Krav Kife Defence.

Hi Nick.

I read you say on another thread that the simultaneous block and strike against a knife is a bad idea. I'm keen for you to explain why. I too have been taught that method and in training, it has felt quite natural for me and a good way of buying time without being totally defensive. Admittedly, I've never tried it for real so I am curious.

Also, the issue of most knife attack victims not even knowing they have been stabbed. How do you try and incorporate that reality into your teaching methods?

Thank-you in advance.

Jason R.

Jason,

Apologies for the tardy reply mate...been busy.

To answer the first part first i.e why not the simultaneous block and strike; Because you can't get any real power in the move at all. There is a reason why boxers don't try and throw both hands at the same time. It's far more effective, for power generation to use one side of the body at a time.

Second part. Yep, most knife defenses are bollocks when you consider that most people who get stabbed don't realize a knife's involved. All of the systems that are specifically designed as knife defense therefore are depending on something that usually doesn't happen i.e. knowing a blade is being used.

How do you train for it. Treat most fights the same way. In other words if someone is throwing a punch at a Krav guy he doesn't do a simultaneous block and strike does he? He blocks it, slaps it to the side, ducks or dodges it etc and then counter attacks. That's how I deal with all my fights. Someone's throwing punches etc I might sidestep, slap it, parry it, block it, duck it, dodge it and then launch a counter attack. It works whether a knife is involved or not.

I'm curious as to why Krav guys (not my Krav guys ) treat the punch and the knife any differently given we're not going to know the knife is involved...or anyone for that matter.

Nick

PS: Yes yes, I know...someone is now going to say "but you've advocated Filipino arts for knife defense." Let me answer that one and save you the bother..."because in the FMA and the Filipino culture fighting empty handed is the exception to the rule. They are going into the fight assuming the knife is involved because it more than likely is...so in that context it's hugely viable as a system.

Cheers Nick.

A bit to think about.

Jason...the mission accomplished. Windows of belief change all the time. Mine have many times, from what I used to believe about knife defense, to what I think now. Who knows, it may change again.

Nick

Hi Nick... care to expand on the FMA stuff you touched on there? It sounded interesting

Jagunco,

Mate...simply put, in their culture they grow up fighting, at the minimum, with knives. School yard fights, at least the ones in my day, were with fists almost exclusively. Over there, they're not.

We know from empirical evidence that we don't see knives in fights (which makes techniques designed specifically against a knife kind of redundant because they're assuming something that doesn't typically happen).

The Filipinos however can work that way because knives would be the rule rather than the exception.

Nick

Helo Nick,

In the FMA I study: a Presas, Villabrille, Balintiwak blend; I always find the knife defense moves lacking - though I agree that knife awareness is emphasized in everything. Strangely enough when we do play the empty hand vs the knife the most successful defense always seems to be a right cross ( I think that is one reason I like Hock's diminished opponent theory).

Just an observation

Andrew