Five Knife Fighting Falsehoods in and the Martial Arts
One major concern people have is whether they are going to be able to get their knives out in a combat situation. This one, like so many other potential problems, depends on what is actually happening. The fact is that there are several good solutions.
Be aware, see the knife attack coming, and you\’ll have time to get out a folder, especially if it is spring assisted and you have practiced a bit. A better alternative would be to carry your knife on your belt in a sheath, this can be pulled out quickly. The key, however, is to avoid dark alleys, choose your environment carefully, and just generally be aware.
A big falsehood is that when you practice a knife defense your attacker will slow down after the first strike so that you can do your defense. This is so silly it is absurd. In a real fight everything is in a constant flow of motion, so you\’d better practice in a martial arts system that, in addition to any beginning self defense moves, has drills in which motion is really happening.
One of the biggest concerns people come up with in this matter of fighting with sharpened steel is that they are going to get sliced. Well, maybe, but then again…it doesn\’t have to be. You can lessen the chance of getting your body cut up if you practice, practice, practice–in any fight, in life itself, the first principle is to always be prepared.
One of the things you have to be careful of is these systems that show people grabbing the knife (or gun or whatever) away from the attacker. This is only after years of experience, and even then, the martial arts instructor involved will probably do something more damaging or careful to protect his body. Simply, you don\’t have time to mess around when somebody tries to slice and dice you with a sharp edge.
Don\’t think somebody is going to attack you in a set way. Yes, he will probably attack you with the cutter in his mitt, but that is no promise. If he\’s carrying sharpened steel in the first place, he\’s probably got a tricky sort of mind that will set up with a distraction, and then do something you don\’t expect.
You know, one of the oddest things I do, if students want to learn how to survive knife attacks, is train them to make using the knife as natural as picking up a spoon. I have them tie a knife to the back of their hand, blade out in front of the knuckles, and then I tell them to do common things like brushing their teeth, tying their shoes, eating, and so on. It\’s educational, they might actually nick themselves, but the awareness process will start up.
The Blinding Steel Program at Monster Martial Arts is on of the best knife fighting methods in the world. Head over to the Monster and see if there is a FREE knife offer going on.