I am not even a white belt, I am a no-belt. Suspenders, maybe. I would presume to share what I have learned in my research of self defense for Seniors. I am a Senior Citizen, I capitalize Senior because I have lived long enough to be one , ( a bit of a surprise to me). Although what I am about to say is probably common knowledge among the MA community it was a bit startling to me. Common sense stuff, that I had not thought of previously. I joined this forum because I was looking for knowledge of self defense with a cane. To your credit, I received excellent advice, and directions to a number of relevant sites.
There is an old joke that involves two hikers that encounter a Grizzly Bear. One of the hikers turns and starts to run, the other hiker grabs his arm and says , you cant outrun a bear, the second hiker replies, I dont have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you. In effect, that is what happens when you carry a cane. You become a slightly less attractive target to a mugger, someone without a cane will come along shortly and the mugger lets you pass. That of course depends on how you carry yourself, if you are so infirm that you are struggling, even with the cane then you become the attractive target. From what Ive read about criminals, they do not want to fight, they do not want a confrontation, they merely want you to give up your money quietly and let them go on their way. We have a story in our family that involves my wifes, then, aged grandfather, a Lutheran Minister, now deceased. He was on a bench in a park in Denmark, when he was accosted by two young men that wanted his wallet. He jumped up, waving his arms and started screaming gibberish, the young thieves , backed off, turned and ran. Was that a self defense, martial arts move ? I think it was. So the first thing I have learned is that just carrying a cane in a confident way is a MA move, a deterrence. As would be wearing a MA uniform with a black belt, or carrying a 12ga at port arms.
The second thing I have learned is that there are few (none?) schools or videos that adequately address the problems Seniors might encounter in defending themselves with a cane. Yes there are schools and videos that make that claim but I have not seen any that to my eye are credible. Of course I have not seen all of them. But I have seen the previews and have bought a few. First, the prime motivation must be to escape, not engage in combat. Second ,we Seniors must have trick or two to allow us to discourage an attack immediately, that allows us to vacate the area. We are not going to defeat an attacker if the fight lasts longer than a minute. We will lose our cane and have it used against us. I remember once being told, Never carry anything in your pocket that you wouldnt want stuck up your a$$. There is always someone out there, no matter how tough you are, with the capability to do just that.
Third thing I have learned is that I enjoy the exercises, (do you call it Kata?) I do with my walking stick. My cane does not arrive till next week. Tai Chi with a cane is relaxing and for me at least, a credible workout., worth doing.
Now the challenge. I am 67, slightly older than the boomer generation my wife belongs to. As you know, the boomer generation is about to retire, the first one already has, they are a huge percentage of the population. To me, prior to my research,. MAs were a mystical, Bruce Lee type of thing that was out of my reach, a difficult thing to learn and the marketing certainly wasnt geared towards me. Perhaps that should change. The marketing needs to attract these boomers. Sure there is a great deal anecdotal evidence of Seniors being involved in the MAs but Imp sure you would have to admit it is not mainstream. I remember when Honda seriously entered the motorcycle industry in the 60s. They came in with the slogan You meet the nicest people on a Honda. It was a brilliant campaign and very successful, they sold a ton of motorcycles. They overcame the image that motorcycles had previously. The image I have of MAs, at my age is having someone throw me all over the Dojo and going home sore and having my wife rub liniment on my back.
How about a Cane Self Defense school that emphasizes the health of exercising with a Cane, the side effect being that perhaps you will someday defend yourself with it. A school that does not require you to engage in mock Cane fights with fellow students but to learn a Cane Tai Chi that is relaxing and contemplative. A curriculum that does teach self defense but geared to what a Senior needs. It seems to me This is an idea , I believe, whose time has come. You MA entrepreneurs could start talking to me and my generation.
There is an old joke that involves two hikers that encounter a Grizzly Bear. One of the hikers turns and starts to run, the other hiker grabs his arm and says , you cant outrun a bear, the second hiker replies, I dont have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you. In effect, that is what happens when you carry a cane. You become a slightly less attractive target to a mugger, someone without a cane will come along shortly and the mugger lets you pass. That of course depends on how you carry yourself, if you are so infirm that you are struggling, even with the cane then you become the attractive target. From what Ive read about criminals, they do not want to fight, they do not want a confrontation, they merely want you to give up your money quietly and let them go on their way. We have a story in our family that involves my wifes, then, aged grandfather, a Lutheran Minister, now deceased. He was on a bench in a park in Denmark, when he was accosted by two young men that wanted his wallet. He jumped up, waving his arms and started screaming gibberish, the young thieves , backed off, turned and ran. Was that a self defense, martial arts move ? I think it was. So the first thing I have learned is that just carrying a cane in a confident way is a MA move, a deterrence. As would be wearing a MA uniform with a black belt, or carrying a 12ga at port arms.
The second thing I have learned is that there are few (none?) schools or videos that adequately address the problems Seniors might encounter in defending themselves with a cane. Yes there are schools and videos that make that claim but I have not seen any that to my eye are credible. Of course I have not seen all of them. But I have seen the previews and have bought a few. First, the prime motivation must be to escape, not engage in combat. Second ,we Seniors must have trick or two to allow us to discourage an attack immediately, that allows us to vacate the area. We are not going to defeat an attacker if the fight lasts longer than a minute. We will lose our cane and have it used against us. I remember once being told, Never carry anything in your pocket that you wouldnt want stuck up your a$$. There is always someone out there, no matter how tough you are, with the capability to do just that.
Third thing I have learned is that I enjoy the exercises, (do you call it Kata?) I do with my walking stick. My cane does not arrive till next week. Tai Chi with a cane is relaxing and for me at least, a credible workout., worth doing.
Now the challenge. I am 67, slightly older than the boomer generation my wife belongs to. As you know, the boomer generation is about to retire, the first one already has, they are a huge percentage of the population. To me, prior to my research,. MAs were a mystical, Bruce Lee type of thing that was out of my reach, a difficult thing to learn and the marketing certainly wasnt geared towards me. Perhaps that should change. The marketing needs to attract these boomers. Sure there is a great deal anecdotal evidence of Seniors being involved in the MAs but Imp sure you would have to admit it is not mainstream. I remember when Honda seriously entered the motorcycle industry in the 60s. They came in with the slogan You meet the nicest people on a Honda. It was a brilliant campaign and very successful, they sold a ton of motorcycles. They overcame the image that motorcycles had previously. The image I have of MAs, at my age is having someone throw me all over the Dojo and going home sore and having my wife rub liniment on my back.
How about a Cane Self Defense school that emphasizes the health of exercising with a Cane, the side effect being that perhaps you will someday defend yourself with it. A school that does not require you to engage in mock Cane fights with fellow students but to learn a Cane Tai Chi that is relaxing and contemplative. A curriculum that does teach self defense but geared to what a Senior needs. It seems to me This is an idea , I believe, whose time has come. You MA entrepreneurs could start talking to me and my generation.
