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Finding a pepper spray in your purse might take longer than you can afford. Try using a kubotan, instead! These weapons are no bigger than a pen, but they can be as effective as a personal bodyguard. If used correctly, kubotan can help you defend yourself against any attacker, whether in a dark underpass or during a pub brawl.

Kubotan (often confused with a similar weapon named Yawara) was invented by a former Japanese police officer and martial arts master, Takayuki Kubota. The weapon was not invented in the days of Japanese samurai, but in 1970. Kubota was teaching martial arts and self-defence to Los Angeles police officers, and one day, an idea of a small pocket weapon came to his mind.

Kubotan is also called “tactical pen” because it looks like a pen. This self-defence weapon is up to 14 centimetres long, with the diameter of approximately 1.25 centimetres. We could describe it as a slightly more dangerous pen.

Kubotans are typically made of hard, high-impact plastic, but they can also be made of metal or wood. They are often richly decorated. The body of the kubotan is usually lined with round grooves that make it easier to hold in the hand and prevent it from slipping from a clenched fist. They often have a split ring attachment at one end for keys.

It is recommended to always carry a kubotan with you. You can easily put it in a pocket of your jacket or jeans, or just attach it to your keychain.

Aiming Correctly Can Help You Win Against a Heavier Attacker

Kubota registered the weapon as kubotan and obtained a trademark for it. Police officers wore a kubotan at their belts, like a keychain They used their pocket weapon in fights against detainees or unruly citizens, for strikes or stabbing, targeting vulnerable or sensitive parts of the assailant’s body. Because of this, the kubotan is also sometimes dubbed the ‘instrument of attitude adjustment’. In some Asian countries, it is a mandatory equipment of the police force.

What are the principal targets for a kubotan strike?

The usual targets include pressure points and sensitive parts of the body, such as knuckles, forearms, stomach, solar plexus, neck, and, in extreme cases, eyes. Kubotan is usually held in a fist grip, similarly to the murderer’s grip of knife in the famous scene from the film Psycho by Hitchcock. Alternatively (for forward strikes), you can hold the kubotan with the back end held in the palm. Kubotan will help you keep the aggressor contained until the police arrives, for example.

Common uses also include hardening the fist (fistload) to increase the power of punching. If you want to make your side punches more effective, use the centre point grip, where you hold the kubotan in the middle of your hand so its both ends can be seen. But remember that kubotan is to be used only in self-defense.

The kubotan is especially useful for getting out of choke holds that come from behind. Depending on your options, you can aim for the attacker’s abdomen, groin, or back of their hand. It will often work! If you are lying on the ground, aim for the instep or the area around the Achilles heel.