My TSA approved improvised weapon choice.......

Absolutely not interested in this. I know a lot of people like to make a hit in social media, not me. I am still debating whether I want to write a patent application on some of my ideas in hifi amplifiers. I just got a patent last year that I was one of the designer of a system. Getting a name in social is the last thing that interested me.
Shame you are unwilling to step up and test what you are learning. Must be an armchair quarterback complaining about everything.
 
Shame you are unwilling to step up and test what you are learning. Must be an armchair quarterback complaining about everything.
For what? I don't claim to be good or a master. At least I said over and over from day one that I only have a few years and not an expert. And I don't mind putting out videos of me recorded in the last few months so people know exactly where I am at. At least I am honest. I sure don't see a lot of videos of others that are experts, instructors or masters.

Over one page here talking about whether it should be called CHOPPING or cutting!!!?? Talk about armchair quarterback.
 
Actually I learn the most from Blindside. He even MADE me a video showing me about CASTING:

75% of my cane fight was learned from him. I spend so much time practicing the CASTING.

I don't pretend to be in your shoe. It's obvious that you like to learn self defense, or else you won't be hanging around here with old foggies like us. You still in your 30s!!!

That said, too bad life is not fair, you dealt with a bad hand. I don't pretend to know how you feel. One think I know is if one want something bad, there is always a way, it just takes more determination. I have a little of this. When I was in the early 30s, I was so into TKD I worked very hard. My back gave out on me after 3 years from all the high kicks. I really pushed myself. For two years, I could not stand for 2 minutes without the tinkling all the way down to my foot. I was disabled. I did not give up. The doctor put me on PT with weight, that literally saved my life. I slowly work my way back, working on heavy bags and all that. It's been over 30 years, I never stop.

My point is there's will, there's a way. Now I talk about it. But when i was fighting through it, I don't even want to talk, I just do. If you really want it, I don't know of any reason why you cannot start doing weights on your upper body. I don't know your condition and I am not a doctor. If you really want to improve you lower body, talk to the doctor, tell the doctor you want to strengthen your legs, ask whether you can get into PT with weight training on your lower body.

I am not going to paint a pretty picture, you might never get back to like a normal person even if you work hard on strength training on your lower body. BUT at least if you get stronger, that would help. It will open up more option. If you have the determination, talk to your doctor.

Hell, if you can get very strong on you upper body, if you get a 17" arm, people will think twice before picking on you!!! If you are strong enough, you can use two cane, one on your left hand to be on the ground like a 3rd leg to help with your two legs, the right hand swing the cane for defense and fight. design the two cane so they can be held together as one piece so you only have one cane(combined of two) to walk. Separate them for fighting so you have 3 legs and one hand to fight.

I am not saying this is the answer. You have the will, think of ways to make it work. Just keep thinking and come up with solution.

This is what I am doing. Because of my back, I have to think of different ways, not just follow on style because it won't work. Think outside of the box to fit my particular strong and weak point. BE CREATIVE.

One think I do every morning before I even get out of the bed. I just lie there and THINK, just think of possible solution in everything facing me. Not just MA, but other things. I was an EE, you don't know how many ideas I came up with from lying in bed. I had a big bout with back problem just a month or so ago, nothing I did before helped. I came up with totally new exercise just from lying in bed and I am up and exercise again.

Have the determination, THINK out of the box if you really want it. Do something about it.
I appreciate your tips--very glad the issues in your 30s were not permanent, that would be hard to deal with moving forward.

The third leg thing is something I practice. I'm not sure how effective it would be in my specific case, and I'm a little wary of trying it out in a sparring situation. I wouldn't say that I'm prone to injury or anything, but some joint injuries can just exacerbate the problems I have already, so I try to practice self-defense while being probably too cautious for my own good, really.

Although statistically, disabled people tend to get more abuse or physical attacks than people who aren't, I'm blessed not to have been attacked like that. At least, not yet. I try to do my best to make sure I'm not in and don't contribute fuel to situations where people would want to do that. But, as everyone here knows, sometimes you do everything right and the wrong sort of person decides to try something with you.
 
I appreciate your tips--very glad the issues in your 30s were not permanent, that would be hard to deal with moving forward.

The third leg thing is something I practice. I'm not sure how effective it would be in my specific case, and I'm a little wary of trying it out in a sparring situation. I wouldn't say that I'm prone to injury or anything, but some joint injuries can just exacerbate the problems I have already, so I try to practice self-defense while being probably too cautious for my own good, really.

Although statistically, disabled people tend to get more abuse or physical attacks than people who aren't, I'm blessed not to have been attacked like that. At least, not yet. I try to do my best to make sure I'm not in and don't contribute fuel to situations where people would want to do that. But, as everyone here knows, sometimes you do everything right and the wrong sort of person decides to try something with you.
You training by yourself or have a trainer or going to class? If you train by yourself, maybe you should get a trainer that is experience with your situation. What is your issue with your legs, I really don't know yet? Talk to the doctor to see how far can you push. Talk to doctors that advocate for physical training. There are doctors that are against exercise, I've seen a few before. They would say no. You need to find the right doctor, that's important. I went to St Mary's Hospital that operated on the back of Joe Montana at the time. they are the ones that put me in PT with weights that change my life.

Ha ha, like I said, if you have a 17" arm, chances are less you'll be picked on!!! Thugs are chickens, they only pick on the weak. That's why I make it a point to hold my cane like a stick, never touch the ground and walk fast. Make it obvious the cane is NOT for walking. If I can avoid confrontation, the cane serves the purpose already. I have no interest to test my skill!!! :)

Too old for that!!! 😂

Just don't give up, the fact is you are hanging around here show you want it. Now just a question how to you go by it and how can you get the max out of it.

Good Luck.
 
You training by yourself or have a trainer or going to class? If you train by yourself, maybe you should get a trainer that is experience with your situation. What is your issue with your legs, I really don't know yet? Talk to the doctor to see how far can you push. Talk to doctors that advocate for physical training. There are doctors that are against exercise, I've seen a few before. They would say no. You need to find the right doctor, that's important. I went to St Mary's Hospital that operated on the back of Joe Montana at the time. they are the ones that put me in PT with weights that change my life.

Ha ha, like I said, if you have a 17" arm, chances are less you'll be picked on!!! Thugs are chickens, they only pick on the weak. That's why I make it a point to hold my cane like a stick, never touch the ground and walk fast. Make it obvious the cane is NOT for walking. If I can avoid confrontation, the cane serves the purpose already. I have no interest to test my skill!!! :)

Too old for that!!! 😂

Just don't give up, the fact is you are hanging around here show you want it. Now just a question how to you go by it and how can you get the max out of it.

Good Luck.
For now I'm just by myself. I've thought about a trainer, but realistically, there just aren't any in my area, and I'd have to go far afield to find one. Additionally, I'd probably try to get someone who had the time to train me privately so that we could adapt moves to fit what my body is able to do, and not every trainer has time for that.

Of course, training on your own is not the best, but if you're diligent, I like to think it is better than nothing. I've talked to some trainers online for specific advice, too.
 
For what? I don't claim to be good or a master. At least I said over and over from day one that I only have a few years and not an expert. And I don't mind putting out videos of me recorded in the last few months so people know exactly where I am at. At least I am honest. I sure don't see a lot of videos of others that are experts, instructors or masters.

Over one page here talking about whether it should be called CHOPPING or cutting!!!?? Talk about armchair quarterback.
I suspect there's been a failure of communication here. It's not about which word is used, but what that says about the motion. A katana cutting motion (had you copied it well) would not be a good platform for blunt striking. It's just not terribly efficient for that purpose. There are similar-looking techniques for staff (bo/jo/hanbo) that serve better, because they are focused on delivering striking force. A chopping motion would be closer to a striking motion.

So the reason folks wanted you to be aware it's a cut, rather than a chop, is that a cut isn't an efficient technique for a strike. And just leaving out a part of a technique doesn't usually make it useful for a different approach.
 
When I began traveling internationally, I struggled to find a weapon that I could carry anywhere. I came up with many nasty options.

Including a trick I learned about when I was an undercover, investigating motorcycle gangs. The weapon of choice with many motorcycle gangs being a handkerchief slid through a padlock. Carried in the back pocket with the tails of the handkerchief hanging out of the pocket. Obviously you could quickly grab the tails and pull out a pretty nasty weapon!

However ultimately that is not what I went with. Instead I carry a very simple device. What I carry everywhere is a common metal water bottle. Of course I found one that fits my hand perfectly. When filed with water it's like carrying a hammer.

Nobody ever gives it a second look. I have had so many other gadgets that went through one international airport fine, but was seized in another country. My tactical pin was seized in South Korea for instance. However the water bottle goes everywhere.

As an added bonus, I stay more hydrated. But also I can always boild water when traveling. Although I carry multiple options for clean water and the water bottle is more of a last resort.

I haven't hit anyone with it yet, and hopefully never will. But oh my would it do the trick!

What is your favorite TSA approved weapon?
It is great that you found your perfect weapon, however, keep in mind that you may not always have that weapon. I tell my students to practice with many different types of weapons, this way, the learn to grab anything and use it effectively as a weapon.
 
Absolutely not interested in this. I know a lot of people like to make a hit in social media, not me. I am still debating whether I want to write a patent application on some of my ideas in hifi amplifiers. I just got a patent last year that I was one of the designer of a system. Getting a name in social is the last thing that interested me.

I can tell you, this is not unique here in MA world. I on and off going to firearm forum as I was very into shooting for years before. I am absolutely surprised after there are so much improvement in handguns in the last 40 years that there are a lot of people still die hard on the old 1911 that was designed over 100 years ago.

Look at the new designs like Glocks, S&W and a lot of others. We are into the space age, polymer frame that are stronger than any aluminum frame and so much lighter than steel. New design with single piece feed ramp unlike the old design of two piece feedramp of 1911 that is very hard to be reliable with JHP. Modern guns with wide open ejector port that unlike those 1911 with small side ejector port that cause FTE. The new generation guns are so much more reliable and last longer....................BUT NOOOOOOOOO!!!! So many people are dead set for 1911 and still debating about it.

I know a lot about guns, I do gun smithing. I own the Colt Gold Cup which is the 1911. I did accurizing, squeezed the slide, change everything to get it to very tight fit and made it very accurate to go to competitions. I know 1911 to say all these. It's not like I don't know about it. 1911 is just so behind time it's not even funny. But people still defend it to death.
I love my colt gold cup trophy! Bill Wilson from Wilson combat tricked mine out. It’s more accurate than my Glock but very heavy and only 8 rounds. My FNH 5.7 is light and very accurate but still full size.
 
I suspect there's been a failure of communication here. It's not about which word is used, but what that says about the motion. A katana cutting motion (had you copied it well) would not be a good platform for blunt striking. It's just not terribly efficient for that purpose. There are similar-looking techniques for staff (bo/jo/hanbo) that serve better, because they are focused on delivering striking force. A chopping motion would be closer to a striking motion.

So the reason folks wanted you to be aware it's a cut, rather than a chop, is that a cut isn't an efficient technique for a strike. And just leaving out a part of a technique doesn't usually make it useful for a different approach.
I mainly looking at the motion knowing that there's really nothing that is completely the same for blunt instrument strike. I totally understand there is cutting in the katana movement that I don't copy. But after all the talk, I sat back and think about it. Between baseball bet swing, machete chop, the motion of the katana is still the closest. Baseball bet swing is very different, people put everything into one swing. You can see if they miss the ball, they lose balance to the point they have to take a step forward to regain balance. They is absolutely not good and not to be copied in stick fight. Machete is swung by one hand, so it's not the same. So the Katana chop/cut still the closest. So I just look at it as "chopping".

The only one that I really learn is from Blindside(Lamont Glass) here on casting. That's so far, the only strike I am using. More compact from the casting motion. Hit hard and pull back without the need of bouncing on the elbow like irish, bouncing on the ground like tapado, not swinging wild like one hand escrima. I find a lot of the style are for competition where you have a wide open space. Those are not useful for real life situation where there are lots of obstacles around in confined space.

That is like chopping while reaching out. Then pull back. It's more compact. I practice around furniture and narrower space.
 
I love my colt gold cup trophy! Bill Wilson from Wilson combat tricked mine out. It’s more accurate than my Glock but very heavy and only 8 rounds. My FNH 5.7 is light and very accurate but still full size.
Gold Cup and 1911 are good for target shooting and competitions where the trigger is the most important. But a lot of people still use it for self defense, CCW. Those are times good trigger action, accuracy is of secondary. Reliability, safety and weight and how many rounds it can hold is the utmost important.

I already pointed out a few points in the last post why 1911 is less reliable by design(or the lack of). It is so heavy for carry and only 8 rounds. It must be about 40oz vs Glock and S&W MP etal that are in 25oz give and take. All carry 15 to 17 rounds of 9mm. They do NOT have a hair trigger even with a round in the chamber, not like 1911 either don't load the chamber(slow) or cocked and locked( still extra step to push the safety down before pulling the trigger). It is so much inferior for CCW and self defense.

Yes, I use my Gold Cup that I further accurized for competitions and some target shooting(too expensive, I practice with a Ruger Mark II bull barrel, just one time with 45 before competitions). It did jam on me during competition. That's ok, BUT it's NOT ok if my life depends on it. Even the old S&W 659 is much more reliable after I fixed it. It's the two piece feedramp that cannot be fixed. 1911 can be reliable with FMJ, not JHP. For self defense living in city, JHP is very important.

I am not into shooting anymore, I bought a Glock 26 last year, I yet to go shoot it. It's light and small. In Kalif, we are limited to 10 rounds, it's perfect, so small and light. Workmanship is very good. I am looking at S&W M&P if I buy another one. Polymer is the way to go, no more aluminum frame and steel frame. Glock revolutionize the hand gun in the last 30 years.
 
For now I'm just by myself. I've thought about a trainer, but realistically, there just aren't any in my area, and I'd have to go far afield to find one. Additionally, I'd probably try to get someone who had the time to train me privately so that we could adapt moves to fit what my body is able to do, and not every trainer has time for that.

Of course, training on your own is not the best, but if you're diligent, I like to think it is better than nothing. I've talked to some trainers online for specific advice, too.
If you train by yourself like me, having heavy bag is very very important. I hung two heavy bags so I can go back and fore, one is 100lbs longer so I can do kicking to the knee practice. Of cause striking to the knee with the cane.

Good luck.
 
I mainly looking at the motion knowing that there's really nothing that is completely the same for blunt instrument strike. I totally understand there is cutting in the katana movement that I don't copy. But after all the talk, I sat back and think about it. Between baseball bet swing, machete chop, the motion of the katana is still the closest. Baseball bet swing is very different, people put everything into one swing. You can see if they miss the ball, they lose balance to the point they have to take a step forward to regain balance. They is absolutely not good and not to be copied in stick fight. Machete is swung by one hand, so it's not the same. So the Katana chop/cut still the closest. So I just look at it as "chopping".

The only one that I really learn is from Blindside(Lamont Glass) here on casting. That's so far, the only strike I am using. More compact from the casting motion. Hit hard and pull back without the need of bouncing on the elbow like irish, bouncing on the ground like tapado, not swinging wild like one hand escrima. I find a lot of the style are for competition where you have a wide open space. Those are not useful for real life situation where there are lots of obstacles around in confined space.

That is like chopping while reaching out. Then pull back. It's more compact. I practice around furniture and narrower space.
You’ve repeatedly referred to escrima strikes as “wild”. They are not. This is the kind of misunderstanding I’m referring to. Evaluating individual techniques, when you don’t understand them, leads to problems. The evaluation of a baseball swing as an attack technique is like trying to evaluate gymnastics tumbling as defensive moves.
 
You’ve repeatedly referred to escrima strikes as “wild”. They are not. This is the kind of misunderstanding I’m referring to. Evaluating individual techniques, when you don’t understand them, leads to problems. The evaluation of a baseball swing as an attack technique is like trying to evaluate gymnastics tumbling as defensive moves.
NO, I understand, I practice 5 months of single handed, I really practiced. there is no way to swing in compact way with single hand unless you use a very light stick. You have to swing with arm extended to get enough power and you cannot stop it in time. Look at all the videos, it takes a lot of space to swing, nothing like casting with two hands. If you don't swing with hands extended with white chopping, you won't have power. You ever try that? Are you into stick fight?

Did you read a lot of people said two hand swing is like baseball bet swing? that's how people describe two hands swing.

That's the thing, when people don't agree here, they accuse the others DON'T understand. this is very simple stuff. Just because I am not an expert doesn't mean I don't know how to watch. this is simple stuff and everything has to follow PHYSICS which I know a lot. Please don't talk down to me. I spent so much time thinking about this.
 
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The attributes of the weapon will dictate the hand and foot and body positions.

Yes, in FMA styles many do say the knuckles line up with the blade. This is good for basic level training.
To learn a pattern and to hide blade work until the student is truly trusted and not going to go out and hurt people.

Yet, one is not going to hit with your knuckles (middle) . open it up and the knife hand strike is there. The hammer fist is there. Yet the body adjusts to get to the proper angle.

At the mid levels and higher levels for colored belt one begins to learn the differences as well as the similarities between the weapons.

Alan, you might be working with some members here online.
I really think you would be well served to actually train in person with someone.
 
The attributes of the weapon will dictate the hand and foot and body positions.

Yes, in FMA styles many do say the knuckles line up with the blade. This is good for basic level training.
To learn a pattern and to hide blade work until the student is truly trusted and not going to go out and hurt people.

Yet, one is not going to hit with your knuckles (middle) . open it up and the knife hand strike is there. The hammer fist is there. Yet the body adjusts to get to the proper angle.

At the mid levels and higher levels for colored belt one begins to learn the differences as well as the similarities between the weapons.

Alan, you might be working with some members here online.
I really think you would be well served to actually train in person with someone.
I watch a lot of videos already(escrima, tapado, irish and hanbo). I have not find any I remotely like so far. There's not many schools around here either. If I were in Seattle, I would like Blackbird Training Group where Blindside(Lamont Glass) is.

It's not like MA where I know what I like if I ever want to go to school, I have both Gracie BJJ and UFC both within one mile from me. I want something that is effective, down to earth, nothing showy and fancy that good for watching only.

I don't follow you on knuckles line up with blade. Yes, I use fist to punch and also hammer fist. I punch and kick pole for 20 years to prepare my knuckles to punch the head.

I punch and kick a lot of heavy bags, that doesn't prepare the knuckle in punching head at all. I even stuffed my bags to make it harder.
 
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It is great that you found your perfect weapon, however, keep in mind that you may not always have that weapon. I tell my students to practice with many different types of weapons, this way, the learn to grab anything and use it effectively as a weapon.
Although I carry a cane on the plane--because I need it to walk anyway--I would hazard that it is one of those things that would really get in my way if I tried to use it in a defense scenario in this environment. Of course, you can choke up on it, but you're still dealing with something around three feet or so (average user length) at any given time.

With the cramped quarters of the cabin, particularly in standard economy, I'd almost be better served with something much shorter or just hands. Of course, I've never had occasion to test any of that in that environment. I also wonder if the tight quarters and seat backs would not be advantageous to someone like me who would have balance problems without the cane in hand...
 
Although I carry a cane on the plane--because I need it to walk anyway--I would hazard that it is one of those things that would really get in my way if I tried to use it in a defense scenario in this environment. Of course, you can choke up on it, but you're still dealing with something around three feet or so (average user length) at any given time.

With the cramped quarters of the cabin, particularly in standard economy, I'd almost be better served with something much shorter or just hands. Of course, I've never had occasion to test any of that in that environment. I also wonder if the tight quarters and seat backs would not be advantageous to someone like me who would have balance problems without the cane in hand...
Cane is not too useful in the plane, it's too tight.

For your example in tight quarters, That's when good upper body strength comes in play a lot. Strength is every bit as important as technique. When two people with comparable skill, strength can make a huge different even if the person is not as skilled. Look at Royce Gracie fight against Matt Huges. Who dare to question Gracie's skill. He got creamed in less than two minutes. Huges just out muscled Gracie, flatten him and rain down punches until referee stopped the fight.

To get into position to apply the skill, one need to juggle into position, it's like tuck of war. That's when strength comes in. In perfect position, you don't need strength to do a submission, but getting to the position need all the strength you have. Same as striking, if you are in perfect position, you don't need strength, but you seldom get into the perfect position, raw strength of striking without perfect body motion becomes important to knock the opponent down,

If I have to choose between MA or weight training, it's not even a close call, I drop MA like a rock.

Also, strength is very important for everyday living. My mother-in-law had parkinsen disease at the time, she had to be put into a group home because she cannot get up the stairs in her house from the garage. If she had more strength, she could have use the two hands to grab onto the handrails and pull herself up step by step. She could have lived at home. As people gets older, strength is very important for the quality of life.

Like I said before, after I had the surgery, my whole lower body was useless. I literally pull myself up from bed, got into and out of car just by using my hands. The lower body was just dead weight for a few days. I survive without problem.
 
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NO, I understand, I practice 5 months of single handed, I really practiced. there is no way to swing in compact way with single hand unless you use a very light stick. You have to swing with arm extended to get enough power and you cannot stop it in time. Look at all the videos, it takes a lot of space to swing, nothing like casting with two hands. If you don't swing with hands extended with white chopping, you won't have power. You ever try that? Are you into stick fight?

Did you read a lot of people said two hand swing is like baseball bet swing? that's how people describe two hands swing.

That's the thing, when people don't agree here, they accuse the others DON'T understand. this is very simple stuff. Just because I am not an expert doesn't mean I don't know how to watch. this is simple stuff and everything has to follow PHYSICS which I know a lot. Please don't talk down to me. I spent so much time thinking about this.
I’ve had training in stock fighting, specifically FMA (escrima). You say you practiced that swing, but by your description of it, you practiced what you think that swing is. It works easier with a rattan stick, yes, but if you do it properly, it can provide a more compact swing (with reasonable speed) with a larger, heavier stick. I practice it with a cane on a regular basis.

As to the other, Americans tend to use baseball as a reference, since most Americans have seen that swing (and the grip used with it). But I’ve never seen an actual baseball swing (the way you’d hit a pitch) taught, except perhaps as a “killing move” to finish (and I’d question the ethics of that). You can take a baseball grip or golf grip without taking that big swing. And a baseball grip isn’t designed for cutting (or chopping), so is a better platform for starting to practice compact 2-handed swings with a stick, in my opinion.
 
Although I carry a cane on the plane--because I need it to walk anyway--I would hazard that it is one of those things that would really get in my way if I tried to use it in a defense scenario in this environment. Of course, you can choke up on it, but you're still dealing with something around three feet or so (average user length) at any given time.

With the cramped quarters of the cabin, particularly in standard economy, I'd almost be better served with something much shorter or just hands. Of course, I've never had occasion to test any of that in that environment. I also wonder if the tight quarters and seat backs would not be advantageous to someone like me who would have balance problems without the cane in hand...
Using a cane from the center (staff grip), it functions nicely as a compact weapon. This leads to focusing more on lateral strikes (striking with the middle of the cane), pokes, and quick cross-strikes.
 
If I were in Seattle, I would like Blackbird Training Group where Blindside(Lamont Glass) is.
So why do you discount most of his techniques? I did not know that was your guy, when I found the video that I did. However, you already deemed most of what he does as useless. You found one technique he does, that you like.... but you discount his one handed strikes, his hanbo style strikes, his cane style strikes.... everything he does, with the exception of the one you like. Since you already mastered that.... you would have no reason to train there... Especially when they worked on the one handed stuff or the hanbo style stuff or.... Don't tell me you would go train with him, while at the same time telling me how useless you deem most of his techniques.

Cane is not too useful in the plane, it's too tight.
A cane could be plenty useful in a plane... if you learn to use it as something other than a katana. But, you would have to learn the one hand stuff and the two thumbs in stuff.

That's the thing, when people don't agree here, they accuse the others DON'T understand. this is very simple stuff. Just because I am not an expert doesn't mean I don't know how to watch. this is simple stuff and everything has to follow PHYSICS which I know a lot. Please don't talk down to me. I spent so much time thinking about this.
Understand... some of the folks trying to give you advice, have more decades worth of actual training with these weapons than you have years in self training with your cane. Heck some have double or triple the decades of training to your year and a half. The videos you show of your mastery of the cane... is clear evidence that you do not understand. You have shown the video of the guy you are copying... but that only shows how much you don't understand. The advice given here has been in an effort to help you become more effective.... and it has come from people with multiple decades of training and teaching....

But hey, you found your technique, and you are happy with it. I hope it works for you, I hope your attacker announces his intentions in advance so you have time to assume your posture... I hope he stays 6 feet away from you, so that you can employ your technique... I hope he does not take advantage of the openings you have when you do your version of the technique... I hope you never have to use your technique to find out how effective it really is...
 
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