Knife Threat

Discussion in 'Women's Self Defence' started by Intan86, Mar 21, 2004.

  1. Intan86

    Intan86 Valued Member

    Greetings MAPers,

    I've read a lot of(well, a few) self defence (for women) books and I found all of it are very practical, simple and easy to follow but when it comes with the common used weapon like the knife, I found there are only a couple pages about it.

    I realised in the books, I can only defend myself when the assailant tries to stab me in the stomach. You know, not slashes but errmmm...I'm sorry I don't know what its called. I'm Asian. Not in a downward motion but in a errmm...vertical...no... horizontal? :confused: :eek: You know what I mean.

    Why is it only this way that I can defend myself? Why not while he slashes? What is the best, simple, and effective way to disarm him?

    Why I'm asking this? Well, recently a few girls/women was robbed by a trendy looking man. Witnesses said the man did not look like a criminal until he pull out his knife.He robbed offices and shops. He aimed at places where there is only a couple or few people around. He attacked as I mentioned earlier mostly girls/women. The robber slapped some of his victims because there only little money in their purse and he even kicked a teenage girl (she was on her way home from a school activity) because she didn't have any money to give him. He kicked the poor girl and ran off with her cell phone. This happened near my workplace area. I worked(part-time) in a small bookstore and since I work alone, God knows he could just appear out of nowhere! No one's around...and I'm just an easy target. So, HELP!!!


    Intan :Angel:
     
  2. Din

    Din 3rd dan

    why dont you ask your martial arts instructor .... its a lot easier to show how to disarm a person that to write it out ... there are quite a few ways ...
    of course the main thing is to keep your body as far from the knife as possible.
    of by the way i think you mean a side ways slash (horizontal).
     
  3. YODA

    YODA The Woofing Admin Supporter

    If you need to ask this question - and this is a robber - just give him your money.
     
  4. Tireces

    Tireces New Member

    Aye, knife=deadly, even in the most inexperienced hands. Alls the bad fellow needs to know is that it doesnt take power-swings to do damage, and you'll be carved up.
     
  5. Judderman

    Judderman 'Ello darlin'

    This is a wonderful example of how criminals work in order to break down your natural defences. Dressing smartly, targeting lone or low populated areas, vunerable/weaker victims. Itan, you said that the attacker has only slapped his victims, not actually used the knife on them. This is also quite common, the use of a weapon is a psychological barrier, this criminal is lazy, he doesn't want to fight for his gains, he just wants a quick surrender by his victims.

    So take heart from this fact. Although you can't state this is the case, it is unlikely (from the evidence shown) that this person will use the weapon against a compliant victim. So the best defences against this person are:

    1) Identify the attack long before it is initiated and escape.
    2) Be compliant as long as he wants material goods

    There are numerous knife defences you can get and only a rare handful are anywhere near effective. Fighting against a weapon should be done as a last resort. If you do a search on knives in the general forum, you will find a discussion on this topic, but I'd be interested to hear what others suggested.

    Budo
     
  6. Intan86

    Intan86 Valued Member

    I guess, the best way is just give the money. I hope my boss has insurance for the bookstore.
     
  7. pally

    pally New Member

    that's maybe the best thing you can do, your life is more important then money.
    the best martial art to defend you against a knife is aikido (i think)
    bye
     
  8. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    It is one martial art that teaches knife defense but there are others ... and whether one is better than the other is left to opinion.
    My opinion is that some martial art knife defense techniques are way too complex for the average person to learn and apply successfully. Such as inJuJitsu Knife Defense

    A good book to read isAdvanced Knife Defense by Sang H. Kim ... and the best advice given in the book is "acknowledge that you will get hurt" ....
     
  9. Guerilla Fists

    Guerilla Fists New Member

    If he is trying to rob the bookstore with a knife from the other end of the counter he isn't a very good robber. Keep a bat on the under end underneath the counter and knock his block off. If he has a gun on the other hand just smile and ask if he would like that in paper or plastic.
     
  10. Fire-Horse

    Fire-Horse Valued Member

    Intan,

    I would strongly recommend that you take all actions to avoid confrontation with a knife. Even if you had many years of training in a good variety knife defence techniques, it is still highly dangerous to tackle a poorly skilled idiot with a knife and my advice would remain the same - prevention is better than cure - everytime!

    Some good advice from kick-chic ("acknowledge that you will get hurt" i.e. slashed/stabbed) & from Tireces.

    If you want to get an appreciation of just how dangerous it is, then try sparring wearing old t-shirts and using red marker pens as knives and see how many red lines and dots you're covered with when you've finished.

    I would also be dubious about learning any self-defence techniques out of a book, some are good, some are a joke! and none are a substitute for a good instructor.

    If things go wrong and you're confronted, I would agree with Yoda & Judderman - material possessions aren't worth the risk, however if you still want to learn a last resort technique then ask Yoda about the 'Monkey knife defence', it conjures up an amusing picture but to me it sure sounds like the safest way out of a bad situation.

    On a brighter note, you're already well armed with knowledge about this thug and his tactics, use this to your advantage, keep your awareness level up and use common sense to avoid exposing yourself to the risk. Already now you're alot safer :) .

    hope this is helpful

    Fire-horse

    PS can one of you please tell me where I can find out how to do quotes :eek: :D
     
  11. YODA

    YODA The Woofing Admin Supporter

  12. aml01_ph

    aml01_ph Urrgggh...

    This is true. Most martial arts lessons and seminars give, what I feel, lessons on "knife-defense" that are too impractical. Take aikido for instance. It teaches a rather long move for defense against a knife to beginners.

    As to your question Intan86, you should acept the fact that you will get hurt if you go against someone with a weapon. But it does not mean that you cannot choose how you will get hurt. Make sure that the other fellow does not get any vital organs, slash any of your major blood vessels, cut off your fingers...etc. I would never chance an encounter when same fellow is at my back (if it's not my life or his yet..).

    If the robber is JUST AFTER YOUR MONEY, give it. In my experience, the cost of getting seriously hurt is much much more than what I can carry in my wallet.
     
  13. Reiki

    Reiki Ki is everything!

    One of the most useful things u can learn in your MA classes is how to line up your target so that your self defence will be effective.

    I can think of nothing worse than trying to kick or punch someone and missing because I hadn't got the striking range right, its probably suicidal.

    We've done a bit on knife defence and its scary how fast a person can move with a knife..... gives me the creeps just thinking about it!
     
  14. Intan86

    Intan86 Valued Member

    I don't want to die early!!! I want to study a lot of other styles of MAs like Aikido, Karate, Jujuitsu, Ninjuitsu, Silat, Wushu, Hapkido, Kobudo, and all the do-dos.
     
  15. Fire-Horse

    Fire-Horse Valued Member

  16. krys

    krys Valued Member

    Hello Intan.

    These peoples attacking women are really animals...

    Didn't you learn knive defenses during your silat training?
    My GM showed me some supring knive techniques and they all looked great.... but disarming a skilled opponent is extremely difficult.... if you really have to fight better use another weapon... but it isn't worth diying for money.... just give it.
     
  17. aikiwolfie

    aikiwolfie ... Supporter

    Dealing with a knife attack is always going to be difficult and risky no matter how many martial arts you study or how effective your techniques are.

    Some good advice has been given. Where a knife is involved the possibility of seriouse injuary is so much greater. However by practising martial arts you have already accepted there will be situations in life where you could be seriously injured by one or more persons.

    Indeed the very act of taking part in a martial art could lead to fatal injuries. You've already accepted the risk of injuary. The real question is how are you going to deal with this attacker should he confront you?

    You could go learn another martial art like Aikido that teaches knife defences. But then you have to consider if you'll have the confidence to put up a fight. You'll also have to consider is it really worth the risk?

    Defences against knife attacks are useful when you don't have a choice other than to fight back. However by your account you will have a choice.

    The book shop isn't yours so neither is the money. If this guy comes into you're shop and demands you empty the cash register, then do it. Money can be replaced. You can't.

    If you want to limit cash loses to such people then don't keep alot in the cash register. Store it away in a safe of some kind in a back room.
     
  18. LordofTheSword

    LordofTheSword New Member

    And what will you do when people still going to hurt you after you giving your money?
     
  19. La Mancha

    La Mancha Valued Member

    In my opinion if you dont have a gun, and lets face it in most of the world we are not allowed to have one, the best form of defense against a knife attack is a fast pair of feet. RUN like the blazes.

    David
     
  20. Fire-Horse

    Fire-Horse Valued Member

    Good advice La Mancha, but make sure you don't offer the attacker a target when you do this, I know of a number of cases where people have been stabbed in the back when they've attempted to run from an attacker with a knife. This happened to a friend of mine, fortunately no serious damage but the stab wound was an inch away from his kidney so could easily have been much worse.

    I know that I've already mentioned this point in a recent post ('Increased Dangers' thread in General Discussion), but I felt there was some value in repeating it here.
     

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