PlanetMace Blog

How tactical baton training improved my skills

As an officer of the law, I am always looking for new ways to learn self defense, as fighting art forms and have taken various types of Korean, Japanese and Chinese martial arts throughout my lifetime, but in the past few weeks I have began tactical baton training. As we are provided with equipment suitable for learning baton training in law enforcement and we are also trained in basic baton training, it was very easy for me to get started. But if you are looking to become involved in such training without earning a policeman’s badge, there are many stores online in which batons can be bought.

The typical baton used today is about 26-30 inches long, and I am currently using a collapsible baton, however most training is applicable to any stick. Tactical baton use is more than a system for self defense; it was designed from classical kali and arnis methods to maximize the time that an individual spends training by taking into account his previous experience, background and motor skills. To say that shortcuts are taken would not be accurate, yet it takes less time to learn tactical baton methods than it does other police baton methods and it is more effective.

I have definitely been impressed by tactical baton training, as it has increased my already quick reflexes within only a small number of hours using tactical baton techniques that focus on two specialized techniques, known as “speed baton” and “safety baton.” Essentially, these are techniques of special interest to me as there are times where I must use my baton instantly to subdue an assailant or suspect without causing undue injury, and therefore perfect for my line of work. Many other law enforcement training techniques have taught me to use aggressiveness to subdue my suspect but can often lead to potentially lethal blows which is unwanted when a lawsuit is likely to occur that could possibly put my job in jeopardy.

One of the main points to tactical baton training is safety and safe areas to strike a suspect, which include the shoulder, elbow and wrist. This can help control the suspect without causing them a permanent injury. Overall I think anybody interested in martial arts or self defense should definitely give it a try, the training is very basic but once you master those basics, they can save you in a lot of situations and I would seriously recommend this to anybody in law enforcement.