Sometimes you find a little bit of inspiration in the most surprising. The other day, I was looking at my Amazon Prime recommended videos when I saw a movie called Cane for Self-Defense. Cane for Self-Defense is a tutorial video about using a cane to fight would be combatants. It's a movie that I would never watch and one that I would, quite frankly, never be interested in. Anyways, when I saw it as my number one most recommended movie, I knew I had to watch enough to to write a humorous review. If my recommendations are already this far off from what I want to see, I might as well skew it a little further. I hope you enjoy this Amazon review I wrote of Cane for Self-Defense, it was fun to write.
Had I never watched Deadwood on Amazon Prime, I'd never have found this nice little gem, Cane for Self-Defense. Master Gordon Oster, our humble tour guide to using the cane, is not only a world class martial artist, but also a fine canesman, well-versed in the art of disabling a foe with nothing more than a cane. This how-to video will take you from being a novice cane user, all the way through being able to defend yourself against teams of combatants with the walking stick you already own. The film is broken down into two parts, theory and practical techniques, including warmup techniques and nearly forty cane katas. The theory content is summarized below for a quick taste of the fantastic content contained within the video.
The Hook
The feature that makes a cane not a weapon is also a tool of destruction. Master Oster shows us how to take advantage of the cane's hook. Great techniques for disabling your foe.
Selection of Cane
The most important thing about choosing a cane is to choose the right length for you. There are many types of canes, rattan, hard wood, metal and more. The best cane is often the one that's most comfortable to you. It's not always necessary to purchase an expensive cane. The master uses a $6.00 cane purchased in Texas. A normal sized hook is best for combat so keep that in mind when choosing.
Power of Cane
Canes have a surprising amount of force, so much that one can easily break boards without overexerting theirself.
Grip of Cane
It's simple. Hold with three fingers wrapped around the hook, pointer finger down one side and thumb on the other. Using this five-finger grip will ensure maximum control over your cane.
Stance and Footwook
The proper stance is much like that of a martial artist pose. Stay balanced and ready to step and slide. Small, controlled, steps give control over opponents.
Targets
When using a cane, you are not limited be the number of targets to aim for. Temple, eyes, nose, throat, solar plexus, abdomen, ribs, hook around neck, groin, legs, thighs, shins, feet, and anywhere else really, are all viable targets to aim for.
After the theory Oster breaks into his recommended warmup technique followed by his cane katas. All of the katas are worth learning and there is a great wealth of content here. My personal favorite (#34 Hooking Explosion) is when Master Oster shows how to defend yourself against an assailant who is wielding a gun. He recommends never to egg on a fight with someone who has a gun because as they say, “never bring a cane to a gun fight,” but it's important instruction nonetheless.
The only downside of the movie is its abrupt end. After the final kata is shown, there's no further advice or recommendations from Master Oster. It'd be nice if the Master would share a final word or two of wisdom, or even a pat on the back for coming this far in our journey to mastering the cane. Regardless, the quality of actual content speaks for itself and there's already more than enough quality here for months of practice.
All cane owners owe it themselves to watch and practice these techniques. With Cane for Self-Defense, Master Oster has demystified cane self-defense. Cane fighting used to be a fighting technique only used by great fighters like Master Splinter, Dr. Gregory House, and Willy Wonka. Since it's available on Amazon Prime, there's no excuse for not knowing at least a few of Oster's wonderful kata and making Cane for Self-Defense a tool of the common person.
Published on 3/18/2015 10:27:35 PM