Weapons of Jiu Jitsu: Batons

The proverbial blunt object, the policeman's nightstick, the Japanese tonfa, the sap or cosh. All of these things are given the broad term of a baton (although curiously they are often referred to as a cosh in Jitsu) and are a widely used weapon in the dojo. Any short length of wood or a stick of any description comes under the baton umberella (including umberellas). They are most often used to beat an opponent into submission and injuries sustained are almost always bludgeoning. Sharpened sticks fall more under the category of knives for stake like weapons and under staves for more spear length sticks in terms of defending against such weapons.

Attacks

Batons are normally swung in circular motions by the attacker in order to get a good momentum for the strike. Occasionally the baton may be used for a jab / stab with one end though such an attack would be more like that encountered in the use of a knife - unless your baton is the proverbial "pointy stick".

The most common strikes are forehand, backhand and downward blows to the head - though any bony area of the body (e.g. joints) makes a reasonable enough target for a good solid baton.

A strike to the solar plexus can be very effective

Forehand and backhand strikes are usually directed towards the head or arms whereas vertical strikes may be to the head or collar bone. Downward strikes to the base of the skull or the neck are also highly effective but really require the attacker to strike from behind. Downward strikes are best made at an acute angle to the vertical so that if the attack misses the attacker will not end up striking themselves in the groin or knee.

Power in the strike comes not only from speed and strength but also from the style of the attack and the point at which the elbow is straightened out. For instance a stright armed backhand is slower than one which begins bent and then becomes straighter and straighter until it is outstretched just before the impact. Similarly a straight armed attack will be comparatively slow compared to a bent armed snapping motion - like knocking on a door with a stick. Many bent armed strikes could be made as a straight armed strike is prepared and struck.

The 'snappiest' attack with a baton is probably the jab (see photograph). Like a jabbing punch the baton is thrust out along as straight a path as possible (the shortest distance between two points is after all a straight line). Bracing the baton along the forarm, this can be an effective strike if the aim is good. Hitting fleshy areas with this attack will not have as great an effect as a swinging attack. Carefully placing the strike will however allow a great deal of force to be applied to a small area. A good point to strike is the solar plexus or from behind the kidneys or base of the spine.

Defences

The most common attack with a baton is a swing. The attacker is putting around movement into the attack, and this can be used against them in a very similar way to a chain attack. The aim of the jitsuka should be to keep their attacker moving round in the direction of the swing and at the same time disorient the attacker to gain control of the baton as well as the actual attacker. Throws like kokyu nage and seoi otoshi tend to work well against horizontal orehand swings, seoi nage of all types and uki otoshi give a nice range for more vertical forehand attacks.

For backhand attacks the jitsuka should try to get as close in directly behind the attacker as possible. From here gake and gari make the attacker much easier to control. In fact from behind a good jitsuka can probably come up with all sorts of mischevious things - choking with their own weapon, reverse sacrifice throws, etc. etc. etc.

Defences Incorporating Batons

Part of the training for some of the senior grades includes using a baton for defence. These principles can be seen in many of the cop/police shows on the television and probably a few more besides. Apart from the obvious striking and hard blocking techniques there are many other offensive uses for a stick - but this does not mean that you should neglect blocking and striking with them. Good practice is for a pair of jitsuka to train with the unarmed jitsuka either calling out dangerous parts for the armed jitsuka to strike (controlled strikes of course) and retalliatory strikes to other dangerous parts enabling the baton armed jitsuka to use the baton to block the attack.

Locks are the thing that most jitsuka think of when they are given a baton to use to defend themselves. Though these locks are typically rather slow they do give you the opportunity to give the attacker an atemi or two with something quite hard and the locks do tend to cause quite excrutiating pain. Locking up the arms and wrists is highly recommended the extra leverage and proliferation of nerves makes even the hardiest of people susceptible. The baton may also be used for extra leverage in headlocks, though the temptation is often to change the lock into a choke or aided strangle.

The baton's use in throws is the thing that is most often overlooked. The baton may be used to gain extra leverage on a shoulder for an o soto gari. A baton pushing up into the nerves in the arm pit will give you that extra bounce up into a perfect o garuma. Of course stepping inside a punch and striking the head, bicep and round to the shins or knees allows the jitsuka to drop underneath a falling (possibly unconscious opponent) for one of the most spectacular kata garuma you will ever see.

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