| I treat martial arts somewhat as a sport and as a | | | | knife is used to add those critical four inches to your |
| workout routine, but I'd be lying to you if I didn't | | | | reach. Most people aren't particularly trained at knife |
| think it also had some practical utility as a self | | | | fighting, so they use a natural punching motion. The |
| defense technique, and a lot of the classes I teach | | | | first thing you want to do is interpose your hand, or |
| focus on self defense, particularly in teaching classes | | | | better yet, the outside of your forearm on the line |
| to women and teenagers, in particular mugger | | | | of attack. Just like you do an inside block or outside |
| defense and knife defense. | | | | block on a punch, you do the same thing against a |
| Recently, I've had to give some thought into | | | | guy with a knife. Again, you're going to get cut - the |
| teaching knife defense. Knife defense and martial arts | | | | key here is to make sure that when you get cut, it's |
| techniques sort of mix, and sort of don't. When we | | | | on a part of your body where it won't permanently |
| spar in class, we focus - and we focus a lot - on not | | | | injure you. Try to block his wrist with yours, barring |
| hurting one another. Knife defense has to take a | | | | that, block his blade with your forearm. It'll hurt, but |
| different approach. | | | | you have to get through the pain to follow up with |
| First of all, don't get into knife fights. I don't care | | | | the punch. |
| how good you are, if you're bare handed and in | | | | The next technique is to know the range. He's going |
| street clothes, and the other guy has a combat | | | | to attack on a line. You need to be aware of that |
| knife, you're at a serious disadvantage. If you can, | | | | line and be able to turn tangential to it. Shove his |
| run away. If you have to give up your wallet to run | | | | blade off the line while you move in the other |
| away, do it. Knife fighting is messy and bloody. | | | | direction, and block before you counter-punch. In |
| Which leads to the first principle of knife defense: | | | | Western fencing, this would be called a riposte, and it |
| You're going to get cut. Repeat after me: You're | | | | teaches you that the block automatically breaks the |
| going to get cut. Again, I say. You're going to get | | | | line of the attack and lets you counterattack |
| cut. Be prepared for it, understand that it can | | | | immediately. Use the range - either step in with the |
| happen, and that it will hurt (when you're getting cut) | | | | punch or step away. If you know how to do a joint |
| and hurt a lot less immediately after. The trick is to | | | | lock, by all means do it. Use any techniques you can |
| make sure that you do as much damage to your | | | | to A) disable your attacker, and B) run away. Stomp |
| assailant as you can, while turning the least amount | | | | insteps if you can. Punch for the groin, and go for |
| of damage to yourself. | | | | the eyes. You aren't fighting fair, you aren't fighting |
| The basic knife attack is a thrust or a slash delivered | | | | for points, you're fighting to put the other guy down |
| with the forward hand, sort of like a punch. The | | | | as fast as possible while avoiding getting hurt. |