What do you think and feel about this opinion?

From Marc "Animal" MacYoung...

http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/knifelies.html

What do you think? Or feel?

 

Absolutely bang on the money.

 

lol you can say that again Pat O'malley

 

Absolutely bang on the money

 

Fantastic article.

Well worth posting whenever someone turns up with funny ideas about knives.

Although I am curious about the guy who wrote it and how he has managed to see all these different knife styles and street fights without ending up dead. But whatever, the advice is good.

 

He is a member here so you could ask.

 

Basically put. FMA will not save you against a knife. YOU can only save you and if you poke the bear dont be surprised if it bites you in the ****.

And as for knife fighting masters and experts? Well in order to train with those boys you have to visit one of two places. Prison or the afterlife.

Best regards
Pat

 

WHAT HE SAID!!!!

I took the time and read the whole article and my personal favorite was "just because the founder of the system or lineage was a walking piece of bad-assed real-estate doesn't make you one." - I have trained with a lot of people who teach how to use a knife and they tend to fit into the following categories:
1) Nutcases - people who have been in knife fights, know some martial arts and think that teaching students a Gung Ho attitude and a few cute moves will do the job.
2) Technicians - People who know techniques and principles and can show you 500 different ways to disarm an attacker - of course it does help if the attacker, attacks in the 'correct' way.
3) Over-Killers - Marc referred to these and I have been on a training course or two - where if you did what the trainer advised, you would (if you survived) go straight to prison.
4) Naturals - I have trained with a few people who could ABSOLUTELY do the business - indeed a couple of people I have trained with HAVE survived knife fights by use of skill - However what they teach require SKILL, SKILL and MORE SKILL as well as natural abilities that most people simply don't have.

Example: It's not the case that the SAS (or any other spec ops unit) teach you how to be a 'super warrior', if that were the case they would not have the most rigorous selection processes. No, those units take people who are already 'natural born killers' and teach them how to do it the way that they (the unit) wants.

5) Straight talkers -These individuals (and I hope that I am one) generally start any session on knife defenses by saying - It can all go wrong and it probably will all go wrong and you only do what we are about to practice if there is NO OTHER COURSE OF ACTION AVAILABLE - One of my students is a serving police officer (Stab vest, CS spray, ASP, etc) and guess what - he knows that if he can get away from a knife threat then that's the right thing to do!!!

 

Very well said

 

I read a lot more of his site (it's all very good) and found the bio about being street tough-guy in LA and other things that explain it. I respect the guy, he's very good and thinks things out well.

 

Great you guys liked it...

Marc MacYoung is a member here?

 

Ridiculous BS. Most of what he said doesn't reflect the reality I know. He's just another "I know best, listen to me" idiot that probably posts on Bullshido.net or somewhere else as equally stupid.

 

Hi,

I always want to improve my knowledge so your words "doesn't reflect the reality I know" interests me - What is your reality and how does it differ from that in the article?

Thanks.

 

Yes, his username is the same as his real name.

 

Mmmm! Interesting as from my personal expeariance his words hit home. I would be interested to hear your reality

 

Seems fair enough to me.
The only problem I have with some of Mr McYoung's stuff is that it leaves me with a sense of not really knowing what to do. It seems pretty pessimistic and generally down on training at all and a bit short of postive steps to take.
Perhaps I've not read enough but that's how it strikes me?

 

From what I have it looks more like a be realistic in what you do and how you approach your training. Some things are meant to simply build attributes but some people mistake them as being the answers to the questions. They are simply hints to finding the answers.

I like what he writes but I also understand what things are in my training and those skills have saved my skim more than once.

I think it's more of a wake up call for those who thinks martial arts is the answer. Don't get me wrong martial arts if trainedin the right way can help and enhance your chances. But no matter how hard you train you need that one ingredient to help you overcome and aggressor 'Intent' without which no amount of training will help.

Best regards

Pat

 

Maybe the way to 'reframe' it is to consider...
1) Train for the physical, emotional and other benefits that you get from the training itself.
2) Be aware that self-defence is only part of the mix and try and accurately access whether the training that you are doing is sufficient for the risks that you (each of us, personally) may face.

 

Hi Pat,

You have reminded me of something I used to say when running a class - each week I'd say "Today we are going to learn about the most important thing in martial arts..." and then each week I'd add something different ... You can say 'Intent' but you can also say 'ability', 'strength', 'balance - mental and physical', 'situational awareness', etc, etc, etc...

I would suggest that an argument can be made that there are multiple important factors... I do agree that if I don't have 'intent' then I cannot expect to defend myself - even against old Granny Jones who has gone loopy and wants to stick a knitting needle in my eye. but no matter how much intent I have, if I am attacked by the 'Mutant Killer Bikers From Hell' - I am probably going down. In that case maybe I need to have a really good getaway car or a bigger gang of my own or....

I think that the real problem, and the one which leads to so much discord on forums (and in the world) is that the questions are simply too complex and there is just not a straightforward answer...

The upside of that is that it keeps us interested and training

 

I pulled a knife on someone before, and it got me out of a lot of trouble.

He also assumes everyone in the world is a defender, rather than an aggressor. For the aggressor, charging into a situation with a knife in hand is better than no knife at all.

I think the defender thing reflects his own emotional state, where he feels insecure and has become conditioned to abuse.

Home invasion is a serious situation, also - having a knife (or gun) on a shelf in every room will be of use and you'll have time to pull it in most cases - knowing how to use it will also be useful.

Mugging is also another situation - many muggers will force you to the ground and search your pockets theirself. However, many muggers will stand there and force you to pull out your own wallet and present it to them. Imagine pulling out a shortsword instead of a wallet! It's easy to conceal a small sword or large bowie on your self, and even easier to pull it on a mugger - wear a pair of cargo pants, in the right side leg pocket, cut a large hole. When asked for wallet, clamly pretend to comply, slowly reach into your pocket and draw the blade strapped to your right ankle and tucked into your socks and tell him to f*** off. If he has a gun, jam it in his solar plexus. I have been "mugged" before, when I was a teen, twice, actually, and in both cases I was asked to reach into my own pockets. I wish I had a knife.

As for his stupid stuff about holding up in court - if someone breaks into your house and is armed, courts allow you to slaughter them in self defence - same in mugging. You are legally allowed to use force proportionate to the situation at hand in any situation (meaning if your life or limb is in danger, you have a licence to kill) - this is in every country, as far as I'm aware, so long as it is clear self defence of yourself or family (or any random, actually).

Knives are useful, and training them is useful even more so!

As for being unarmed and fighting off a knife fighter - many people say this is stupid to train. I believe in this situation you often don't have a choice, so you'd rather have trained some disarms or quick KO's/submissions than not, regardless he is armed - think of a mugging or home invasion against an attacker armed with knife or gun when you have your wife or kids with you and you believe no amount of compliance will secure their safety- you have to fight, no choice, so train it.