“How would you tackle a guy who came at you with a knife like this?”
That’s one of the questions one of my self defence students asked me yesterday during a training session.
We tend to have quite a lot of talking during training because my students are very inquisitive and want to know everything.
I prefer this kind of training as self defence/self protection is not only about the physical but the mental, too… maybe sometimes more… depending on the situation.
“Well”, I replied, “I certainly wouldn’t attack the guy”.
“What do you mean?” I think he was a little surprised as he expected a tough guy answer to his question.
“You see, to try to take on someone with a knife is pretty stupid, especially if the guy knows how to use one. I’d very likely end up getting stabbed”.
I had to demonstrate to him what I meant.
After a couple of quick demos of what could happen in certain scenarios, he understood.
The fact is, there is no real unarmed defence against a knife… despite what the so-called experts say.
I’ve seen umpteen videos where so-called special Speznaz, Seals, and other self-proclaimed experts try to teach knife defence.
I’ve also been to clubs where they teach ‘knife defence’.
The conclusion I always reached was that they were either so idiotic they were laughable… to the downright dangerous… and the only thing they’d succeed in achieving is to get the practitioner killed.
As far as I’m concerned, if you’re faced with someone brandishing a knife, pick up anything you have to hand – preferably something big to whack them with or throw at them.
Hopefully, that would give you enough of a distraction to escape, or disable the thug enough so you can finish him off… assuming you’re in a sensible position to.
The only time you should even attempt to fight against a knife, I told my student, is if you’ve got your back to the wall and have nowhere to escape.
Then you’re fighting for your life.
When the only thing you can do is to fight back or die, I guess the choice is already made up for you.
Then you employ anything and everything you have at you disposal…
… your legs, hands, whatever.
And you fight for your life, literally.
Then I went on to show him what I would do in that situation.
And that is the only time where taking your fists to a knife fight is an option.
But, don’t expect to come out unscathed.
Dave Turton’s Unarmed and Dangerous
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Rezbi
yes I totally agree with you, but if you are fighting for your life against a person (Male or Female)who has an edged weapon yes you will get stabbed or cut but 3 of the most knowledgable people I know Dave Turton, & Tony Agostini (UK) &Jim Trifiro (US)who are all very very Knowledgable Master Instructors & who all teach edged weapons defence have said that you determine where you get cut not the attacker
which is good advice (and it all comes down to training with edged weapons) and or shockknife which is an excellent training tool.
I think dave should run an edged weapons weekend would you attend it I definaatly would
Respectfully
Alex
I’m pretty certain Dave has run a weapons course before.
I probably would not be able to attend one at the moment due to personal circumstances.
Although, I’d be the first one had my situation been different.
There’s not many people out there who think as highly of Dave’s work as I do, and I’m sure he’d back up that statement.
Good Morning Rezbi
I Think Very Highly of Dave, HE ISTHE BEST Self Defence Instructor I have ever worked with, the man is just so Awesome he has an amazing amount of Knowledge
and Experience, and he is so helpful if you have a question or cant get a move right
Dave will have an answer for you and will make sure before you go you understand
the technique or move.
he is also a perfect gentleman, an all round great guy
respectfully
Alex
Even though surviving a knife attack in a situation where you can’t run nor have any weapons at your disposal is extremely tricky deal, wouldn’t it still be useful to teach things for the IN CASE situation? Such techniques that aim to minimizing serious injury (protecting chest, neck and abdomen mainly) and answering to the attack in some kind of a way?
When I’ve seen sensible teachers teaching effective knife defense, the main weight was never in disarming or avoiding cuts. Instead, it was to move body off the way and/or locking the knife close to body (after making sure he can’t slide it into you) while simply using every possible way to cause more harm to the opponent than he can cause to you. And it was always to be expected that you will get cut and even stabbed, but that can’t hinder your ability to respond. Marker pen also is a poor indicator of real damage; You can survive even hundreds of light cuts, but one lucky stab is the end of the road.
It’s anyway very different to fight an unarmed opponent for your life than fighting a knife wielding opponent; So, even if it’s always extremely risky and most of the time simply put, a stupid thing to do, wouldn’t it still be better to teach it a bit than not at all?
tzatza
I agree and that’s why I made the statement at the end about fighting for your life anyway you can.
What I have a problem with is when instructors teach things without the proper knowledge and give their students a false sense of security.
What I mean by that is that they will teach them knife defence and let them think they can use them at any time without the need to avoid getting into a confrontation.
Some instructors will teach their techniques and let the student think the technique is so good you can disarm an attacker at any time.
The fact is, anyone teaching knife techniques should leave them under no impression that they are only to be used when they have their ‘back to the wall’ with no way of escape.
Otherwise the best thing to do would be to just get out of there.
Don’t do what Richard Pryor said, “Macho man. I’ll take that knife and stick it up your arse”.
And then you end up with the knife up yours.
Oooo interesting ending to this post. Well done. I'd go by the title of this post. I wouldn't bring my fists. Instead, i'd bring my legs to help create THAT distance.
I know there are some who would disagree with this post, and the ending, but that my opinion.
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