Wellness Positive

Self Defense Training - Part II:

The Yawara Stick - Your Basic Close Combat Weapon..

This section will teach you highly effective self defense and martial arts techniques. Besides efficient martial arts moves, you will learn when to flee a situation, and when to fight, and will also receive instruction in how to use some simple and basic weapons to greatly increase your combat effectiveness. All in all, this is a must-know instruction course in self defense and the martial arts that will help you keep you and yours safe.. always!! And now read on...

Weapon 1) The Yawara Stick..

  The first weapon is the Yawara stick. This is usually made of wood, but in our Ryu, we prefer weapons of metal and steel. We have a saying in our Ryu 'Steel is inimical to flesh'. What this means is that a steel (or metal) weapon does massive damage when it is used - thus it is the best material to use for a weapon.

  A crucial point - in a combat, try to retain your hold on your weapon - don't lose it. This is crucial. A hand-weapon is only useful if it is in your hand.

  Now, a little more about a Yawara stick - it is a thin cylinder of metal - it is between three to four inches long and is about 3/4 the of an inch in width. Look at the picture to the right..

You can make it by cutting a that length off a metal rod, or off a slim metal water-pipe. It doesn't matter if your 'Yawara stick' is a solid rod or hollow. A solid rod will do more damage because it has more weight, but if you can't get one, a piece of metal piping will do as well.

  If your Yawara stick/rod is of the dimensions mentioned above (and shown in the picture, you can hide it in your hand perfectly in broad daylight if you wear a shirt/upper garment with loose long sleeves. If you don't want to wear such a garment, you can keep it in your pocket/purse in most situations and only take it out when you're in a lonely place/feel endangered.

"Just remember that if a hostile situation arises, a weapon in your hand is worth ten weapons in your pocket, or in any place where you cannot get at them quickly".

  If the time comes when you have to use the Yawara stick, don't show it to the enemy - strike with most of it concealed in your fist.

  Let your enemies think (if at all possible) that your mere fists are felling them with single strikes.

"Terror is a weapon. You enemies must FEAR you, and one of the best ways of MAKING them fear you is to make them think that you are somehow a greater, more dangerous person than they are, that you are somehow more than human."

  Never let an enemy see a weapon, if possible - let him think that it is YOU, not some weapon, that it the cause of his defeat. Let him (or them) fear YOU, not your weapon. That is the right way for them to think, so 'show them the way'.