Shep commented on ‘Using A Bat For Defense?’
Mar-13-2017, 5:07 PM UTC
"If you have room to swing"...how about the kneecap?
-Shep
Great point, Shep.
We will assume that we are dealing with a group, not just one guy, because bats usually only come into play in group situations. In that case we are not just stroking on one target, but denying access to his mates and improving your position.
If you have room to swing I recommend a passing stroke, where you are stepping toward the direction the bat will end up at the end of its arc. This means we are probably step dragging and slide pivoting our full bat stroke as we step towards the arm that has the bottom hand on the bat, probably our left.
If it’s for the last can of beans on earth, take the jaw.
However, if there is still going to be a judiciary in place after your bat connects, let’s swing lower. Your maximum power is going to be across his middle, so rip it there, from short rib down to hip, unless he is a really thick dude. If he’s your typical lean antifa or hoodrat, hit a home run with his floating rib, the lowest one on the left, attached only by cartilage—let me tell you, that shit hurts, I had a pro kick boxer knock mine off the cage 33 years ago and it still hurts!
But what if he’s a big, thick dude?
Knees and hands. I say break a hand as a first option, because big guys threatened with weapons tend to put out a hand—take it off, at least swing like it.
If your big man is in front, hit the knee cap with an upstroke, swung from the shoulder and arched up through the knee so that your recovery will be in a high guard. That way even if you get waist-tackled you can bring the butt of the bat down on his spine. This sliding pass stroke takes you to his side.
If you can’t pass to his right side than rip a down stroke to the outside of his left knee. I was taken out once—and am permanently injured—by getting inside of an axe stroke and taking the handle on the side of the knee. You have a very thick tendon attaching your upper and lower leg on the outside of the knee. If you smash that hard he may not be able to bear wait on it for days. The knee caps hurt like hell but are not as important for weight-bearing.
If he’s a skinny twerp sizzle one into the outside of his thigh.
The shift step is covered in Twerp, Goons and Meathshields and is important for any two-handed use of an extension weapon. The basic concept is every stroke is executed with a step or pivot or reverse step, not a step and drag but a locomotion step. You want to cover ground with single steps with a two handed weapon and with something with shitty balance like a bat you need to develop a high looping arc that takes a missed or scored upstroke and brings it down as a nasty down stroke. If you are swinging the bat with two hands use it like a battle axe.
Oh, Shep, for real assholes, I recommend a golf swing from a high baseball bat ready position. Fake a head shot with the shoulder then arc that thing down and up into his groin. If you miss because he pulls back bring the bat down on a foot. He will have left one behind.
The most important things with a swung bat are:
1. Swing through to your far shoulder.
2. Try to keep moving with each swing, with continuous arcing motion.
3. Be prepared to check a swing and thrust and chop if you are getting crowded or find yourself over stepping. Bunting works in combat with a bat so long as the butt is a little forward. If he grabs the middle you twist the bat with both hands, punch check with the butt and then swing a backhand as you step out and put your stuff arm into play until you restore separation.
Twerps, Goons and Meatshields: The Basics of Full Contact Stick-Fighting
link › jameslafond.blogspot.com
Thanks for this, James! I scrounged up a 32-oz. Louisville Slugger (Henry Aaron model) and abused my heavy bag for a while. Right now, the pass to the right side with a downstroke seems to fit my body type and coordination best. When it comes to combat, I'm a big believer in misdirection and fakery, so it seems to me that this stroke provides lots of opportunities to sell a false "target lock" on the head while stepping and swinging for the knee.
This goes double for the upswinging golf shots to the knees and nuts. I had never thought of that one before, and I'm not smooth with that yet, but Imma keep working on it, because it is even more an act of trickeration than the pass to the right. The bottom of the heavy bag is JUST right for the full nut shot simulation.
I can see that there will need to be a lot of coordination development to shift properly from the grips for bayonet thrust to baseball swing to short chops to bat retention, etc.
Also, bat-to-bag is a great conditioner! Every shot is a heavy one, with full rotation, impact, and recovery, which really taxes the metabolism. It's good for me!
Thanks again, O sensei of the street. You never know when it will be for the last can of beans on Earth!