| "Knife defense" (actually, | | | | when stabbed say it felt like a light punch). |
| "defense against weapons" in | | | | But that does not mean that you’ll |
| general, but let’s stick to knives | | | | survive long with a hole in a vital organ!The |
| shanks/little pointy things for now), as | | | | Root of the Problem A major cause of this |
| trained these days in most martial arts | | | | illogical training paradigm is that many of |
| self-defense schools, and even in many (but | | | | the programs were developed by instructors |
| not all) "Reality-Based" ones, is | | | | who attempted to replace their lack of |
| more entertainment than life-saving | | | | real-world experience with |
| training.The Artistic Method: What Does This | | | | "hard-core" drill experience. Many |
| have to Do With Violence? Let’s | | | | instructors have created systems based on |
| eliminate from consideration up front all the | | | | thin or non-existent real-life experience |
| thousands of schools where the "armed | | | | with blades, but lots of experience in |
| attacker" brandishes a knife, cocks it | | | | martial arts training. Some of the |
| at the hip, then lunges forward in a single, | | | | instructors may have lots of experience in |
| committed thrust… then waits or falls | | | | high risk jobs (bouncing, police, military, |
| off balance while the "defender" | | | | etc.), but this does not necessarily equate |
| performs (yes, it is a performance, as | | | | to vast experience defending against deadly, |
| artistic and false as anything on Broadway) | | | | committed, armed attacks. Even a situation |
| the prescribed technique. Of course, | | | | where the opposing party is armed does not |
| that’s Knife Attack #1. Knife Attack #2 | | | | necessarily equate to a vicious attack if the |
| would have a similar dynamic, only the knife | | | | armed party is not intent on using the blade |
| is held in the ice pick grip, and the thrust | | | | to do more than intimidate.As Lt. Col. Al |
| comes down from waaaaay overhead to where the | | | | Ridenhour USMC has repeatedly pointed out |
| "defender" can best perform the | | | | (most recently in Guided Chaos Newsletter |
| counter technique. Wonderful performance, | | | | #58), no matter how "realistic" |
| elegant, good fun.Now, some schools, the ones | | | | they may be, sport methods and training |
| that purport to take "knife | | | | drills can never approach the multi-faceted |
| fighting" seriously, expand the number | | | | reality of violent conflict! |
| of prescribed knife attacks or | | | | "Realism" is not reality! A real |
| "angles". Instead of two, you may | | | | blade does not "tag" you, reminding |
| get five, or twelve, or over 100 (at least | | | | you to improve your grappling clinch |
| from what I’ve seen)! And of course, | | | | position. It penetrates flesh and bone and |
| you must practice your techniques against | | | | does real, disabling, possibly lethal damage. |
| every angle. While you start out practicing | | | | Your body instinctively knows this, and will |
| each angle and defense technique in | | | | naturally attempt to maximize distance from a |
| isolation, with the knife attack freezing | | | | real blade--provided you’re not trying |
| conspicuously at its apex to allow the | | | | to force it to do the opposite!Untrained |
| counter to work, eventually things go a | | | | Instincts Morgue reports show that a normal, |
| little faster, and the "feeder" | | | | untrained person, when mercilessly attacked |
| (that’s actually an official | | | | by a determined killer or psychotic armed |
| designation of the "attacker" in | | | | with a knife, typically reacts in one of two |
| this version of the drama) starts feeding the | | | | ways, depending on the individual’s |
| angles out of sequence, without telling the | | | | mindset going into the situation:1. The |
| "defender" . . . except insofar as | | | | victim panics, curls up in a fetal position, |
| the feeder cocks the blade in the prescribed | | | | cries out to God or whoever will listen, and |
| starting position for each attack before | | | | generally puts up no significant resistance, |
| launching it, even at high speed (can you say | | | | so overwhelmed and horrified is he by the |
| "pattern recognition"?). Especially | | | | sheer brutality and violence of his fate. |
| when things start going fast, and the | | | | This is the reaction killers want to illicit |
| slapping sounds of parries and passes against | | | | when they attack with extreme speed, surprise |
| the arms start sounding like a drum solo, | | | | and violence of action (factors it behooves |
| this is REALLY fun!Does anyone not see some | | | | us to utilize ourselves in violent conflict). |
| of the problems inherent in this kind of | | | | It makes their task easier.2. Even with no |
| martial choreography? At least insofar as | | | | prior training, the defender’s body |
| training to protect yourself is concerned? | | | | attempts to do everything in its power to |
| The limited, pre-planned attacks, the | | | | keep the weapon away from vital areas. This |
| "if he does A, you do B" | | | | appears to be to a certain degree |
| memorization, the lobotomized attackers with | | | | instinctive. It typically takes the form of |
| no limbs save the knife-holding one, the lack | | | | running away if possible, dodging, pulling |
| of any context whatsoever for why | | | | back the abdomen to avoid thrusts and slashes |
| you’re going toe-to-toe against someone | | | | (compare with pocketing--a Guided Chaos |
| ostensibly (but not demonstrably) trying to | | | | skill), swatting the knife away with the |
| gut you. . . . The list can go on much | | | | hands at adrenaline speed (compare to the |
| longer, but you get the idea.Getting Warmer: | | | | Dog-Dig--also Guided Chaos), and kicking out |
| The "Reality-Based" Method Now, | | | | with the legs if the victim falls to the |
| these days, many (but not all) of the | | | | floor (compare with Modified Native American |
| "reality-based" camps have taken | | | | groundfighting). These actions are the cause |
| things a step beyond the foolishness | | | | of the "defensive wounds" |
| described above and done away with a lot of | | | | frequently found on victims of knife attacks. |
| the choreography and performance art. Armed | | | | In many cases where the untrained defender |
| aggression is not parsed so finely into | | | | was eventually killed by thrusts and cuts to |
| discrete, prescribed "attacks," and | | | | vital areas (typically chest and throat), |
| the "feeder" now acts a bit more | | | | dozens or even scores of cuts were taken |
| like an attacker, at least insofar as he is | | | | first on the limbs as the attacker attempted |
| told to try to repeatedly stab or cut the | | | | to cut and stab past the defender’s |
| defender with a training blade (albeit not so | | | | fast, convulsive animal instincts for |
| fast or hard as to cause injuries). At times, | | | | self-preservation. What prevents the defender |
| the attacker even remembers he has a free | | | | from surviving is his inability (through lack |
| hand. The stances are relaxed, and movement | | | | of knowledge, experience and training) to |
| is actually encouraged. Sometimes the action | | | | damage the aggressor. However talented one |
| is preceded by some improvised dialogue, and | | | | may be at keeping the knife away or even |
| a "scenario" is suggested. Students | | | | controlling it, if no avenue of escape is |
| are told to expect to get cut, even while | | | | available, the attacker must be damaged in |
| trying to avoid it. This is progress!However, | | | | order to end the attack.Real World |
| problems again arise. . . ."Realistic | | | | ExperienceContrast the experiences of the |
| Training" The instructors want the | | | | instructors we have discussed so far with the |
| students to feel like they’re training | | | | extensive experiences of the WWII-era close |
| "realistically." After all, this is | | | | combat pioneers like William E. Fairbairn |
| "RBSD" (Reality-Based | | | | (discussed in Attackproof Newsletter #58) and |
| Self-Defense)! One way to make them | | | | his contemporaries.Then, look at the advice |
| "feel" more "realistic" | | | | they gave:Late in his career, during an |
| is to remove the need for them to "hold | | | | interview, Fairbairn was asked about |
| back" or move at less than full power. | | | | defending against a knife while |
| Unfortunately, good striking cannot be | | | | unarmed:Fairbairn had only two suggestions:A. |
| performed full-power in training without | | | | “RUN!”B. "With a |
| bulky, unrealistic protective gear. And even | | | | lighting-like kick of either foot, kick him |
| when the gear is used, the dynamic is changed | | | | in the testicles or stomach."But when |
| considerably because strikes do not have a | | | | my brother asked him to demonstrate this |
| realistic effect. What is the only method of | | | | move, "Willie never even got up from his |
| fighting that can be trained with nearly full | | | | desk. He just said, 'You missed the phrase |
| intensity without a prohibitively dangerous | | | | “lighting-like.” I don't do |
| risk of injury? Sportive Grappling!Lo and | | | | “lighting-like” |
| behold, we now have on the market a bunch of | | | | anymore.'"--From The First Commando |
| "Reality-Based" (more accurately, | | | | Knives by Prof. Kelly Yeaton, Lt. Col. Samuel |
| "Training-Drill-Based") knife | | | | Yeaton (USMC) and Col. Rex ApplegateKill or |
| defense methods that are grappling-oriented. | | | | Get Killed by Col. Rex Applegate, one of the |
| The common thread amongst them is that one | | | | most complete of the classic close combat |
| must initiate one’s defense by grabbing | | | | manuals, discusses strategies such as using a |
| the weapon-bearing arm or wrist through | | | | chair, using a baton and kicking as preferred |
| various methods and then control it while | | | | methods for defending against a blade. Other |
| launching incidental strikes with the | | | | less preferred methods are also included for |
| unoccupied limbs (e.g. knees, headbutts) and | | | | closer attacks or for controlling a less |
| or taking down the attacker. The more | | | | dangerous adversary.Carl Cestari, one of the |
| sophisticated methods teach combinations of | | | | foremost modern authorities on WWII-era close |
| classic standing wrestling techniques and | | | | combat and also an experienced police officer |
| positions (e.g. the shoulder stop, arm drag, | | | | and veteran of all sorts of mayhem, taught |
| two-on-one, various takedowns, etc.) in | | | | several kicking methods to counter a |
| dynamic Greco-Roman wrestling-like drills | | | | knife-armed attacker, involving straight |
| with a rubber knife added in.So, the training | | | | “savate” kicks to the midsection |
| is dynamic, forceful and uncooperative. What | | | | and low side kicks while stepping offline, |
| could be wrong?How about the fact that even | | | | all done with rapid-fire |
| in the less intense drills, the students | | | | “lightning-like” execution that |
| constantly get stabbed in vital | | | | is enhanced by Guided Chaos dropping and |
| areas?Training To Die You can view video | | | | balance training.Finally, a man of my |
| clips of these kinds of drills on sites like | | | | acquaintance with experience on both sides of |
| Well, the instructors said the training would | | | | the law revealed the only strategy he had |
| be realistic, and that you should expect to | | | | ever “seen” work successfully |
| get cut while defending against a knife. . . | | | | against a planned hit in prison (i.e. being |
| So, by telling the student to put himself in | | | | suddenly assaulted at close range by multiple |
| positions where the knife is very near his | | | | shank-armed experienced assassins): get into |
| own vital areas, the instructors are | | | | a corner, drop to the ground, and kick out |
| basically training the student to die. . .But | | | | madly with your feet until the “hats |
| you know what? The training is fun! You | | | | ‘n’ bats” arrive to break |
| sweat, it’s dynamic, it’s lightly | | | | things up.Where’s the disconnect? Why |
| competitive just like mixed martial arts | | | | are the methods advocated by veterans of |
| training, and everyone cheers you on. I | | | | real, desperate life-and-death combat so |
| suppose the idea is that as you get better at | | | | different from those advocated by masters of |
| it, you’ll get stabbed in the heart, | | | | sport-based martial arts and |
| liver and kidneys less often than when you | | | | “realistic” training drills? We |
| started out, just like you eventually get | | | | will explore this in Part Two of this |
| punched less in your boxing training (unless | | | | article.Ari Kandel is a 1st degree Black Belt |
| of course the other guy is good or cranks up | | | | in Guided Chaos (Ki Chuan Do), the adaptive, |
| the intensity…)Anyone see a problem | | | | free-form internal art created by former |
| with this supposedly "realistic" | | | | forensic homicide investigator John Perkins. |
| training? Sure, under adrenaline, you may not | | | | He also appears in the KCD Guided Chaos |
| feel the pain of being stabbed (many people | | | | Groundfighting DVD. |