Knife Defense

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Real World Knife Fighting
Training for the Ultimate Game of Tag
by Richard Ryan

A discussed in previous installments of Cutting Edge Combat the greatest advantages of the edged weapon are that it is a touch weapon meaning all it must do is make sufficient contact with you an it will do damage. It is also considered a multi-directional tool. Unlike the specific body mechanics required to deliver an effective punch or kick, the blade can come at you at any and all angles regardless of the need for such balance or mechanics. These two advantages stand out above all the rest because they allow almost anyone with only a modicum of skill to be potentially deadly with a blade. Add skill and training and you take that average person and make him into a lethal fighting machine in all but the most extreme encounters especially if your adversary is unarmed or in possession of a lesser weapon.

The Myth of Knife Fighting

But what happens when two people square up for a knife fight? Well, the reality is that this type of thing rarely happens in the real world. Rarely do two hostile combatants face each other toe-to-toe for a battle of the blades. First off, to face a blade at all is stupid. So many things can go wrong that could find yourself talking to God pretty quick. One misjudgment, one mistake and you are meat on a coroners slab. Although statistically more people live than die from gunshots and stab wounds I for one do not want to try my luck unless the only other option is death.

The straight up duel to the death with knives are more the creation of the movies and folklore than reality. In truth the edged weapon is more often used to overwhelm victims often with the use of stealth or surprise. In most fights outside of the "psycho attack" people fly into a rage and jump into the kill zone stabbing and slashing away until the victim drops. Or they get close - preferably with deception and shank you before you even know what happened.

So why are so many people teaching "knife fighting" now a days? Well for one, it can be profitable. So many people carry folders and yes, there are many people who will pay to learn how to fight with a knife. But unfortunately most of them don't want to know the truth. What they want to know is things like "where do I carry the blade" and "what type of knife will allow me to do that super fast quick draw when I need to outdraw an attacker" or how can I "sword fight" with my six inch tactical folder?

They don't want to learn the hard truths. They don't want to learn that if you have to quickdraw the blade in your defense, you're probably already dead or should have done something else like hit them or run. They don't want to know the reality that knife on knife combat is the riskiest and most problematic form of combat that there is carrying, with it almost no margin for error. No, these truths are no fun and serve only to shatter the myth of the swashbuckling knife fighter that is so pervasive today.

So why practice knife on knife combat? That's easy, we do so because the practical lessons you learn from such encounters are priceless. By learning how to survive against a blade using a blade you develop a quick appreciation for reality - as long as you play for real. Here is where most knife fighting instructors screw up by interjecting techniques and tactics that will only work if the opponent cooperates or is an idiot. Things like over reliance on traps, passing the blade, and general control maneuvers that seem really cool when you do them but crumble when opponent cooperation ceases. Remember my prime axiom "resistance is what separates reality from fantasy!" Therefore I will reiterate the lessons from the past issue of this column before going on:

1. Don't expect to use conventional blocks and parries against a knife attack.
2. You'll never catch a knife hand in motion, trap it or control it without first severely hurting the attacker first.
3. In defense of a knife you will be cut - the trick is not to die - so be psychologically prepared for it.
4. Try to evade contact entirely or if you must defend cover or shield your vitals and counter viciously.
5. If forced to fight, stay compact and move in with the most lethal attack you can and try to end the fight immediately.
6. Better yet - get a weapons yourself and even the odds!

Now with these rules in mind lets move on to some of the realities of blade on blade combat. First and foremost on the self-preservation list is what type of defense to deploy when the opponent has fangs also. Assuming that we are free to operate in an open environment and not confined to a specific situational response our choices are evasion (both in footwork and body), blocks and parries with the free hand and blocks and counter cutting with the weapon / weapon hand. Taken by themselves each one has assets and liabilities. Obviously evasion is the best from a defensive perspective. The best defense is always no to be there but it does not solve my basic problem i.e. the attacker can keep coming until he gets it right. Blocks and parries with the free or guard hand can work but only if the attacker uses predictable lines of attack and telegraphs his intentions at least a little. The less telegraphic, deceptive and unpredictable the attack the less this will work. Moreover,!
if you miss you could also be dead. Blocking or deflecting an edged weapon close the body offers no margin for error.

That leaves blocking or counter cutting with the weapon hand. In an ideal world the attacker forewarns you of his intentions and delivers an easily discernable attack to which you reach out and counter cut achieving both defensive and offensive objectives in one action. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world. We live a place where Murphy's Law reigns supreme. In this world you could just as easily miss and end up a pincushion.

Synergistic Defense

So what's the answer? Well the truth is that you may need one or all of these defensive options to survive. In Dynamic Combat and Tactical Weapons Training we believe in stacking the deck in our favor as much as possible to avoid the bite of Murphy's Law.

Here's how it works. First we are assuming that we have room to operate. Working in a close quarter environment with blades requires a completely different set of sudden death survival tactics. So, for the sake of this article we can move. Evasive footwork and body evasion now become our primary form of defense. We will simply move as much as possible and avoid contact with the blade entirely. But like I said before, that doesn't solve our problem. Therefore whenever possible we prefer not to just run but to "cut and run". Ideally we will not only back up but also try to cut anything we can reach with the blade on the way out of the attack zone. Moving the body this way allows for a margin for error. If you miss the counter cut you should still be far enough away to avoid being clipped. And if not, well that is where the guard hand come in. In a last ditch effort to avoid any disabling cuts we will shield or block the incoming attack with the free hand as we move away effectively sacrificing it before we sacrifice our life.

Sounds great, huh? Well it ain't. As a matter of fact nothing about a knife fight is "great." Bottom line is that if you are ever in one of these for real you had better prey that you make all the right move with no mistakes and have more than a little luck on your side.

The good news is that the right knowledge and training can increase how lucky you can be. In Dynamic Combat we train people to fight with any and all weapons and especially those of the edged variety.  But the way we do it is different then most. We start out with big knives - no not big as in Bowie big but big as in long blades. The advantage of a long blade is cutting surface.  A large cutting surface allows you a large margin for error in the initial stages of training. We use large counter weighted one-handed swords for this but you could use an Escrima stick just the same. You don't want it too bulky or heavy because that changes the dynamics of the technique also. You want to be able to use it in one hand.

Now this larger cutting (and blocking) surface will directly influence how you will utilize the blade. Larger cutting weapons tend to make people more aggressive and less defensive which is good at these initial stages. It allows you to stay in and practice perfecting your blocking and countering skills.

But before long we start to use smaller and smaller blades. Often we do this without letting the student know about the changes he needs to make on his defense. As we progress down in size to the length of an actual tactical folder they begin to miss those easy parries more and more until they miss at least half the time. This is a lesson unto itself. They soon begin to realize from actual experience how difficult it is to actually counter cut with a tactical folder.

Real World Training

Now the real training begins. Armed with this knowledge we can now begin to modify their defense integrating footwork and body evasion and de-emphasizing counter cutting as the primary defensive tool. Now they learn to move away from the blade, cut when they can and even use the guard to survive when they are too close. In the end it is the synergy of evasion, counter cutting and free hand defenses that will increase your chances to survive a blade on blade encounter. The great thing about doing such training is the ability to learn how to effectively control distance and avoid having an opponent be able to even touch you. This type of thing will transcend into all aspects of your combative training making you more elusive than you have ever been.

My thanks to Dynamic Combat Expert Instructors John Hutchison and Javier Avalos for help with the pictures.

Keep on cutting,

1. Weapon size, weight and shape determine tactics. The characteristics of each weapon determine its use. Size does matter not only in the effects of a cut but in the accuracy and overall control of the tool. Bigger and heavier weapons can cause more damage per stroke but also can leave you open to swift counter attack.

2. Blade length determines blocking and counter cutting potential. Trying to block or counter cut with a three-inch blade is just asking for trouble. Six inches is still a real problem. Nine to twelve or more is better and better. The smaller the blade the greater the skill required.

3. Develop synergistic defenses. To be effective you must combine body evasion, evasive footwork, counter cutting and last ditch guard defenses into a single defensive package.

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About Richard Ryan:
Richard Ryan is the founder of the martial art of Dynamic CombatT and the creator of TDT (Tactical Defense Training) and the Tactical Weapons Training Systems. A lifelong martial artist with over three decades of experience, Master Ryan is renowned for his extensive knowledge and scientific understanding of reality-based fighting arts as well as his mastery of hand-to-hand and weapons combat. Richard Ryan currently offers instruction through videos, classes, seminars and training camps. For more information on Mr. Ryan and his organization and training programs, please visit his website at www.DynamicCombat.com or contact Ryan Defense Systems, Inc at (800) 945-Get Real - or dial direct at (602) 482-7252.

* Phone:  (641)-832-8031 * St. Ansgar Middle School Gym * Mr. Lance Schutjer