For the OP: Do you work for an agency? Do they run, or could they recommend a weapons defence course? Do you work as part of a team? Lastly, do not expect any quick-and-dirty fixes for this. Whatever you train, it will take time and dedication to become proficient enough to trust your life with it.
It's a lot easier to cut at range sadly - unless that range is "Usain Bolt" style. I much prefer largo mano, but if I need to really "finish" it does not present the same opportunities.
My point was that if you're trying to close range, you do have to have some form of control as to where the blade is able to go, otherwise it's too easy to be thrusting yourself against the sharp bits.
Well, naturally, if I had any other option but to engage, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Up to and including teleportation. (I'm still working on that one.) But assuming for a moment that I'm all out of options, the idea is that attacking his limbs doesn't require that I be as close to him as attacking his head would. Meaning fewer opportunities for him to perforate my important bits. I know I'm preaching to the choir here. Just saying this for the benefit of people who are perhaps newer to weapon disarms.
I think the counter argument is that the arm becomes easier to control after you've damaged it. I personally have more faith in my ability to land a quick jab on a target than my ability to secure a reliable wrist lock or similar controlling tactic. Once the other guy is sporting a big ol' charlie horse, I think I'd fare a bit better with the controlling.
Knives scare me a lot more than i thought they would. And this fear developed AFTER i started training knife defenses. Its just 1 stab that could end the fight for you. plus getting cut is a new sensation for almost everyone (not many people get cut on a daily basis) and i've learned that new, or unfamiliar stimuli in a chaotic situation often end up with the freeze response being activated. In a knife fight, freezing is an absolute no no....
Consequently, the knife disarms/Defenses that seem most viable for me are the ones where we preemptively strike, not respond to an attack.
Yeah... If a person wanted to preemptively strike with a knife, he'd probably do it from the back, without giving any notice.... what scares me is that there are actually a certain breed of robbers who go for that.... Personally, if i was a guy faced me with a knife, I'd Usain Bolt out of there. =P
Sure, but at this point it could become more about what you're confident in doing. Hesitation or lack of intent is death in knife defence. Before I'd even heard the term "defanging the snake", I'd started thinking about the snake analogy; wrist=neck (ok, snakes are kind of mostly neck, but I mean the bit directly behind the head ), hand=head, blade=fangs. You can control a snake by the neck, it's the safest option. You can control a snake by the head, but you're more likely to get bitten unless you've become very skilled at it, although it is easier to redirect the blade from controlling the hand. I'm not a great fan of the "wait for the attacker to give a committed attack" school of thought. I'd rather take the initiative, and if possible do that before they've even seriously thought about actually cutting you. Spotting someone is "packing" while it's still in their pocket is a perfect opportunity to make yourself scarce and phone the guys with stab-vests and pepper spray. Wrist and arm locks can be great, but only if a clear opportunity is present. If you're going to close range, I feel it's safest to control the neck (By which I mean wrist... my own analogy is confusing me now ) and keep hitting the wielder until you find the off-switch. If a trip/takedown/throw presents itself, all the better, but you won't have time to think about what technique you would like to do, you have to channel your intent and trust your body to do the business.
If your knife training doesn't make you more scared of blades, at least for a while, either it's bogus or you're a sociopath.
I often see running away suggested as a panacea to attacks, but this relies on the assumptions that a) you're faster than your attackers, b) you won't trip up when you're fleeing for your life c) your adrenaline response won't make you fight or freeze d) you have an escape route. Don't get me wrong, avoidance is great, but you cannot rely on it for all situations. Plus, some people are heroes, and will step up when others lives or liberty are threatened. I personally don't believe we should call those people dumb, they give me hope for humanity.
I've always liked Hock Hocheim's take on unarmed knife defence. To paraphrase it's something like this... Try get off line of the initial attack (if you see it in time). Try to gain control of the weapon limb so he can't repeatedly attack you with it. Chances are you won't get a choice on what grip you get so make the best of what you can achieve. A slash that does cosmetic damage is preferable to a lunge with weight behind it. Unbalance him so he can't attack effectively. Either/and/or bash the head/neck and strike the lower body. Put him out of commission ASAP.
Problem 1. Being able to hit someone in the biceps, very hard. 2. Will it work on a committed person.
Will anything work against a really commited attacker? If you have a knife against your neck you give the attacker what they want. If you have a knife waved in front of you maybe, just maybe, you can get off a technique. Maybe.
I'd not heard of Hock Hochheim before PASmith mentioned him, but this page of his gives some good examples of why a defeatist attitude should not be encouraged (scroll down to "Hock's Casebook, Photo Lab and Combat Notes"): *WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHS OF KNIFE WOUNDS* http://www.hockscqc.com/knife/index.htm The will to live, the intent to win, and the confidence to act saves lives.
Defeatest attitude. That's rather putting words in my mouth isn't it? I'm sure there are just as any stats backing up the dangers of being a have a go hero.
I'm sorry if I misinterpreted a genuine question, I read it as being rhetorical. And I'm not talking about "have-a-go heroes", I'm talking about people fighting for their lives when they have no choice.
