**** FOR ACSP STAFF ONLY ****

This training is presented in a simple format so it can be viewed on any device.

All lesson related images can be clicked on to view image only in detail or for printing. Links to files, videos and articles are all simple URL links to external websites.

Equipment you need to go along with this online lesson: A pair of sticks (common baton length 24” or 26”, 1” to 1.25” diameter) These can be wooden dowels, wood stakes, broomstick cut in half, or just two similar diameter sticks you find in your yard. If you plan on getting serious about your training going forward, you may want a pair of wood rattan Kali sticks for training which can be had on eBay for about $20.

 

Awareness, Self Defense & Baton Training

WARNING: This is a very in depth baton and self defense training course specifically designed for All Cape Security Patrol’s private security personnel. It will include, but goes far beyond the necessary standard requirements for a Police Baton Usage Certification.

Our goal is to have a well trained security force that practices good situational awareness, is able to deploy verbal skills to deescalate aggressive confrontations, recognize the warning signs of an attack and physically defend life and property when necessary.

To get the most out of this training, you must embrace its depth and know that if you pay attention, learn and regularly practice the techniques in this training, not only will you be certified to carry a baton while on duty you will gain a set of self defense skills that will be useful to you for the rest of your life. 

 

Situational Awareness

Situational awareness is how aware you are of what is going on around you at work on patrol, at home, out with your family, while driving, etc. This is a good skill to improve no matter what you are doing.

What is Situational Awareness?
http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/what-is-situational-awareness/

You should always be operating in the YELLOW zone.

Confident, prepared, alert and relaxed. Good Situational awareness.

The applications of situational awareness are infinite and there have been numerous experts who have commented on the need for this awareness. One of the most respected was Colonel Jeff Cooper. Originally meant for military applications, the principles he shared quickly spread to those concerned about their self-defense.

“I never saw them coming.”

“They came out of nowhere.”

“I had no idea they were there.”

These are phrases voiced by those who end up in bad situations because they did not see the danger or threat before it became a serious problem.

Situational awareness is defined as “the ability to scan the environment and sense danger, challenges and opportunities, while maintaining the ability to conduct normal activities.” But, it’s just as much a lifestyle as it is a skill. — https://www.bsr-inc.com/situational-awareness/

Think of White as having your face buried in your phone, oblivious to what is happening around you.

Don’t be that person. Level up to YELLOW.

Develop proper situational awareness and always operate in the YELLOW zone. This will allow you to be able to spot and react faster to unfolding situations.

How to Develop Situational Awareness
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ihJCfuZfoT8

Test Your Skills

How Aware Are You? – Situational Awareness – #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYEAQG62pYA

How Aware Are You? – Situational Awareness – #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viqK_-yNaog

How Aware Are You? – Situational Awareness – #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eblf60WyUzk

Splatter Vision (Peripheral Vision)

Splatter vision is the same technique taught to FBI agents to spot threats in large crowds of people. The tactic involves scanning the crowd by looking into the distance and not focusing on anyone in particular. Once the agent fixes a general gaze on the crowd, he or she looks for any deviation or change. By balancing directed and undirected scanning, a single agent can spot signs of trouble across a fairly large area. To develop your splatter vision, you must train your peripheral vision first.

Your peripheral vision is also more sensitive to movement, especially at night.

Peripheral Vision!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtXPV_u_YMA

Increase Peripheral Vision by Tilting Your Head
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8O-kdFdyUk

Peripheral Vision Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aunC2sSjvC8

Pay Attention to Nothing and You Will See Everything
https://capecodsecurity.com/pay-attention-to-nothing-and-you-will-see-everything/

Tactical & Practical Advice to Gain an Advantage in the Dark (Dark Adaptation)
https://capecodsecurity.com/tactical-and-practical-advice-to-gain-advantage-in-the-dark/

Approach & Interview Angle

The safest angle for your self defense is an angled position relative to the potential attacker. This doesn’t matter whether you are approaching a person on foot, or person seated in a vehicle.

Use your positioning to angle off relative to their positioning. This can be fluid if necessary. As they move, you move.

You should try your best to stay at an angle to the subject at all times. Avoid face to face or squared off positioning. If the subject repeatedly tries to square off with you, change your angle relative to them and set boundaries by using verbal commands.

Principle of Reaction Time

Space is your best friend if the fight is coming.

The Tueller Drill***

21 Foot Rule: The minimum reactionary gap to get a holstered handgun (or baton) in to the fight.

If a suspicious subject is less than 21 feet away and decides to attack you, you will not be able to draw your weapon (baton) and deploy it against the attack before the attacker is on top of you.

Now this doesn’t mean that everyone inside of 21 feet is a threat. It means that if the person is showing pre-attack indicators (below) and they are ignoring verbal commands and getting increasingly agitated you better have your hand on your baton, ready to go, or you’re going to have to rely on empty hand skills to counter the attack.

You will learn techniques to counter an attack from a person running at you full tilt, but to get your baton in the fight, you will need to practice your draw strike techniques and already have your hand on your baton, ready to go as seen in the videos below.

Tueller drill video scale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8djH9JjUsyU

21 Foot Rule and “proportional threat”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h0-q_IJbxE

Further on in this training you will learn several draw strike techniques.

Verbal Judo

Your best self defense is avoidance.

If you can verbally deescalate a situation before it gets to a physical confrontation, you can avoid the fight. Use your personality, posture, demeanor and verbal skills to avoid the fight.

Verbal judo is basically using your words and presence to try to deescalate a situation in a non-threatening manner.

Nine De-escalation Skills (for librarians, but same skills applies anywhere)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOeuoNP-fyQ

De-escalation: Common Sense Tips for all Cops
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hLwfH5SpBI

Lt. Dillon describes de-escalation strategies and techniques
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOX2zb7NYj0

Police Communication Skills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5IuR0QZntA

Recognizing a Physical Threat / Pre-Attack Indicators

Practicing situational awareness and being able to recognize the signs of an incoming attack will allow you to be properly prepared for any incoming attacks.

Early Threat indicators indicate the possibility of escalation to physical attack.

Escalation indicators when a physical attack is likely imminent.

Pay attention!

Knowing what to look for can prevent you from being sucker punched.

Massad Ayoob Finding Danger Signs
https://youtu.be/IQdFv81WGHg

Top 25 Pre-Attack Indicators for Self Defense ***(Very Good)
This video gives the Top 25 pre-attack indicators for most self defense situations. If you are about to get in a physical altercation watch for these non-verbal cues to give you an idea of when the person is about to strike. Knowing these pre-attack indicators and self defense tips will help you to read the attackers body language and know when they are going to attack, which will give you the opportunity to act first and defend yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Px5P-o_EyE

WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF FIGHTING PEOPLE.

HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF GETTING BEAT UP EITHER.

Massachusetts Self Defense Law

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT.

*** MASSACHUSETTS COURT SYSTEM: JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR SELF-DEFENSE; DEFENSE OF ANOTHER; DEFENSE OF PROPERTY CASES
http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/courts-and-judges/courts/district-court/jury-instructions-criminal/6000-9999/9260-defenses-self-defense.pdf

Use of Force Ladder/Continuum

A use of force continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officers and civilians with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting subject in a given situation. In some ways, it is similar to the U.S. military’s escalation of force (EOF).

The use of force ladder is made of the steps that an encounter can take from eye contact all the way up to fighting for your life.

You must only use the proper level of force to stop the incoming attack and discourage further attacks according to the charts below.

Use of force levels go up and down. The use of force levels and responses can both escalate and deescalate during an incident.

For example, if you fight someone that has a knife and you disarm them by disabling their arm with your baton and they are down on the ground, away from the knife, the use of deadly force is no longer warranted.

Same thing if someone throws a punch or kick at you and you appropriately counter the incoming strike with your baton and they stop being physically aggressive and start to obey your verbal commands. GET BACK! STAY BACK!

Police Baton Certification Training levels of resistance and control gets into the use of resistance and control management. From non-aggressive posture and verbal indicators, to the use of defensive tools.

** The object is to control, not punish. **

Get the subject under control enough to create distance for yourself and others.

Verbal Escalation: Commands

If the situation ramps up on the use of force ladder LEVEL 2, it may warrant forceful verbal commands such as:

GET OFF THE PROPERTY!

GET BACK!

STAY BACK!

De-escalation & Boundary Setting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QCBipapdkA

Verbal Commands: SAY IT LOUD

When the verbal judo reaches the point where you are issuing stern verbal commands, these must be delivered at LOUD VOLUME and with a Forceful Posture. Not only to portray a strong command presence, but to also alert others nearby that you are in a situation. People nearby become witnesses, which is very important if law enforcement and/or civil actions are taken.

It is much better to have the witnesses say “I heard the security guard saying GET BACK, STAY AWAY, LEAVE very loudly right before the other party attacked him”

Not only that, but since we often patrol alone, loud verbal commands will attract attention from others who may be willing to help you, or call the police. If you are in a fight, or about to get in one, you are not going to be able to call the police and defend yourself at the same time.

Verbal Warnings

Prior to the physical use of force being deployed in an escalating situation, the officer (or civilian) should issue a LOUD verbal warning. Let the subject know with your actions, defensive posture and verbal commands that further aggression will be met with physical force. This gives the subject a final chance to comply with previous verbal commands. 

An example of this would be when a subject squares off with you with clenched fists. Or the subject approaches you with a hand behind their back possibly concealing a weapon, or is displaying other pre-attack indicators seen in the videos above.

As you draw your baton you give a loud and clear verbal warning. GET BACK!!

DO NOT say anything about using the baton or hitting anyone, just say ***STAY BACK! GET BACK!!

Having witnesses hear you say anything about hitting anyone with your baton (making threats) is not a good thing. A witness telling the Police that they heard the security guard threatening the other party with a baton can get us all in trouble. Just drawing the baton and knowing what to do with it if necessary can be enough to deescalate a potentially violent situation. There is no need to make threats.

A proper defensive ready position posture, being proficient and confident with your baton and knowing exactly what to do if someone comes at you from any angle of attack may discourage further escalation. If not, you will need to be confident that you know what to do when the attack comes.

Showing fear and incompetence as you draw your baton is not a good look.

Be aware, be ready, have a confident demeanor and practice, practice, practice.

Regular Police Baton Training vs. Self Defense (stick fighting)

Baton Tactics for Private Security: A More Complete System

After attending a Police baton instructor certification course for myself and one of my supervisors, which was excellent by the way, I had a few concerns about how applicable teaching strictly police baton training to our private security force really is.

Having licensed in-house Police baton instructors allows us to certify everyone for legal reasons. This way if we as a company, or you as an individual (off duty) ever have to go to court on a baton related self defense incident, we will have all our bases covered by the certification.

This training will include the standard Police Baton Training course and the required testing and certification that goes along with it, but we are taking it up a notch to improve our tactics.

Before I get into it, realize that as private security operators, we are not employed by the city, county or state. This makes a big difference in operational tactics. Police are mostly using baton tactics as a pain compliance measure to affect an arrest or to detain a subject.

As private security, 99.9% of the time, we are not detaining anyone. We want people causing trouble and threatening aggression to leave the property and leave us and others alone.

Our use of the baton is almost exclusively for defense of ourselves or in defense of others.

This is a major difference.

Since we are private security operators, we use our less than lethal tactics for self defense only.

Not predominantly for control and detainment like the Police.

Our goal is to have the aggressor leave the property, or be down on the ground where we can gain space (increase range) and then call the Police OURSELVES.

We do not want to be wrestling with someone while we try to detain them.

If the Police show up because someone else called and reported a fight in progress and they see you wrestling with another party on the ground, they won’t know who the original aggressor was.

If you end up on the ground with a subject, so be it, but our goal is to stay at long or medium range in all physical altercations.

Let the police do the detaining. That is their job, not ours.

Once the person is off the property, it is no longer our duty to deal with them. They are no longer our problem.

ACSP Baton & Self Defense Training

Striking Zones on the Human Body

In Police Baton Training there are three (3) striking zones on the human body.

Level #1, #2, #3, or GREEN, YELLOW, RED.

Targets on the body are to be selected to inflict the minimal amount of force (damage) necessary to reduce the immediate threat and are commonly chosen based on what is coming at you in an attack, a hand, an elbow, a leg, etc.

Whatever is coming at you during a physical altercation is an immediate priority target. They give it, you take it.

In the standard Police Baton certification training, we are taught to direct strikes to “meaty areas” such as the upper arms, thighs and calves. These are known as level one unknown risk targets or areas on the human body that can be struck with a police baton that are the least likely to inflict serious life threatening or permanent damage.

This is not to say that hitting someone with too much force in a LEVEL ONE or GREEN area (below) won’t inflict serious or permanent damage. There will be more on striking techniques and striking force later.

Police Baton Training Chart

Monadnock Baton Impact Chart

Think about this like a stop light.

GREEN means GO (in self defense, most incoming attacks are going to be GREEN)

YELLOW means CAUTION (higher risk of serious or permanent injury)

RED means STOP (high risk of serious injury or death. DEADLY FORCE)

Deadly Force

Hitting someone hard with follow through force in the head, neck, spine (RED) area with a baton could easily kill them. To justify use of deadly force, any reasonable person would have to agree that your life was in grave danger. Reasonable persons like those in a jury during court proceedings (refer to the Massachusetts Court Document on Self Defense above).

Where to strike the opponent in a deadly force situation is based on where the situation is on the use of force ladder we studied earlier.

To justify hitting an opponent in any of the RED areas there needs to be an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to you or others. This action will likely be considered lethal force in the eyes of the law and also civil courts.

To hit someone in the head or neck with a baton, the opponent would need to have a knife, bat, gun, etc, or there would need to be multiple aggressors or another disparity of force that would lead any reasonable person to believe that you were in grave danger of death or serious injury.

Disparity of force: It means when an ostensibly unarmed man is so likely to kill or cripple you, his physical advantage becomes the equivalent of a deadly weapon, and warrants your recourse to a gun or knife or whatever in self-defense.

Now that we have learned a little about proper situational awareness levels, using verbal tactics to avoid the fight, how to recognize, pre-attack indicators, verbal escalation (commands), proper use of force and striking zones, let’s learn about how to defend ourselves with a baton or stick and how this training will improve your hand to hand skills.

Police Baton Nomenclature

As part of the Police baton Certification, you will need to know the parts of the Police baton.

Filipino Stick Fighting: Modern Arnis and Kali

The things that were lacking from the Police baton course as it pertains to self defense training for our staff led me to research the Filipino martial arts, which is known for its stick fighting styles, or systems.

After a lot of research, I found that the stick tactics of Kali and Modern Arnis are a great compliment to traditional Police/Security baton training for an unarmed private security force. Many of these Filipino stick fighting tactics are used by police and military all over the world as you will see in the videos further on in your training.

The Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) offer excellent stick or baton training with strikes, takedowns and locks. Plus, all the FMA techniques transfer over to empty hand combatives. All the moves are the same. This is exactly what we are looking for for our staff to compliment traditional Police baton tactics.

Every strike is an attack.

“DEFENSE IS THE OTHER GUY’S PROBLEM”

FMA stick fighting also uses the mindset that there is no such thing as a block, there are only blocking strikes COUNTERATTACKS, every move or strike is an attack.

If a fist or leg comes at you, you are attacking it with your “blocking strike” (counter attack) and you are always looking to counter the incoming attack with a combination of strikes depending on the situation.

Attacking the Aggression & “Defanging the Snake”

COMBAT

Counter
On
Motion
Before
Attack
Time

While the hands and forearms are also listed as LEVEL ONE or GREEN impact areas, the focus of the Police baton class was mostly on hitting the thighs, or the peroneal nerve area to get the subject down onto the ground and compliant.

While this might be fine on a non-cooperative subject the Police are trying to detain or handcuff, in a self defense situation, focusing immediately on the legs to try to get the subject to the ground, is gonna get you in to close range right away and could get you nailed in the face or head with a punch (more on ranges and the mechanics later).

Don’t get me wrong, a full power hit to the upper meaty part of the leg can put someone down and allow you to get away, but our main goal as a security force is to get people to leave the property and leave us and others alone. If the police apprehend that person later, great, but we are not in the business of detaining people unless it is a very serious situation.

Attacking the aggression is also known as “Defanging the Snake”. Targeting the arms or hands depending on the situation, will take the wind out of someone throwing punches and will also get them to drop any weapons they may have, like a knife, bat, hammer, gun, etc.

Targeting the hands with your stick will also keep you at long range from the aggressor.

There is no need to get in close if you don’t have to. If you target those incoming hands/arms/legs effectively you can avoid a close range fight and ending up on the ground in a wrestling match. Going for the leg gets you in to where the opponent can reach your head with a punch. More on ranges later.

You will also learn that there are different striking techniques and levels of force that can be applied with a baton or stick.

If someone is throwing fists, or tries to grab you, you might only need to “flick them” in the hand/fist/wrist/arm with an expandable steel baton to discourage them from throwing more punches.

“Swinging for the fence” isn’t always necessary and could be considered excessive force in certain non-life threatening situations.

This training will get in to the different kinds and levels of strikes that the Police Baton Training did not. The Police training really only covered full power strikes the the leg area and some basic blocking and counter strikes.

Stick Blocks & Blocking

Another thing I soon realized as we practiced was that the standard or traditional police baton two handed blocking techniques lacked the fluidity necessary to be able to counter attack multiple incoming strikes.

We also needed a few baton escorts, takedowns and locks which weren’t covered at all in the Police baton instructor course.

Training Filipino stick fighting also includes empty hand skills

All the stick blocks, checks and counters are the same moves with your empty hands.
In these systems, the stick is considered an extension of the arm, so all of the stick techniques can be applied to empty hand combatives as well.

“Sticks are an extension of the hands; without the hands, there can be no sticks.”

Learn and practice the moves and combinations with your stick(s) and you will also train your empty hand skills by default. It is all the same moves based on what is coming at you.

Training & Practice

To develop the muscle memory (CONDITIONED REFLEX) necessary to be able to execute any basic techniques without having to think about them takes thousands of repetitions.

That’s why practice is so important.

If you go through this training and pass the tests to get certified, but do not practice and develop the muscle memory to be able to use the techniques without thinking about them, you should leave your baton in it’s holster.

Apart from any strikes or moves, simply drawing your baton and getting into a proper defensive position should be practiced repeatedly until it becomes second nature (CONDITIONED REFLEX).

Practice, Practice, Practice

Training and practice (repetition) is the only way to be proficient with your baton. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that by just completing this course and getting certified that you will not get your ass kicked when you draw your baton. YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT **CONDITIONED REFLEX** (DEVELOP MUSCLE MEMORY BY TRAINING AND PRACTICING THE TECHNIQUES BELOW).

Part of this training will include physical training which is necessary for the Police Baton Certification process, but we will cover many of the techniques below in physical training as well.

Training is Easy, You Just Have to Make Time For It and DO IT.

To execute the proper techniques in a split second (while you are under attack), you need to do THOUSANDS OF REPETITIONS to create your MUSCLE MEMORY & CONDITIONED REFLEX.

There is no way around this. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.

However…

You can train anywhere.

It is very easy to solo train your stick fighting skills.

You don’t need any special equipment. Low budget.

The Bladed Hand: Arnis Village with Rodel Dagooc and Bert Labaniego
(This video shows how you can train with very simple low budget “equipment”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiR81NGYzOk

A thick heavy rope (or a decent rope with some sort of weight on the end) hanging vertically with a few knots in it at different levels (for targets) offers you a simple way to practice your strikes, combinations and accuracy at full speed.

It’s HEALTHY for both BODY and MIND.

You can and should practice “air” counter-strikes and combinations with your empty hands anytime you get a spare moment.

Watch ALL of the videos below and study the techniques and terminology.

We do not expect you to be able to pull off every single technique in all the videos below. Nor will you be tested on every one to get Police Baton Training certified.

This training features videos that will show baton, stick fighting and self defense methods from all over the world. We will be learning certain techniques from the different styles.

By the end of your physical training, you will be expected to know the basics.

12 Angles of attack, 3 fighting ranges, different types and force levels of strikes, basic counter strikes for different situations, double stick sinawali, entry four, heaven 6.

These are all very well explained and can be easily learned by watching the videos below and practicing along with your baton length sticks. We will go over all of these basics during physical training, but if you practice and know these basics, we can cover more advanced techniques during the physical training. You will be ahead of the curve.   

We will go over all of the basics in physical training, but as you watch these videos you will see how you can take really take your training to a next level combat art if you so desire.

By adding Filipino Martial Arts skills we also have a way to defend ourselves even without a stick (empty hands) in different scenarios.

Take note of the different techniques and principles behind them. Avoiding the force of incoming strikes, footwork, leverage, blocking, counter attacks, different kinds of strikes, levels of force associated with the different strikes and ranges, etc

Numbering Systems for strikes (and blocks)

Angles of Attack

All stick fighting systems, Police baton training, etc have a numbering system for the angles of attack. This allows everybody to know what angle is what for training. Every angle of attack has a number assigned to it. Like what to do to block, check and counter an angle 2 attack. Or how to deliver an angle 4 attack. The standard Police baton training has 7 angles of attack, we are going to use 12.

The following video explains the 12 angles of attack very well and this will be the 12 number numbering system we will be using based on Modern Arnis.

Learn the 12 basic strikes of Modern Arnis

We are going to follow the 12 angles of attack or strike numbering system of Modern Arnis as this is more suited to our self defense needs. Keep in mind that each of these strikes are also incoming strikes and attacks on you.
These 12 angles are the basis for all of the self defense training that follows, so know the 12 angles of attack.

*** You will be expected to know these 12 angles and be able to perform them using proper footwork.

What are the 12 striking techniques or attack angles In Modern Arnis?

#1 – Left side of the head attack
#2 – Right side of the head attack
#3 – Left side of the body or torso
#4 – Right side of the body or torso
#5 – Thrust To The Stomach
#6 – Left Chest Stab
#7 – Right Chest Stab
#8 – Left Lower Leg
#9 – Right Lower Leg
#10 – Left Eye Poke
#11 – Right Eye Poke
#12 – Strike to the crown/top of head.

*** Learn the angles of attack and the footwork associated with each attack angle in the video below

Bruce Chiu Teaching the 12 Basic Strikes of Modern Arnis ***
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16myQqtAnJc

Striking Motions

There are several types of strikes along with their Filipino words.

Full Power Follow Through or Slash (Lobtik) – The long arc or stemmed blow, similar to the motion of a sword slashing through something.

Flick or Rap (Witik) – The “rap” which is a blow that returns along the same path that it went out. This method of striking involves retraction.

Fan Strike (Abaniko) – The abaniko strike is a fanning motion that is made with the stick. It is a witik strike that switches angles of attack. The abaniko can be executed horizontally, diagonally, or vertically.

Thrust (Saksak) – The thrust or jab.

Butt Strike (Punyo) – The butt end of the stick. This type of striking is also applicable to Closed Expandable Baton, Flashlight and Kubotan type tools.

Circle Strike (Redondo) – A vertical circular power strike performed vertically both forehand and backhand.  

Ranges

Long Range (Largo mano) – meaning long hand, represents the farthest distance at which you can strike or be struck by your opponent. Your opponent cannot strike you with his weapon, but you can strike your opponent’s hand with yours.

Medium Range (Sumbrata) – meaning “medium,” is the distance that you and your opponent are given the opportunity to strike one another in the head. At this range the “live” or off hand is introduced.

Close Range (Corto or Hubud) – meaning close or short, is the closest range that is encountered while standing. In this range, you are too close to execute many of the actual striking techniques, with the exception of the punyo (butt end). Consequently, this is typically when disarms occur and unarmed combat ensues using the same principles.

Filipino Stick Fighting by Paul Vunak (Jeet Kune Do DVD 5)***

This is an excellent video to gain an overview of Filipino stick fighting and learn many of the principles behind it. It is based on kali and Jeet Kune Do. The strike numbering in this video only goes up to 5, but the first 5 are the same as the Modern Arnis 12 count above. Pay attention to the angling, footwork, avoiding the strike (zero pressure lesson), blocking, economy of motion and combinations theory. These are very important points. You can stop watching this video at the start of the double stick techniques. There are some shorter, better videos below that get into double stick training.

https://youtu.be/n6dV4GpNKak?end=2096

Modern Arnis

The videos below are an excellent training tool for learning the principles of Modern Arnis. These videos get into the different types of strikes, counters, disarms, locks, throws and empty hand combatives.

Remy Presas Modern Arnis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1quwVQX4s

Bruce Chiu Modern Arnis Defense and Blocking Drills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dicy5_qYl8

Basic Stick Fighting Combos [Stick Fighting – Kali] | MANONUDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNd0Sxnm3wk

Mark Mikita | The Classic Error In Filipino Martial Arts
Don’t lead with your head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMwXXfCJr6s

Abanico (Fan Strikes)

One thing they did not really cover in the baton class was the use of force as it pertains to the velocity and strength of baton strikes. A full body twisting, hip powered strike to the forearm might result in smashing someone’s arm into pieces. If the subject is armed with a knife or a bat, this would be a deadly force situation and would totally warrant smashing the perp’s arm.

However, if the attacker is attacking with fists, smashing their arm into pieces would likely be considered excessive force.

If the perp is throwing fists or goes to grab you, a simple Kali style block with the baton or an abanico (wrist flick with a retract, or fan strike) to the arm or hand will deter the average opponent from throwing more punches while keeping the target in the GREEN, or LEVEL ONE zone and not escalating up too high on the use of force ladder. Abanico (fan striking) can also deliver several strikes in seconds.

FMA tips | part 5 | Abaniko [KALI – ARNIS – ESCRIMA]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyjKOLh-Un8

GM ” Z ” – Abanico (Fan Strike)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xrX_UnBXIw

Bruce Chiu Modern Arnis Forehand Side Abanico Stick Drills
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_WF0ukoD_LU

HOW TO DO AN ABANICO IN KALI | TECHNIQUE TUESDAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtB5-tLzgGo

Abanico Striking and Defending With Sifu Guro Peter Vargas Featuring American Modern Arnis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcV70Jpr2Sk

Sticks to Hand to Hand (Same Moves)

In Filipino stick fighting like arnis and kali, the stick is basically an extension of the hand, so all the same strikes, blocks, combinations, etc apply to an empty hand. So it doesn’t matter whether you have a stick, a sword, a knife, a flashlight, a kubotan, or just your hand/fist, all the moves are basically the same.

Double Stick Training and Why

To get proficient in stick fighting and fighting in general, you need to be good with both the left and right hands. All Filipino martial arts use double stick training. While we will likely not carry two sticks or batons on duty, training with two sticks is a good idea to develop your ambidexterity and CONDITIONED REFLEX.

Using and training the single stick and using your weak, or “checking” hand will also develop your ambidexterity, but, it is also a good idea to train with both hands for a situation where your strong side becomes injured and you can’t use your your strong side hand.

A pair of traditional wooden rattan kali sticks can be had on eBay for like $20.

Train with the same length and diameter sticks as your carry baton. (typically 24″ or 26″)
This will help you properly develop your range and feel.

Apolo Ladra created a Kali for Kids program and explains the basics of two stick training and how it transfers over to empty hand techniques. He explains CONDITIONED REFLEX and how all the advanced techniques are nothing but execution of the basics.

Learning Kali: The Heaven or Upper Six Drill – Apolo Ladra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHXUEDY4LPs

Kali Sticks Drill: The Entry Four (Part One)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHRpbdAwAuE

Kali Sticks Drill: The Entry Four (Part Two)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pX2PPeUiM

Master Apolo Ladra | Filipino Martial Arts | Combat entries with kali
https://youtube.com/watch?v=isFK_9kudtM

Master Apolo Ladra | Filipino Martial Arts | Pasunuran-Sinawali (One follows the other – weaving)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd-4s5CwKDQ

From Stick to Empty Hands – Drills To Skills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK18UIMydCs

Sagang Labo Kali Drill with Apolo Ladra
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gtge-qG6x5s

Sinawali – the Easiest Way to Learn this Vital Double Stick Drill
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RhTSEFKC988

Stick Fighting Level 1 Sinawali Requirements
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euH60Zwff_A

Baton Training & Mixed Techniques

While I don’t expect you to remember every move in all these videos, you are required to watch and understand them.

This video training will give you a good idea of the level of self defense proficiency that is available to you if you practice and know how to properly use a stick, or baton.

All of the videos in this training have been hand picked since 2015. These are the best baton and stick fighting videos from all over the world.

You will see that many of these baton training videos are from different parts of the world. In some of these places, concealed carry firearms are not allowed and everyone (that is law abiding) is unarmed and the Police or security forces are only armed with batons. This is the same situation for you as an unarmed security operator.

Old School Police Baton Training

Proper Use of the Police Baton or Nightstick (Wood Baton 26″)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfvWAz_qMcI&rel=0&start=180

The Expandable Baton US Marshall Service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=issbn1mR2Do&t=95

UN Police Tactics & Techniques Baton and Unarmed Defense Techniques (PDF)
http://dag.un.org/bitstream/handle/11176/387389/BatonandUDT.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y

Modern & Mixed Techniques

POLICE BATON TRAINING DVD part 9/9 (**Very Good)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arLRih8eMbs&t=1175

DVD dạy đánh gậy rút baton edc (Stick baton teaching baton edc)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnDs_hG_BtQ

How to use a telescopic baton. IS Mirage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkLpKjiKoM4&rel=0

Integrated Baton Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kvryZA6Bmg

KELLY McCANN – Baton vs. Knife
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGgaQ07D09Y&rel=0

How To Fight With A Baton Or Stick – Datu Kelly Worden – Tacoma Washington
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk9BGhiGT5E&rel=0

5 Baton techniques for my Friend Ziga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydeD_lBbvVM&rel=0

Técnicas de Defensa Con Bastón
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTgeEtsQgFI

Seminář teleskop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hTJGhy_qpY

Le bâton téléscopique – Telescopic Stick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlwA2OYL0PI&rel=0

Baston extensible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3W-JX2KuFY

Tactical Baton 16″ (Mix techniques)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5d-UDRYdig&rel=0

Técnicas con bastón extensible 1/2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94A6T0e0iE

Korean short stick

The Korean police short stick training consists of combinations of quick, low force snapping strikes (flicks or raps) to the wrists and arms and also utilizes some great locks and escorting techniques.

(118)Yeomtasul Instructor Seminar (Korean Baton, Police Arrest Technique)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWEpZdVnoV8&rel=0

(60)Police Baton seminar(Yeomtasul short stick technique)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19DVhTfmR4A&rel=0

(59)King of Baton (Grand Master Kang-jun short stick demonstration)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASzpbt0TgMY&rel=0

The Shortest Sticks

Kubotan, Yawara Stick, Koga SD-1/SD-2, Flashlight, Short Improvised Weapons (CLOSED EXPANDABLE BATON)

Kubotan, Yawara or short stick weapons can include flashlights, tactical pens, Koga SD-1/SD-2, short wooden stick, CLOSED EXPANDABLE BATON and other improvised weapons like a hair brush, or even a rolled up magazine.

Kubotan Type weapons can be used in close quarters combat as a force multiplier when striking. These weapons can be used for effectively striking areas where the bone is close to the skin, back of hand, wrist, elbow, ribs, shoulder blade, ankle, knee, etc and can also be used as a control device when used on pressure points on the human body.

WHEN STRIKING THE OPPONENT THE SAME HUMAN BODY BATON STRIKING ZONE RULES APPLY TO THESE TYPES OF WEAPONS .

WHEN USED AS A CONTROL DEVICE TO APPLY PRESSURE, CAN BE USED JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ON THE BODY.

These weapons can easily be ready to use while “hidden” in the hand on approach, or can be hidden in and deployed quickly from a pocket.

Very low key, but EFFECTIVE weapons when used as a force multiplier.

 

Old School: How to use the yawara stick for Police – 1948 (PDF)
http://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10524/1057/matsuyama-yawara1948.pdf?sequence=1

Kubotan I – short stick for self defense (improvised weapons, flashlight)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dMDkH0WFBWU

Kubotan II – Short Stick Self-Defense against grabs.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9Yj0jkA-jtM

Bob Koga – The Koga Institute – SD-1 SD-2
(I have the full Koga SD-1/SD-2 training video on DVD. It’s very good)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXMPGV_xNdE

Focused Impact Volume 1: A Practical Course In Self-Defense With Tactical Pens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHgENdGr8TA

5 técnicas de defensa con Yawara
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hWFVzRj7Cw

Tactical Flashlight for Self-Defense Counterattack, HOW TO USE IT THE RIGHT WAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dovk27E9A7A

Tactical Flashlight Defense (lock and trap)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t0kAkC7g7c

Empty Hand Combatives

How to Defend Against a Sucker Punch While in an Interview Stance
Parry and Conterattack. Same movements learned in Sinawali, only with empty hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPtH53UDQbw

Do Not Punch In A Street Fight – Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do
Using your palm (palm strike instead of a fist) delivers more power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPwwP5Pjh-U

The modern principle or brush-grab-strike in the Modern Arnis of the DAV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0yLvEjg_Bg

Empty Hand Defense and Countering Strikes With Sifu Guro Peter Vargas Using American Modern Arnis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNQQZm7L8dM

Crossing Hands Defenses Featuring Sifu Guro Peter Vargas of American Modern Arnis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYb-NS5gHxY

Human weapon All in One (Discovery Channel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhbtCIQuGv4

Human Weapon 33 best Master Moves (Discovery Channel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXwernxQZtw