I've noticed that the STAB system video has gotten a lot of good feedback on this site, so I had a look at it. I know it has many advantages - been able to train 'alive' and so on. So as a training method I agree with the approach. Hmm, I'd say about 25% is downright ingenious - many of the concepts are really good. 50% is pretty standard, but there is a good 25% of it that is fairly dangerous. I know several simple ways of escaping that could get very ugly if I was the attacker with the knife. Also there are numerous ways that the knifer could complicate matters by simply grabbing. Is this video indicative of the system or is there more to it, I'd love to get feedback from mappers who've trained with the stab lot. I just don't want to judge it on a video.
The video is just a brief intro to STAB. There is a lot more to it - I'd certainly recommend you go and train with Karl personally on this material if you get the chance. That's what I did - it RAWKS As with any training system or method - video just gives you an overview - you need to FEEEEEL this stuff!
Only one comment. I love to play about with complexities and counter-techniques in the dojo. For self defence it's QUICK AND SIMPLE. The STAB programme is that. Whether it works for you is individual. In Shudokan Aikido we used to offer a VERY simple programme of self defence techniques involving elbows, knees, backfist, stamping - attacking groin,eyes, solar plexus, balance - not comprehensive, but people remembered them, used them and gave a lot of good feedback, especially from women. I think this programe was taught across all clubs in the UKMAF (aikido, shorinji kenpo etc)
I think the video is good. STAB seems a simple and robust system. To me that's the key for knife defence - you want quick, dirty and simple (like kiaiki said). You don't want to be thinking which of your 20 joint locks might work........by that time you'll be probably resemble a bowl of chicken nuggets. Only thing, I thought was that the disarms focused on knee strikes to the thigh. I was (and still do) shout "stamp on his knee" ....... "again and again......"......"until he can't stand" I'm sure Karl had considered stamping kicks to the knee and possibly discarded them for a valid reason. However, in my view some of the postures just scream out for a knee stomp. Just a minor point though. In general, an excellent video and one which I am actively trying to incorporate into my own training. Paul
BTW - many of the postures and principles are demonstrated in one of my TMA forms - Hung Gar's gung gee fook fu kuen. It just took one view of the STAB video for the light to go on. That is of no value to anyone but me. But just thought I would type it anyway. Paul
That question is best answered by trying it under pressure. I've found that in the insane push-pull struggle that happens when full resistance is used here -the stamp is not that viable - it upsets your balance too much.
"I've found that in the insane push-pull struggle that happens when full resistance is used here -the stamp is not that viable - it upsets your balance too much." I can vouch for that from experience in a real fight. I was hoping a stomp to the knee would drop this guy to the floor, but it didnt land exactly right. It did, however, put me in an awkward position allowing him to grab my head, and for my efforts, I got that knee slammed into my face several times. Im just glad I didnt have to clean up my blood after that, would have taken me all day.
Fair enuff. But can't really see the difference between a repeated knee to the thigh and a repeated stomp to the knee. I'm not thinking a low side kick here - my Hung Gar stomp is probably more like a wing chun low front kick but off the back leg. If i'm raising my back leg to knee the thigh then there's really not much difference between that and my stomp kick motion. They take the same time and travel along virtually the same trajectory. As I said, no biggie - I'm sure Karl went through loads of techniques to get to what he's teaching. Perhaps a short discussion on why he selected the particular techniques illustrated would have been valuable just so we could understand his thought process. Overall, a great purchase and one that I'd recommend to anyone. Paul
