep swinging until he stops fighting!
