Martial Arts and Real-World Self-Defense: Using the Kubotan Self-Defense Keychain

The most surprising thing that students find when learning to use the Kubotan self-defense keychain, is just how many things can be done with this simple-looking little tool. And that, is part of it's power!

Many people, including would-be attackers, underestimate the effectiveness of the Kubotan. After all, it looks like a fat pencil and is barely big enough to extend from the closed hand that's holding it. But that is where the magic begins. After all, didn't mom always remind us to, "Not judge a book by its cover?"

While most self-defense teachers and books focus on using the Kubotan in an overtly aggressive manner, students should also explore the use of this powerful little weapon in "attacking the hidden spots" - the places where your assailant can neither see nor protect...

...until it's too late.

What most so-called "experts" fail to remember or realize is the truth of human nature. The fact is that all human beings, including muggers, thieves, and enraged attackers, all have one thing in common with you and me. And that is the subconscious, hardwired response to protect the body from physical damage. So, when threatened by a victim-turned-hostile, any would-be assailant with the "grey matter" still functioning between his ears will naturally try to defend against the defender's technique.

If we are to be successful in our defensive actions, we must understand this natural response. After all, aren't we defending against their attack? Why then do many teachers and students of the martial arts assume that the attacker will "just stand there" while you're attacking him?

No, in order to successful repel an opponent's attack, we must attack those places that he cannot defend very well, and from directions that he cannot see. This "attacking from no-where" is putting the advantage of surprise squarely in your court.

But how do we do this? What kinds of attacks work well for this inconspicuous little weapon? And, how do we deliver attacks that stand the greatest chance of success without our aggressor countering and turning up their intensity against us?

Good questions. I'm glad you asked!

3 Basic Uses of the Kubotan and The 3 Best Target Types

The Kubotan has three basic functions, or methods, by which it can deliver the maximum amount of damage with a minimal amount of effort on the part of the defender. These methods are:

1. Levering or crushing - Here the weapon is placed across or pressed into sensitive areas with a grinding or crushing force that overwhelms the attacker with pain and the fear of having the target area broken under the force of the weapon.

2. Striking - The blunt end of the weapon is slammed into body targets with the intention of knocking the attacker back or down. The Kubotan is simply used in a manner that magnifies the defender's own punching power so that even a smaller, less-trained individual can deliver debilitating strikes against a larger, more skilled assailant.

3. Scraping - This involves techniques where the corner of the end of the weapon is placed against sensitive areas - usually boney areas covered by little or no muscle - and then drug across the target-area in a scraping, digging fashion.

When done against the right targets on the opponent's body, the results can be quite devastating. And this brings us to the next logical question:

"What are the specific body areas or target types that the Kubotan, self-defense keychain weapon, works best against?"

The three attack methods can be used in a variety of ways against specific "sensitive areas" on the body, known as kyusho (pronounced "kyoo-show") in Japanese. These three areas, or target types, are...

1. Pressure points (these are the same ones used in accupressure and accupuncture for healing)

2. Soft areas (like the eyes, thinner skin on the insides and backs of the arms, lips, etc.), and...

3. Bone structure (especially areas not covered by muscle).

The Kubotan self-defense keychain is a very powerful weapon, even in the hands of a novice. In fact, I would say that it's the best first-weapon for the beginner or person with no formal training looking to give themselves the advantage of a weapon, without the longer learning curve usually required by other, more commonly recognized self-defense tools.