Dear rat31465:
I am very sorry to hear about your injury and the lasting effect that it will have on your mobility. At the same time, I am very encouraged at the helpful responses offered by all the forum members--great discussion.
Several folks brought up my DVD "Martial Cane Concepts" (thank you). I came up with that program of instruction after my wife had surgery on her foot and learned that she would always have limited mobility as well. Nursing her through healing phases that included a wheelchair, crutches, and now regular use of a cane gave me a very personal insight into the challenges faced by folks with limited mobility.
The cane technique that I learned in the martial arts (which goes back to my early training in the 1970’s) was based on Savate (basically the La Canne method, which is saber fencing with a stick) and Japanese jo-jitsu (short staff fighting). All of it required a significant degree of athleticism and was impractical for those with real disabilities.
Over the years, I’ve explored other cane systems, including the Korean systems and Canemasters. Unfortunately, I also found them to require too much physical strength and dexterity and, in many cases, to be illogical. For example, if an attacker throws a punch, you’ve got to be pretty damned talented and quick to raise your cane from the ground to deflect the punch. It makes more sense to parry with your free hand and then bring the cane into play.
Based on my frustration, I developed Martial Cane Concepts as a simple, easily learned method that works for most people with limited lower-body mobility who still have reasonable two-point balance when stationary and at least minimal upper-body strength. Thus far, the feedback I have received from those who have tried the system has been very positive.
As for sword canes, although I agree that they are very cool and have a small collection of them, they are not a good choice for real self-defense. They are illegal in most places and, even if they weren’t, don’t really offer a reliable, fight-stopping weapon. I would stick with a conventional cane.
I have trained a number of students with physical limitations. It’s true that in a seminar environment it’s difficult to stray too far from the “standard” methods to accommodate folks with disabilities, but I do take the time to do so. The more limiting your physical condition is, the more it makes sense to get one-on-one personalized training.
It’s important to bear in mind that the key to justifying the use of force in self-defense is your ability to articulate the fact that you were in fear for your life or in fear of grievous bodily injury. The more physical limitations you have, the fewer options you have. You will therefore have a lower “response threshold” to a threatening situation than a personal who is more physically able. In simple terms, “cheat sooner.”
It’s also very important that you honestly assess your real physical abilities. One gentleman who purchased my cane DVD complained that the techniques were “no good” because he could not maintain his balance, even while stationary, without keeping his cane on the ground. For his needs, no cane-based system would be appropriate. He is best served by pepper spray and a handgun that he can shoot well with one hand.
With that latter recommendation in mind, you should structure your personal defense strategy to include both less-lethal and lethal-force options and practice training to transition from one to the other. For example, in season 2 of The Best Defense I demonstrated an immediate response with a cane and a transition to a handgun. That replicates the response cycle you might actually have to employ and teaches you how to deal with things like the question of dropping your cane to shoot two handed or keeping it for balance while shooting one-handed.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your healing process and with choosing a sound personal defense strategy.
Stay safe,
Mike
MBTV
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