The 'Point' of the lesson

First published Friday 28th May 2010

This Wednesday's session was dedicated totally to defence against knife threats and attacks.

This included threats from in front and behind, thrusts to the body, slashes to the body, over arm thrusts to the head, and knives held to the throat from the front and from behind.

We were of course using the rubber training knives, but they are still fairly weighty, and it is easy to forget that they are not the real thing. However, there are is an important point that I want to make about knife training:

A student that has attended one, or maybe more, knife training sessions, does not suddenly transform into an unarmed combat instructor whose speciality is disarming assailants armed with a knife or other sharp instrument.

As I say in every session, if you are being threatened with a knife and you only have a fiver in your pocket, just give it to them, rather than risk any injury to either of you. I wouldn't want anyone to attempt to put a value on what their life is worth, you can always get more possessions! Of course, remember as much as you can, and report it as soon as possible to the police.

A threat is definitely different from an attack though, as the assailant wants something when threatening, and this situation is unlikely to turn into an attack (unless you provoke them).
If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself being attacked with a knife without any warning, then you do need to defend yourself, and the most important task is to neutralise the knife, preferably by knocking it away. At least then you are both unarmed, and as a trained martial artist, you will undoubtedly have the upper hand.

I hope that none of you are ever faced with defending yourself against a knife threat or attack, but I fear it is becoming the weapon of choice, and appears in the news stories nearly every day.

Sensei