Canes are considered a tool that an injured or elderly person would use being very vulnerable for attackers!  When you see a person using a cane in a store or on the street the first thought is that person must be injured, or in many cases you see people who are up in their ages using canes to help them walk. 

Most people do not realize, that a Cane in most systems is an advance weapon.  When I started studying the cane, in Northern Sil Lum,  known better as  Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, it was considered a very high level weapon, almost a "Masters" Weapon.  As a student, you were required to learn the staff, spear, double edge sword, single edge sword, which took many years to complete.  I loved the weapon when it was not one of the most popular weapons in Martial Arts as it is now.  The down fall on the method of the cane was because it was from a traditional style and their were many movements unnecessary to for an injured person, or especially and elderly person with limited movements.

I got council from Great Grand Master Parker about the cane for a weapon and he felt it was a great weapon, and I told him about how I was changing some of the movements for Kenpo and the Street, and he agreed with my annalists of the weapon's usage and even gave me some ideas, because he did not believe in high kicking anyway, and in Northern Kung Fu for the most part, not only were there high kicking, but also many difficult movements, and some very low to high stances, as well as many one legged crane movement for reach to create balance development. So he gave me many Ideas, and I made up many practical movements and came out with my first series of the cane for non-martial artist, as well as for martial artist, especially for the Kenpo Cane, which I came out with in 2000 for sale to the public with Robert Figg, through our company called "Top Cane".

•   Kenpo Cane Beginning Level   This was for the white belt through purple belt, where you could use simple cane movements with you knowledge in Kenpo through Purple Belt.  How to pick out a cane for yourself, the best cane for you!

•   Intermediate Kenpo Cane     This is for Blue Belts through Black Belt, where we teach you how to use grappling with the cane, and counter movements that may be necessary if your opponent takes your cane away.  Also, how to defend against more than one attacker.

•   Advance Kenpo Cane    This cane is for Brown to Master Levels, it teaches you advance grappling, ground fighting, multi-attackers with weapons, and teaches you how to develop Katas that would work for you personally.  Many of you, were Masters and high ranking Black Belts years ago, and now because of a serious and possibility a permanent injury, age, and other factor that may cause your reactions to slow down, this is the DVD for you.  It gives you the edge using your old knowledge with a cane, that will bring your abilities back to when you were in great shape, and more important, you have a new tool that you can work out with to get back in shape with.

•   Street Cane for Beginner   In this video, you will learn basics, like blocks, parries, strikes, and a few self-defense movements.  You will also learn how to warm up, different ways to hold the cane, and is for a person without any injuries or very few.

•   Intermediate Street Cane   In this video it was for more violent attacks, more complex basics, and many more common attacks that you would be able to use the cane to defend yourself with.   Also, just like all the other cane tapes, this one had many stunts on the street, so you could see the method of usage, and also it was more entertaining making it easier to learn from.

•   Advance Street Cane   This video had a few more basics, but many more scenarios for attacks and alternatives' if the situation changed during the attack.  We taught you how to understand how you can change from one attack to another, and who was the most important person to defend or attack with the cane.  There is a method in who you attack or defend against first, so we went much more into fighting strategies and the reason behind the different strategies.  You also learn how to fight on the ground, fight other opponents with weapons, multi-attackers who attacked simultaneously, as well as how to use the environment and the A.P.P.E.E. System of self-defense.  Awareness, Prevention, Preparation, Empowerment, and how to Execute your tactics.

•   Handi-Cane   We felt this was our most important video, because it was for the injured and elderly who really needed the cane to defend themselves.  In this video, we showed how to carry things, while using the cane.   Going to the ground to stabilizing yourself while being attacked, and using other braces for balance like a wall, car, tree, and other objects in the environment that would help your balance.  We also went into A.P.P.E.E. in more details, and gave many suggestions, such as shopping with a partner, carrying money in different places, and new basics that do not require much balance or strength.  Also tactics of surprise, you may have to attack first, and under certain situations it is legal to do so.  If you are being threaten, or put in a situation that can cause you feel a person is threatening you  physically or with body language, you do have the right to defend yourself immediately, causing the attacker to be off guard.

We also did something much different than other videos, we added, stunts and practical attacks on the street so you could understand scenarios of practical use better by watching the attack scenes.  We also added entertainment, and environmental beauty, to make it much more fun learning the cane.  We added music, back drop of areas of Hawaii, and also studio control lessons.  I received many compliments for the change in this method of learning, instead of the straight learning in a studio, because ten years ago, most videos were boring and done strictly in a studio step by step not show the street element, which would bring more reality to the video. Also, there were many people teaching the cane that were not qualify to teach this weapon, but because it was popular, they sold their ideas to the public that did not know better.  Our "Video" was almost like a movie that you learned from, with many similar features, making it interesting and teaching using many methods.  Robert Figg and I were the founders of "Top Cane" in 1999, and now soon the tapes will be up dated and put on DVD's, in a similar fashion, but with higher quality and being a young company, we plan on making changes to make the tapes even better.  People learn in many ways, and after doing intensive research, the new cane videos will not only be entertaining in like a movie setting, but better acting, and all aspects of producing a video will be upgraded and we hope to make it difficult to turn off the lessons because you are having so much fun learning,  and it won't just be for the entertainment value.  It is important to have optional methods of learning.  

Also another very important issue, is that because I had a serious knee injury, I learn the difficulties in carrying packages from the shopping center, or just everyday usuage, such as getting into my car or house, and if I had packages, I had to find my keys, allowing me to be vulnerable and so I had to adapt a method still allowing me do what ever chore or daily act I had to do.  I realized, when you are the most vulnerable and how you could make simple changes, so that your keys were ready and other situations I had to overcome with making changes, and still being ready for a possible attack.  Attacker, usually wait until their victim is at the most risk, and very vulnerable for them to make an easier attack on their victim.  So, this was very important information I added and changed in the cane Videos, and the new DVD's we are in the process at this time producing.

Mark and I met over Ten Years ago, we teach different style and methods, but he has a good site, and support his effort!