You all know what a slasher in a knife fight is…he is the gangster who slashes the knife back and forth wildly. This motion is unpredictable, and it makes it hard to get past the blade. Try a kung fu or karate block and it’ll get you cut, he’s too fast for you to make judo work, and like as not he is coming in on you fast!
The first strategy that comes to mind is to wrap some sort of protection around your forearm. This will protect that limb and give you at least some sort of a shield. The problem with this fighting trick is that the time it takes to find something wrappable, or to remove your jacket and wind it around your arm, is time in which you are going to get cut to pieces.
So wrapping something around your arm, while it has its uses, isn’t really the most workable strategy when if comes to knife self defenses. It is pretty much stop gap. You will probably still get cut, and it segments your self defense moves into predictable movements: the wrapped arm is going to be used for blocking, and probably only for blocking.
Interestingly, there is a concept that does work for this type of combat scenario, and for figuring out knife fighting techniques. It is easy to play with without getting hurt if you use a training knife. You can also find yourself a red magic marker and wear white tee shirts if you really want to develop workability.
The concept is not to focus your eyes on the knife, but to look at the shoulder of the arm holding the knife. This is hard to do, because the concept of taking your eyes away from the weapon is difficult to do. There will also be people who hold that to take your eye off the weapon is the dumbest and most idiotic thing a knife fighter can do.
The fact is, however, you are not fighting an inanimate piece of metal, you are fighting a human being. The best place to look with the eyes would be the eyes, for ‘The eyes are the windows to a man’s soul. Thus, to look at the eyes would enable the fighter who knows what he is doing to see the thought behind the action.
In the specific situation of a slasher, however, focusing on the shoulder is actually superior strategy. As the hand whips back and forth, the shoulder does also, and the shoulder is slower and bigger and easier to watch. Thus, by concentrating your attention on the shoulder you can actually predict the change of direction and motion of the slasher.
Now, the best strategy, to be sure,is to not get into a knife fight, or just bring a pistol. But, times being what they are, thugs being what they are, this strategy should help you live to fight another day. And that’s the trick you use to survive a slasher in a knife fight.
You can pick up the best knife fighting DVDs in the world at Monster Martial Arts. There’s a free ebook available on the home page.
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