KUBOTAN
 Takayuki Kubota was born in Kumamoto Japan in 1934. It was here,
at the age of 4 that he began his studies of Karate and Jitsu. Master
Takayuki Kubota developed techniques utilizing a very old martial arts
weapon called a ”Yawara Jitsu.” After small changes in the grip and
adding a key ring (5 ½ in length by 5/8"in diameter ) it is now known as
the Kubotan. Kubota’s extensive experience in the martial arts
and his training of law enforcement/security personnel has provided the
fundamentals of KUBOTAN training.
Various police/security departments in the United States have
experienced increasing attacks upon their officers. These attacks were
often directed against female police/security/correctional officers or
officers of smaller physical stature.
There was a considerable need for new TECHNIQUES which would allow the
officer, regardless of size, to effectively defend him\herself and gain
immediate control of a much larger or stronger subject. It is readily
available to be used on particular areas of the body which may cause the
subject to go to the ground quickly to be handcuffed and controlled with
an absolute minimum use of force. An person does not require any martial
arts training to use this tool effectively.
Kubotan Keychains:
The kubaton keychain is a miniature
baton developed by the Japanese self-defence master Takayuki Kubota for
use as a restraint device.
The self-defence techniques utilized in conjunction with the kubotan
are extremely simple ones. They work by trapping the nerves in the skin
between the two hard surfaces, these being the kubotan and one of
the opponent's bones. If carried out properly, the pain is excruciating
but very short-term, leaving no lasting injury of any sort.
 There are non-lethal impact points suitable for the kubaton
keychain along the spine, chest, and solar plexus, as well as pressure
points along the arms and legs. Other, more damaging locations include
the throat, eyes, and groin - but there are no guarantees that driving
the kubaton into these locations will not resort in permanent
injury to the opponent, so they should not be used except under the most
grave of circumstances .
These techniques are simple to apply, but to make them effective you
must understand how they cause pain, how your opponent will react to
this pain, the best way to manage the effect, and how to control your
opponent once you have used a technique.
In the course of its evolution, the human body has developed many
methods that help ensure its survival in times of danger. One of the
most effective of these methods is the release of a chemical known as
Adrenaline. There are more than 150 different known physical responses
to this chemical. For example, it makes the heart pump faster, sending
blood to the muscles and making an individual stronger. It also numbs
pain so that an individual can overcome either injury or over-exert
himself to get away from danger. These things should be borne in mind
when dealing with an opponent; if you apply consistent, unceasing pain
using a kubotan keychain, the opponent will eventually panic.
Adrenaline will surge into his blood supply to the point where he no
longer feels the kubotan, and you'll quickly lose control of him.
The secret is to apply pain to get compliance, then release the pressure
once you have it. Reapply as needed to keep the pain going on and off.
This will help calm your opponent's flow of adrenaline, helping you to
keep him under control.
The kubotan keychain (or, for that matter, any weapon) has its
limitations. When you are dealing with opponents under the influence of
drugs or alcohol, both their pain threshold and adrenaline responses
will be different. They may, in fact, not react to pain at all. In
addition, opponents with serious mental health problems often fail to
react normally to pain, fail to feel it, or just don't understand what
is happening to them. This type of individual may also appear very
strong for their size. The kubotan may be ineffective as a
restraint under these circumstances.
Additionally, the kubaton keychain can be used as a jabbing or
striking weapon. It has two different usable impact surfaces: the keys
and the shaft. The kubaton can be delivered underhand or overhand
while strikes can be delivered using a swing or jabbing technique.
These techniques include Jab with Keys, Jab with Shaft, Underhand Swing
with Keys, Overhand Swing with Keys, Underhand Swing with Shaft,
Overhand Swing with Shaft. Of course, the kubotan is only fully
effective if delivered forcefully and accurately to the impact points.
It also suffers from the same limitation that all other short-range,
hand-to-hand self-defence weapons have; you have to be in close,
physical contact with your opponent to use a kubaton.
Suggested Reading: Kubaton Key-chain; Instrument of Attitude
Adjustment by Takayuki Kubota (1985) Close Encounters; The Arresting Art
of Taiho-jutsu by Takayuki Kubota (1998) |
