Several years back one of my nieces friends from college was attacked when she was walking back to her dormitory. As a result of this incident many of of the college girls began looking into self defense devices to protect themselves. My niece carried a keychain kubotan on her key ring.
As a result I was asked to hold a self defense seminar introducing the college students to self defense tactics and to self defense tools like the kubotan. We explored different keychain self defense weapons, their functionality and how to use different kubotan techniques against an aggressive attacker.
While there are many different key chain self defense weapons on the market today many of the girls really liked the functionality of the kubotan for self defense. The fact that the kubotans are made of different colored aluminum and formed into pointed or flat cylinders. Along with being large enough to be found in a purse made these tools popular at the seminar.
Although the look and feel of a kubotan makes them appear less ominous, when compared to many other self defense items. This quickly becomes a major strength of a keychain kubotan. There appearance is that they are harmless and not as intimidating causing the attacker not realize they are a weapon.
During the kubotan seminar, we explored some of the more effective attacks performed with this weapon, such as how you can target and different pressure point attacks to;
- The Groin
- The Stomach
- The Solar Plexus
- The Throat
- Parts of the Arm
- The Shin
- Hit the Hip Bone
- The Collarbone
- The ankle
- All Around the Kneecap
Using a your kubotan to make a swinging strike to a bony section of the body will surely deter an assailant causing them to rethink their attack. A defense made in this fashion can even break a bone, especially if the force isn’t restricted by clothing.
I also instructed the seminar attendees how swinging attacks are far more effective to hard and bony areas of the body. While, attacks to the more fleshy areas work better for pain compliance techniques when done with pokes or jabs with the tips of the key chain kubotan.
Most of the college students whom attended the seminar on using the kubotan were taken back by the simplicity self defense weapon. As a result many acquired one for themselves and quickly increased their own personal security. The solid steel kubotans and the pink camo kubotan were among the favorites that day.
A kubotan may not be the best choice for every person looking for a self defense device, but those that carry one and get the training to use it for personal defense, do so for a long time.
In the end whichever defense tool you decide on it is extremely important that you get training on how to make that self defense weapon protect you.