| One of the most popular self-defense weapons in | | | | program. Its ease-of-use and relatively short |
| use today by the average citizen and police officers | | | | learning-curve make it the ideal "first-weapon" for |
| alike is the "Kubotan" (pronounced: 'koo-bow-tahn'), or | | | | beginning students. It can be used to provide a level |
| simply the self-defense keychain. The versatility of | | | | of comfort, security, and preparedness while the |
| the this effective little item is that it lends itself well | | | | student is learning more scientific unarmed |
| to being used in different ways by people with | | | | techniques, tactics, and strategies that naturally take |
| different martial arts backgrounds, as well as by | | | | more time to internalize.For many, the self-defense |
| people with no formal training in the martial arts | | | | keychain weapon is a tool of pain, pure-and-simple. |
| whatsoever. In fact, this is perhaps one of the | | | | Regardless of whether you're using it to strike, dig |
| Kubotan's greatest advantages and therefore | | | | into sensitive areas, or apply crushing pressure to |
| strengths, in that it can be picked up and easily used | | | | small bones and joints, the fact is that you don't |
| by any martial artist, regardless of style or principle | | | | need years of training to be good with it. You can |
| fighting method. Regardless of whether a practitioner | | | | practically, with little-or-no extensive training, pick one |
| has studied the techniques of Aikido, Jujitsu, Karate, | | | | up and be ready to at-least hold-your-own against |
| Kung Fu, and, yes, Ninjutsu - the art of the Ninja - | | | | most common attackers.Please note that I'm not |
| the self-defense keychain fits easily into, and | | | | saying that a certain level of training wouldn't |
| increases the power of just about any technique.As | | | | significantly increase your ability and chances of |
| an example, a Karate-oriented practitioner who is | | | | success, especially in a more aggressive situation, but |
| trained in, and has a preference for striking | | | | for most of the assaults and types of attackers |
| techniques, can utilize the ends of the weapon for | | | | you'll most likely encounter in Today's world, it's the |
| painful blows to soft tissue areas or disabling strikes | | | | perfect starting point for most new students.As |
| to an opponent's vital points. Conversely, a | | | | always, my advice is to find a qualified instructor, or a |
| practitioner schooled in a grappling-based system like | | | | professionally delivered course, where you can be |
| Jujitsu or Aikido, may feel more comfortable using | | | | introduced to the weapon properly. Then, when you |
| the Kubotan for hooking, trapping, and pain | | | | have the basic ideas and principles, combined with the |
| compliance techniques, using the leverage and intense | | | | fundamentals of unarmed self-protection tactics, you |
| pain generated by the weapon to immobilize and | | | | can go on to explore the full potential of both the |
| neutralize an opponent's ability to get at him.Certainly, | | | | weapon and it's uses against a real-world assailant |
| any school or practitioner that takes the view of | | | | who might want to do more than slap you |
| having no preferential fighting method - that means | | | | around.Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and director of |
| that he or she is comfortable with both striking and | | | | Warrior Concepts International in Sunbury, |
| grappling - will have even more options with this | | | | Pennsylvania. He is the author of the "Foundations of |
| weapon. Composite styles, like ninjutsu and many | | | | Self-Defense Mastery" eCourse, which is available |
| other authentic warrior arts, find that the Kubotan, | | | | free of charge to subscribers of his self defense |
| to them actually a simplified or modified version of | | | | newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter at: |
| what they call an eda-koppo stick, allows them the | | | | He is also the creator of the EDR: Non-Martial Arts |
| flexibility to go from striking-to-grappling and back | | | | Defensive Training Program, author of the book, |
| again with no trouble whatsoever.Even for those | | | | "The Karate-Myth" as-well-as the powerful, "Danger |
| without experience in a formal martial art, the | | | | Prevention Tactics" video. Find out how you can get |
| Kubotan provides an economical and easily-learned | | | | his book, FREE, when you order "Danger Prevention |
| method of self-protection. This powerful weapon can, | | | | Tactics" here: Additional information is available by |
| and should, also be a part of any good self-defense | | | | visiting on his site. |