You know the expression about teaching a man to fish instead of giving a man a fish. In the case of self protection, sometimes it’s a matter of teaching someone to fish compared to giving them a picture of a fish.
Indian Vodafone Initiative
Tony Wolf posted this video on the Bartitsu.org blog, along with some commentary:
The concerns are real. Delhi is known as the "rape-capital" of India, as articles like this one explain: In India's 'Rape Capital' Delhi, Women Turn To Self-Defense.
In regards to this campaign, I will agree that the umbrella is indeed a good choice for studying self-defence technique. With the exception of those movements that rely on the hook of the handle, any extended tool can be used in the same fashion. In a pool hall, grasping a cue stick at the midpoint will give you the same reach and impact if a fight breaks out.
When we teach use of the walking stick on the fourth week of our Introduction to Bartitsu course, it is not merely to study the martial art as it was practiced a century ago. The umbrella is almost exactly the same length and weight of a walking stick, and can be substituted in almost every technique. You’re more likely to be carrying an umbrella than a walking stick in the streets of Vancouver today, so the self-defence applications of Bartitsu should be practiced with your umbrella for your own protection.
However, while umbrellas are a good choice for self-defence purposes, Tony’s remark that “[t]he notion that over-the-counter instructions and cartoon graphics can substitute for actual training and skill is dangerously naive,” is exactly right.
The important distinction is that the principles and practice of combat with a stick or umbrella cannot be easily encapsulated in illustrations. Nor are they likely sufficient for an observer to comprehend how some moves might work. Instead, one must practice and repeat until skill is developed.
In other words, learning to fight using the scientific principles of leverage and anatomy can be applied in any dangerous circumstance. However, the operative phrase is "learning to fight", not looking at a few illustrations on the panel of your parasol.
The Unbreakable Umbrella
Remember that it’s not the tool, it’s how you use it. If you have trained to use a stick or umbrella in a combat situation, you do not need to buy a special umbrella for the purpose. So if you’ve heard of the Unbreakable Umbrella, I do not endorse it.
If you have the disposable income, I’m sure it will serve you well. I’m just not that worried about my umbrella breaking while using it for my protection. I assume that during the conflict, I may have to abandon the umbrella to save myself. Why throw away $130 or more unless you’ve already broken six or seven umbrellas at $20 each?
It is fun to watch though...
Real Training
To get the skills to use an umbrella for practical self-defence, attend Academie Duello’s Umbrella Self-Defence workshop. The next one will be on October 11 from 1pm to 5pm.
Head of Stage Combat at Academie Duello and certified Instructor with Fight Directors Canada. Head of Bartitsu at Academie Duello, the longest continuously running Bartitsu program in the world. Read more from David McCormick.