Self-defense ineffective weapons: when & why

Master Kongling All, Self defense, Weapons firearms, knife 0

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What are the worst combat tools for self-defense and why

Any tool proper or improper weapon (read Self-defense improvised weapons [MINI-GUIDE]) can be an effective self-defense tool (in fact, in the hands of an expert, even just a splinter of glass can solve a complex scenario) but only if there are the right premises to use them.

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

Our starting points are that:

Without considering specific contexts (and they are all different), there cannot be absolute evaluations
There are too many false / deceptive promises behind many hyper-sponsored products
Easy zero-effort security solutions sell very well but the problem is that they do not work
The reality is that those who sell easy solutions count on the fact that we will never use them
Unless it is faulty or poorly designed, it is not so much the tool that is (alone) more or less effective but rather the combination of who uses it and the context in which he / she does it

Considering this, let’s see the weak points of the most common self-defense weapons (first through a more general analysis and then entering more into the details).

The general weaknesses of any self-defense tactic based uniquely on a weapon

All the weapons are intended as multipliers of offensive capabilities but what only a few understand is that this is valid for us but in general, even for all the people involved in the scenario.

In relation to weapons, what we are trying to say is that:

Without an (at least) basic combat preparation, they can be ineffective, or worse, be easily used against us (read Why martial arts do not work: 5 reasons)
Without specific training, they can often be dangerous even for us (if not more, read also Learning the use of real weapons)
Without any stress-management preparation, we easily risk not being able to implement them correctly / on time (read Self-defense: stress management)
Without any knowledge of what we can do, how and when, we risk uselessly escalating a situation from right to wrong or from bruises to death (read Best martial arts for self-defense)
The simple fact of walking around armed can give rise to various inconvenient situations (legal, involuntary injuries, scaring people, etc.)
In no case, they can always be with us or functional at the necessary level
…

A note by Master Kongling – Naturally part of what we said is true even for unarmed situations, the difference in which we want to put our focus is the inevitable exponential increment of danger.

The specific weak points of some of the most common self-defense weapons

Let’s make a rapid overview (considering a civil context):

Firearm – It can kill involuntarily us and even the people with us; if detained correctly and legally, it is absolutely useless in terms of fast reaction times
Knife – It can cause us big damage and even kill us; it is faster than a firearm but not enough for fast reaction times
Taser – Not so easy to activate and implement correctly; it also has a very limited number of shots
Pepper spray – Not so easy to activate and implement correctly; it also has a very limited number of shots
Telescopic sticks – It is recognizable as a weapon and therefore in many states cannot be carried with us
Kubotan – If in the hands of a not-practitioner, it risks decreasing the combat possibilities instead of widening them
…

For a more detailed comparison table read: Best self-defense weapon: comparison table [PDF].

All these weapons are not ineffective, they work very well but:

Only in the hands of a qualified person
Only in specific contexts
Never as a first reaction

A note by Master Kongling – The truth is that 90% of weapons are intended to offend and not to protect; the consequence of this is that they are totally useless in a fast-reaction civil context of aggression. What any serious self-defense course should tell is that the first reaction is always a defensive one and that an eventual attempt of deterrence / proportional offense always comes after (read The 5 lies of self-defense courses)! This means that without a wider preparation (awareness, combat, prevention, negotiation, etc.) we could be already dead before having the occasion to exploit our weapon.

Final notes

A few conclusive thoughts:

If we do not intend to study and prepare in-depth (except in very particular cases, in which the danger is almost a certainty), going around unarmed is always the smartest solution
If we really want to increase our chances of avoiding unpleasant situations, let’s read Personal defense: the S.A.F.E. method; for the rest, either we decide to train seriously (daily, read How to start practicing from scratch) or let’s avoid wasting time with fake 2-times-per-week self-defense courses (read Self-defense courses: how to recognize scammers)
In any case, life is not a movie (read Martial arts: movies VS reality, 7 differences), there are situations so extreme that not even the most trained expert can resolve (let’s put our hearts at rest)
…

In the next article of this series, we will deepen the most effective methods of implementation.

In-depth video courses

Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu Exercises – Our fundamental exercises for combat preparation
Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu weapons – The core study path for our martial weapons
Self-defense: not violent self-preservation – Everything we teach to do before recurring to violence
Self-defense basics: how to – The full self-defense path of 6 Dragons Kung Fu
Mind self-control hacks – A journey toward the control and improvement of our mind processes
Weapon disarming: what works and what not – A serious approach to disarming for self-defense

In-depth articles

Self-defense: how to defend against knife attack – A practica scenario with different solutions
Is your instructor harming your martial growth? – The hardest question to reply at

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

What is the less effective self-defense weapon in your opinion?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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