THE SPANISH CANE
Publicado: 22 Dic 2002 17:37
THE SPANISH CANE
Fundamentals of Andalusian Cane-Fighting
Santiago Rivera
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the use of the cane for personal protection was a common practice throughout Europe. The cane's role as a defensive weapon was particularly popular in those Mediterranean countries where indigenous schools of fencing had evolved: Italy, France, Hungary and, of course, Spain. Given this fact, it is hardly surprising that noblemen adopted canes and walking sticks, along with folding knives and daggers, as their obvious replacements to the gentleman's sword when due to legal restraints the latter ceased being an option.
FENCING ORIGINS
It is for this reason that many of the fighting methods formulated around the cane were modeled around fencing principles, in particular those principles pertaining to the use of the saber. These methods of using the cane for fighting became systems in their own right as their exponents discovered combative movements and techniques that had no direct relation to fencing maneuvers. At this point, fighting with a cane ceased being perceived as a bastardized form of fencing and became regarded as a distinct means of personal protection.
Of the various European systems of cane fighting that evolved, the best known is the French art of la canne, which is typically associated with the practice of Savate and Boxe Francaise. Another form of cane fighting that is related to la canne is the art of canne Italiana. Despite many obvious French influences, this Italian cane system has a flavor all its own. A third and lesser-known system of cane fighting is called Paranza, an art reputed to be practiced in Sicily. The fourth, and the subject of this article, is the Spanish system of Bastón de Paseo (or simply, Bastón.)
FROM VARA TO BASTÓN
The trend for carrying a cane was not limited to the aristocratic classes. Throughout Spain, peasant dandies known as majos (MA-hos) had an identifiable affinity for sporting varas. The vara was not actually a cane but rather a type of walking stick that fulfilled for the majo various functions. It served alternately as a riding crop, a cattle prod, and a probe for objects its owner might find on the ground.
In his classic travelogue, A Romantic in Spain, Theophile Gauthier reveals that, "It is the height of style to carry in the hand a rod (vara) or white stick, with a bifurcated tip, four feet high, upon which one leans negligently when one stops for a chat. No self-respecting majo would dare to appear in public without his vara."
Like the other Mediterranean cane systems already mentioned, the Spanish baston also betrays a marked fencing influence. In fact, the system's emphasis on strikes, as opposed to thrusts, reveals a heavy saber influence in its development. There is, nonetheless, a variety of strategies and techniques that make the Spaniard's cane art unique.
CANES AND WALKING STICKS
According to one professional manufacturer of custom canes and walking sticks, the two items are quite distinct in form and function. A cane must be weight bearing, have a comfortable handle, and have a rubber tip on the bottom. The shape of the handle must be comfortable and allow the weight to be directly over the shaft. The shaft, in turn, must be sturdy enough to support the user's weight without bending or bowing. In length, it should approximate half the height of the user. The cane must also have a handle, which generally takes one of two common forms: 1) the crook handle, and 2) the offset-T handle.
A walking stick, on the other hand (no pun intended), is a more general term that can be applied to every type of stick or cane. It can have a fancy, uncomfortable handle, a knob handle, or even no handle. It can have a rubber tip or a metal ferrule. Since a walking stick is not intended to be weight bearing, its length and thickness can be whatever the user prefers.
Many individuals who presently rely on a cane for their mobility ask if it can be used with the techniques used for fighting. The answer depends on the particular cane in question. Generally speaking, the telescopic or folding canes in use by individuals with impaired mobility lack many of the qualities that are vital to a stick that will be used for personal protection.
Canes used for fighting must be smooth in texture, light, and relatively solid. If a cane is not smooth in texture, it will not maneuver well in your hands. If it is not light, the cane will be too cumbersome to generate the momentum necessary to strike quickly. And if not relatively solid, the cane will not inflict the type of blows needed to repel an assailant, and may even break at an inopportune moment.
For this and other reasons, most bastoneros prefer to use a walking stick designed for protection than a cane designed merely as a walking aid. (Many feel that the walking stick, devoid of the crook handle, is easier to design, produce, and wield than a cane. Though such walking sticks are not yet available in the US, many others are available that are suited to the techniques described below. One such walking stick is the City Stick available from Cold Steel. Another is the lightning-fast WA-1, available from Livesay Combat Knives.) Nonetheless, the methods used in the Spanish system work equally well, whether with cane or walking stick.
As is true when training with the Andalusian clasp-knife, or navaja, (see Issue 2 of RealFighting) students training with the cane are reminded that although cane fighting and sword fighting often share a common terminology, techniques called by similar terms are as different as night and day.
The old training halls that taught cane fighting prided themselves in having none of the superficial combat courtesies imposed by fencing. Such courtesies could prove fatal in the labyrinths of Andalucia's dark alleys and narrow back streets, where one might face an unrestrained, vicious attack. Consequently, the common man's method had to be similarly, if not more, savage and uninhibited.
THE MONDRAGON SYSTEM OF THE BASTÓN
The reader familiar with la canne or other cane fighting systems should note that the Spanish system of bastón was not intended for contending against other cane-wielding opponents, such as is often the case with the French art. Although there exist techniques designed to protect the bastonero, or cane fighter, from another bastón-wielding attacker, such situations would be rare in Spain and therefore never a primary focus of the art.
The Spanish styles of bastón were developed as a means of defending against bigger or stronger attackers, or those armed with knives, which was a common occurrence in the time when the bastón was first used. Knives were popular not only in Spain, but all throughout southern Europe and the likelihood of confronting a knife-carrying street thug far exceeded the likelihood of encountering a cane-carrying nobleman.
The particular fighting method contained in these pages derives from the Mondragón system that originated in Andalusia. It combines the more traditional Spanish cane strategies with a few deceptive tactics adopted from the Andalusian gypsies.
The founder of this system was Diego Mondragón, a navajero who lived in Seville during the early part of the 20th century. Mondragón is credited with structuring Andalusia's cultural weapons arts into formalized systems that can be taught and passed on in a logical and cohesive manner.
His efforts were not limited to the region's well-known edged weapons but extended to non-edged weapons as well. Among these were the cinturón (belt), the pañuelo (handkerchief or bandana), and the bastón. Through his work, all of Andalusia's edged and non-edged weapons -- known traditionally as armas blancas -- were systematized for the preservation of what Mondragón called the Andalusian Legacy .
NOMENCLATURE
Before being taught combative techniques, the beginning student must become acquainted with the terminology associated with the cane. The handle (empuñadera) is the butt end of the cane, located at the extreme end of the handle. The handle extends from the small finger side of the hand when the cane is gripped in a conventional manner.
The shaft (contera) comprises the major portion of the cane. It typically tapers, being thicker at the handle end and thinner at the tip.
The point (punta) is the end of the cane opposite the handle. It can be made to move at blurring speed and is regarded as the "business end" of the weapon.
GRIPS
In general, the grip on the cane must be neither too loose nor too tight. Too loose a grip makes you vulnerable to losing the cane on impact; an overly tight grip limits maneuvering dexterity and also slows down execution. As in any fighting art, strikes and parries must strive for the proper balance between flexibility and rigidity, both coordinated with the proper timing. The grips listed below are the predominant ones used in the Mondragón system. They are described from the perspective of a right hand hand-dominant exponent.
Pedestrian grip is the term for the conventional way in which a cane is held under normal walking conditions. The cane is gripped at the handle end, with the thumb oriented toward the handle, and the small finger toward the point. The techniques described under Defensive Techniques, below, will be executed with the cane held in the Pedestrian grip.
Fencing grip is the term for the way in which a cane is held for defensive and offensive techniques. The cane is gripped by the handle end as it were a saber, with the thumb oriented toward the point, and the small finger toward the handle. The body is poised with the right leg forward and "sitting" as in a fencing guard. Most of the techniques in this system are executed with the cane held in the Fencing grip.
In the Bayonet grip, the cane is held as it were a staff, with the left hand near the point end, and the right hand near the handle. This time the body is poised with the left leg forward as if one were holding a rifle. While there are a number of other grips used in bastón, these three are the most common.
TARGETS
The anatomical targets for attacks with the cane are, in order of importance, 1) the arms, 2) the knees, 3) the wrists, 4) the clavicles, 5) the head, and 6) the throat.
The logic of this order is predicated on facing a knife-wielding attacker. The arm wielding the attacker's weapon is, of course, the preferred target. The knees are a close second. While there may appear to be more telling targets such as the head or wrists , the knees represent an easier and more accessible target for the relatively long cane. The knees are also less protected than the head and less mobile than the hands and wrists.
DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES
In the days when men dueled, the individual requesting the duel formally communicated his intentions and his reasons to the individual he challenged. Such civilized conventions went out of fashion along with being well-read, working hard for a living, and having honor. Rarely today will an attacker issue a warning or declare his intentions before closing with you. It is more likely that he will threaten you, if that, as he invades your personal space or begins drawing his weapon.
Since you will not initially have the opportunity to assume a guard position, you must be prepared to deliver an effective counter from whatever manner you happen to be holding your cane. The initial counter will afford you the time you need to gather your wits, assume a suitable guard position, and solidly establish your defense. Since you will probably not be holding the cane in a fighting grip, initial counters are delivered with the cane in a pedestrian grip.
Point Swing
This technique is used when you have the benefit of time and distance. Snap your wrist upward as you raise you arm in the intended direction of your strike. The point and shaft of the cane are the striking areas. If your aim is for the attacker's groin or chin, raise your arm in a vertical trajectory. If your aim is for the side of his knees, ribs, or temples, raise your arm in a horizontal trajectory.
If you happen to be resting both your hands on the cane, deliver your initial counter using the strength of both hands. Although you will not be executing this initial counter from a chambered position, you must try to deliver the strike with speed and power.
Handle Thrust
This technique is used when you lack striking distance and the attacker is almost upon you. Thrust the handle in your hand into the attacker as if you were holding a knife. The protruding portion of the handle, though small, can inflict a crippling blow to the attacker when aimed at hypersensitive targets on his anatomy. Among such targets are his throat, jaws, sternum, and ribs.
At close quarters, do not rely on one blow, even if it is well-executed. Train to deliver multiple blows to the same area to compound the damage before attacking a different target. As with the Point Swing described above, lacking a proper chambered position, you must try to deliver your blows with speed and power.
Two Hand Smash
This technique, like the Handle Thrust, is used when you lack striking distance and the attacker is upon you. Secure the cane in both your hands and smash the shaft forcefully into the attacker. The targets closest to you should be your immediate objectives: his ribs, forearms, elbows, and even his face. Your blows should seek to crush these targets. Remember that at close quarters you must not rely on one blow, but deliver multiple blows to the same area to compound the damage.
OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES
The large variety of blows that can be delivered with the cane result in a comprehensive and versatile system of personal protection. Strikes with the cane comprise the primary form of attacks and are categorized as either as bastonazos or molinetes. Thrusts with the cane, less frequently employed, are categorized as either as estocadas or golpes de punta.
Strikes
The molinete is the single most important move in cane fighting. The term comes from the Spanish word molino, which means "windmill." The molinete is a strike that is "warmed up" by twirling the cane to generate momentum for the strike. The benefit of the molinete is its speed.
The bastonazo is the most basic strike that can be executed with the cane. A bastonazo can be delivered "cold" from a guard position, or "warmed up" at the end of a molinete. The benefit of the bastinazo is its strength.
Thrusts
The estocada is a thrust delivered with the point end of the cane. In general, the estocada is used preemptively to forestall an attack. At other times it is used from the fencing guard to probe an attacker's speed and reactions, or to capitalize on an exposed target of opportunity.
The estocada must be delivered quickly, then retracted. If not, the bastonero runs the risk of having the cane grabbed by an agile opponent. The estocada, therefore, should only be used if:
1) your thrusting speed is vastly greater to your opponent's reaction time.
2) it is aimed at a target of opportunity that your opponent inadvertently exposes.
3) the opponent is sufficiently injured from your prior blows.
The golpe de punta is a two-handed thrust delivered with the point of the cane. For this thrust the cane is held in the bayonet grip already described. It is used at close quarters and usually delivered at a target below the attacker's peripheral vision.
WEAPON RETENTION
There may be times, particularly at close quarters distance, when the attacker attempts to wrest the cane from your grasp. If he succeeds, not only will you be disarmed but -- adding injury to insult -- you will almost certainly suffer the indignity of being beaten with your own weapon.
To prevent this, the Mondragón system includes many sophisticated techniques developed to allow the bastonero to retain possession of his weapon. The simplest of these, however, require only that you to strike your attacker with your foot or hand.
Kicking should be your first recourse against an attacker attempting to disarm you. The main reason for this is that your two hands should be firmly holding the cane to prevent the disarm. The second is because your legs are three times as strong as your arms and capable of inflicting greater damage with the same amount of effort. The third is because at close quarters your kicks will not be as visible (and avoidable) as strikes delivered with the hands. The fourth is because you may need your hands to ward off or intercept any hand blows your attacker decides to throw.
If for some reason it is not possible or feasible to kick an attacker at close quarters, your next recourse is striking with your hands. Unfortunately, this will mean that you must continue retaining the hold on your cane with only one hand. Your hand blows, therefore, must be effective.
Unless you are a trained boxer or martial artist, avoid punching your attacker with your clenched fist. The damage you may do to your fist or wrist -- or both -- will not be worth the damage you do to him. In place of punching, use the hand blows described below. If some of the hand blows that follow seem inordinately vicious, bear in mind what may happen to you is your attacker gains control of your cane.
A popular alternative is to stiffen your fingers into a spear and drive the fingertips into his closest eye. Do not attempt to stab both eyes with one hand as this will minimize the effect to either eye. Continue stabbing if his eyes are closed as your are inflicting damage through his closed lids.
With the exception of the Defensive Techniques already described, the techniques in this system focus against attacks with edged weapons. Defending against such attacks, as mentioned, was the original purpose behind this system's development. After the gun, the knife represents the most dangerous weapon that can be used in personal attacks, and by understanding how to defend against it we will automatically know how to defend against attacks attempted with the empty hand.
CAVEAT
While there are a plethora of cane fighting system advertised in martial arts magazines and on the Web, the majority of these are comprised are untested techniques made up by high-ranking karate and tae kwon do instructors. Often, this instruction comes in the form of videotapes, some of which incredibly offer the viewer/student rank testing and certification by mail.
The techniques that comprise such methods are merely derived from unarmed arts, many of which are impractical in their original form, let alone when attempted with a cane in hand. The instructors behind these systems, as accomplished as they may be in their original unarmed disciplines, have no actual training in the cane apart from what they have "invented." To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, "He who teaches himself has a fool for a student."
The reader interested in learning to effectively defend him/herself with a cane is best advised to study with an instructor formally versed in cane arts. These include qualified savate, arnis, and weapons instructors whose comprehensive backgrounds incorporate formal instruction with the cane or walking stick.
Other qualified individuals include instructors of street-focused eclectic arts. Among these are James Keating of ComTech, and Jerry VanCook. Readers wishing to train in the system described here -- the Mondragón System -- should contact our Raven Arts Institute in New York. The Institute offers comprehensive training in Spanish and Mediterranean arts, including the cane, swordcane, clasp-knife, stiletto, and many other weapons systems.
The weapons and their systems originated, are have been time-tested, in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and other countries of Southern Europe. The systems that evolved in these countries were not designed for winning in kata or kumite, but for combat and personal protection in daily life.
Further information about Santiago Rivera can be obtained through this publication.
Fundamentals of Andalusian Cane-Fighting
Santiago Rivera
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the use of the cane for personal protection was a common practice throughout Europe. The cane's role as a defensive weapon was particularly popular in those Mediterranean countries where indigenous schools of fencing had evolved: Italy, France, Hungary and, of course, Spain. Given this fact, it is hardly surprising that noblemen adopted canes and walking sticks, along with folding knives and daggers, as their obvious replacements to the gentleman's sword when due to legal restraints the latter ceased being an option.
FENCING ORIGINS
It is for this reason that many of the fighting methods formulated around the cane were modeled around fencing principles, in particular those principles pertaining to the use of the saber. These methods of using the cane for fighting became systems in their own right as their exponents discovered combative movements and techniques that had no direct relation to fencing maneuvers. At this point, fighting with a cane ceased being perceived as a bastardized form of fencing and became regarded as a distinct means of personal protection.
Of the various European systems of cane fighting that evolved, the best known is the French art of la canne, which is typically associated with the practice of Savate and Boxe Francaise. Another form of cane fighting that is related to la canne is the art of canne Italiana. Despite many obvious French influences, this Italian cane system has a flavor all its own. A third and lesser-known system of cane fighting is called Paranza, an art reputed to be practiced in Sicily. The fourth, and the subject of this article, is the Spanish system of Bastón de Paseo (or simply, Bastón.)
FROM VARA TO BASTÓN
The trend for carrying a cane was not limited to the aristocratic classes. Throughout Spain, peasant dandies known as majos (MA-hos) had an identifiable affinity for sporting varas. The vara was not actually a cane but rather a type of walking stick that fulfilled for the majo various functions. It served alternately as a riding crop, a cattle prod, and a probe for objects its owner might find on the ground.
In his classic travelogue, A Romantic in Spain, Theophile Gauthier reveals that, "It is the height of style to carry in the hand a rod (vara) or white stick, with a bifurcated tip, four feet high, upon which one leans negligently when one stops for a chat. No self-respecting majo would dare to appear in public without his vara."
Like the other Mediterranean cane systems already mentioned, the Spanish baston also betrays a marked fencing influence. In fact, the system's emphasis on strikes, as opposed to thrusts, reveals a heavy saber influence in its development. There is, nonetheless, a variety of strategies and techniques that make the Spaniard's cane art unique.
CANES AND WALKING STICKS
According to one professional manufacturer of custom canes and walking sticks, the two items are quite distinct in form and function. A cane must be weight bearing, have a comfortable handle, and have a rubber tip on the bottom. The shape of the handle must be comfortable and allow the weight to be directly over the shaft. The shaft, in turn, must be sturdy enough to support the user's weight without bending or bowing. In length, it should approximate half the height of the user. The cane must also have a handle, which generally takes one of two common forms: 1) the crook handle, and 2) the offset-T handle.
A walking stick, on the other hand (no pun intended), is a more general term that can be applied to every type of stick or cane. It can have a fancy, uncomfortable handle, a knob handle, or even no handle. It can have a rubber tip or a metal ferrule. Since a walking stick is not intended to be weight bearing, its length and thickness can be whatever the user prefers.
Many individuals who presently rely on a cane for their mobility ask if it can be used with the techniques used for fighting. The answer depends on the particular cane in question. Generally speaking, the telescopic or folding canes in use by individuals with impaired mobility lack many of the qualities that are vital to a stick that will be used for personal protection.
Canes used for fighting must be smooth in texture, light, and relatively solid. If a cane is not smooth in texture, it will not maneuver well in your hands. If it is not light, the cane will be too cumbersome to generate the momentum necessary to strike quickly. And if not relatively solid, the cane will not inflict the type of blows needed to repel an assailant, and may even break at an inopportune moment.
For this and other reasons, most bastoneros prefer to use a walking stick designed for protection than a cane designed merely as a walking aid. (Many feel that the walking stick, devoid of the crook handle, is easier to design, produce, and wield than a cane. Though such walking sticks are not yet available in the US, many others are available that are suited to the techniques described below. One such walking stick is the City Stick available from Cold Steel. Another is the lightning-fast WA-1, available from Livesay Combat Knives.) Nonetheless, the methods used in the Spanish system work equally well, whether with cane or walking stick.
As is true when training with the Andalusian clasp-knife, or navaja, (see Issue 2 of RealFighting) students training with the cane are reminded that although cane fighting and sword fighting often share a common terminology, techniques called by similar terms are as different as night and day.
The old training halls that taught cane fighting prided themselves in having none of the superficial combat courtesies imposed by fencing. Such courtesies could prove fatal in the labyrinths of Andalucia's dark alleys and narrow back streets, where one might face an unrestrained, vicious attack. Consequently, the common man's method had to be similarly, if not more, savage and uninhibited.
THE MONDRAGON SYSTEM OF THE BASTÓN
The reader familiar with la canne or other cane fighting systems should note that the Spanish system of bastón was not intended for contending against other cane-wielding opponents, such as is often the case with the French art. Although there exist techniques designed to protect the bastonero, or cane fighter, from another bastón-wielding attacker, such situations would be rare in Spain and therefore never a primary focus of the art.
The Spanish styles of bastón were developed as a means of defending against bigger or stronger attackers, or those armed with knives, which was a common occurrence in the time when the bastón was first used. Knives were popular not only in Spain, but all throughout southern Europe and the likelihood of confronting a knife-carrying street thug far exceeded the likelihood of encountering a cane-carrying nobleman.
The particular fighting method contained in these pages derives from the Mondragón system that originated in Andalusia. It combines the more traditional Spanish cane strategies with a few deceptive tactics adopted from the Andalusian gypsies.
The founder of this system was Diego Mondragón, a navajero who lived in Seville during the early part of the 20th century. Mondragón is credited with structuring Andalusia's cultural weapons arts into formalized systems that can be taught and passed on in a logical and cohesive manner.
His efforts were not limited to the region's well-known edged weapons but extended to non-edged weapons as well. Among these were the cinturón (belt), the pañuelo (handkerchief or bandana), and the bastón. Through his work, all of Andalusia's edged and non-edged weapons -- known traditionally as armas blancas -- were systematized for the preservation of what Mondragón called the Andalusian Legacy .
NOMENCLATURE
Before being taught combative techniques, the beginning student must become acquainted with the terminology associated with the cane. The handle (empuñadera) is the butt end of the cane, located at the extreme end of the handle. The handle extends from the small finger side of the hand when the cane is gripped in a conventional manner.
The shaft (contera) comprises the major portion of the cane. It typically tapers, being thicker at the handle end and thinner at the tip.
The point (punta) is the end of the cane opposite the handle. It can be made to move at blurring speed and is regarded as the "business end" of the weapon.
GRIPS
In general, the grip on the cane must be neither too loose nor too tight. Too loose a grip makes you vulnerable to losing the cane on impact; an overly tight grip limits maneuvering dexterity and also slows down execution. As in any fighting art, strikes and parries must strive for the proper balance between flexibility and rigidity, both coordinated with the proper timing. The grips listed below are the predominant ones used in the Mondragón system. They are described from the perspective of a right hand hand-dominant exponent.
Pedestrian grip is the term for the conventional way in which a cane is held under normal walking conditions. The cane is gripped at the handle end, with the thumb oriented toward the handle, and the small finger toward the point. The techniques described under Defensive Techniques, below, will be executed with the cane held in the Pedestrian grip.
Fencing grip is the term for the way in which a cane is held for defensive and offensive techniques. The cane is gripped by the handle end as it were a saber, with the thumb oriented toward the point, and the small finger toward the handle. The body is poised with the right leg forward and "sitting" as in a fencing guard. Most of the techniques in this system are executed with the cane held in the Fencing grip.
In the Bayonet grip, the cane is held as it were a staff, with the left hand near the point end, and the right hand near the handle. This time the body is poised with the left leg forward as if one were holding a rifle. While there are a number of other grips used in bastón, these three are the most common.
TARGETS
The anatomical targets for attacks with the cane are, in order of importance, 1) the arms, 2) the knees, 3) the wrists, 4) the clavicles, 5) the head, and 6) the throat.
The logic of this order is predicated on facing a knife-wielding attacker. The arm wielding the attacker's weapon is, of course, the preferred target. The knees are a close second. While there may appear to be more telling targets such as the head or wrists , the knees represent an easier and more accessible target for the relatively long cane. The knees are also less protected than the head and less mobile than the hands and wrists.
DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES
In the days when men dueled, the individual requesting the duel formally communicated his intentions and his reasons to the individual he challenged. Such civilized conventions went out of fashion along with being well-read, working hard for a living, and having honor. Rarely today will an attacker issue a warning or declare his intentions before closing with you. It is more likely that he will threaten you, if that, as he invades your personal space or begins drawing his weapon.
Since you will not initially have the opportunity to assume a guard position, you must be prepared to deliver an effective counter from whatever manner you happen to be holding your cane. The initial counter will afford you the time you need to gather your wits, assume a suitable guard position, and solidly establish your defense. Since you will probably not be holding the cane in a fighting grip, initial counters are delivered with the cane in a pedestrian grip.
Point Swing
This technique is used when you have the benefit of time and distance. Snap your wrist upward as you raise you arm in the intended direction of your strike. The point and shaft of the cane are the striking areas. If your aim is for the attacker's groin or chin, raise your arm in a vertical trajectory. If your aim is for the side of his knees, ribs, or temples, raise your arm in a horizontal trajectory.
If you happen to be resting both your hands on the cane, deliver your initial counter using the strength of both hands. Although you will not be executing this initial counter from a chambered position, you must try to deliver the strike with speed and power.
Handle Thrust
This technique is used when you lack striking distance and the attacker is almost upon you. Thrust the handle in your hand into the attacker as if you were holding a knife. The protruding portion of the handle, though small, can inflict a crippling blow to the attacker when aimed at hypersensitive targets on his anatomy. Among such targets are his throat, jaws, sternum, and ribs.
At close quarters, do not rely on one blow, even if it is well-executed. Train to deliver multiple blows to the same area to compound the damage before attacking a different target. As with the Point Swing described above, lacking a proper chambered position, you must try to deliver your blows with speed and power.
Two Hand Smash
This technique, like the Handle Thrust, is used when you lack striking distance and the attacker is upon you. Secure the cane in both your hands and smash the shaft forcefully into the attacker. The targets closest to you should be your immediate objectives: his ribs, forearms, elbows, and even his face. Your blows should seek to crush these targets. Remember that at close quarters you must not rely on one blow, but deliver multiple blows to the same area to compound the damage.
OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES
The large variety of blows that can be delivered with the cane result in a comprehensive and versatile system of personal protection. Strikes with the cane comprise the primary form of attacks and are categorized as either as bastonazos or molinetes. Thrusts with the cane, less frequently employed, are categorized as either as estocadas or golpes de punta.
Strikes
The molinete is the single most important move in cane fighting. The term comes from the Spanish word molino, which means "windmill." The molinete is a strike that is "warmed up" by twirling the cane to generate momentum for the strike. The benefit of the molinete is its speed.
The bastonazo is the most basic strike that can be executed with the cane. A bastonazo can be delivered "cold" from a guard position, or "warmed up" at the end of a molinete. The benefit of the bastinazo is its strength.
Thrusts
The estocada is a thrust delivered with the point end of the cane. In general, the estocada is used preemptively to forestall an attack. At other times it is used from the fencing guard to probe an attacker's speed and reactions, or to capitalize on an exposed target of opportunity.
The estocada must be delivered quickly, then retracted. If not, the bastonero runs the risk of having the cane grabbed by an agile opponent. The estocada, therefore, should only be used if:
1) your thrusting speed is vastly greater to your opponent's reaction time.
2) it is aimed at a target of opportunity that your opponent inadvertently exposes.
3) the opponent is sufficiently injured from your prior blows.
The golpe de punta is a two-handed thrust delivered with the point of the cane. For this thrust the cane is held in the bayonet grip already described. It is used at close quarters and usually delivered at a target below the attacker's peripheral vision.
WEAPON RETENTION
There may be times, particularly at close quarters distance, when the attacker attempts to wrest the cane from your grasp. If he succeeds, not only will you be disarmed but -- adding injury to insult -- you will almost certainly suffer the indignity of being beaten with your own weapon.
To prevent this, the Mondragón system includes many sophisticated techniques developed to allow the bastonero to retain possession of his weapon. The simplest of these, however, require only that you to strike your attacker with your foot or hand.
Kicking should be your first recourse against an attacker attempting to disarm you. The main reason for this is that your two hands should be firmly holding the cane to prevent the disarm. The second is because your legs are three times as strong as your arms and capable of inflicting greater damage with the same amount of effort. The third is because at close quarters your kicks will not be as visible (and avoidable) as strikes delivered with the hands. The fourth is because you may need your hands to ward off or intercept any hand blows your attacker decides to throw.
If for some reason it is not possible or feasible to kick an attacker at close quarters, your next recourse is striking with your hands. Unfortunately, this will mean that you must continue retaining the hold on your cane with only one hand. Your hand blows, therefore, must be effective.
Unless you are a trained boxer or martial artist, avoid punching your attacker with your clenched fist. The damage you may do to your fist or wrist -- or both -- will not be worth the damage you do to him. In place of punching, use the hand blows described below. If some of the hand blows that follow seem inordinately vicious, bear in mind what may happen to you is your attacker gains control of your cane.
A popular alternative is to stiffen your fingers into a spear and drive the fingertips into his closest eye. Do not attempt to stab both eyes with one hand as this will minimize the effect to either eye. Continue stabbing if his eyes are closed as your are inflicting damage through his closed lids.
With the exception of the Defensive Techniques already described, the techniques in this system focus against attacks with edged weapons. Defending against such attacks, as mentioned, was the original purpose behind this system's development. After the gun, the knife represents the most dangerous weapon that can be used in personal attacks, and by understanding how to defend against it we will automatically know how to defend against attacks attempted with the empty hand.
CAVEAT
While there are a plethora of cane fighting system advertised in martial arts magazines and on the Web, the majority of these are comprised are untested techniques made up by high-ranking karate and tae kwon do instructors. Often, this instruction comes in the form of videotapes, some of which incredibly offer the viewer/student rank testing and certification by mail.
The techniques that comprise such methods are merely derived from unarmed arts, many of which are impractical in their original form, let alone when attempted with a cane in hand. The instructors behind these systems, as accomplished as they may be in their original unarmed disciplines, have no actual training in the cane apart from what they have "invented." To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, "He who teaches himself has a fool for a student."
The reader interested in learning to effectively defend him/herself with a cane is best advised to study with an instructor formally versed in cane arts. These include qualified savate, arnis, and weapons instructors whose comprehensive backgrounds incorporate formal instruction with the cane or walking stick.
Other qualified individuals include instructors of street-focused eclectic arts. Among these are James Keating of ComTech, and Jerry VanCook. Readers wishing to train in the system described here -- the Mondragón System -- should contact our Raven Arts Institute in New York. The Institute offers comprehensive training in Spanish and Mediterranean arts, including the cane, swordcane, clasp-knife, stiletto, and many other weapons systems.
The weapons and their systems originated, are have been time-tested, in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and other countries of Southern Europe. The systems that evolved in these countries were not designed for winning in kata or kumite, but for combat and personal protection in daily life.
Further information about Santiago Rivera can be obtained through this publication.
por lo demás lo poco que he llegado a leer me parece una sarta de tonterias sobretodo lo de los MAJOS (ma-hos para los angloparlantes)
). Es obvio que posees información útil sobre este tema y me parece que hablo en nombre de bastantes foreros pidiendote que sigas escribiendo por aquí. Perdona si lo que dije te ha ofendido, en serio.