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"Knife Experts"....

Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:41 | Author: Damien Alexander |

One thing seriously gets on my nerves is all these so called,self-claiming knife "experts","masters" or "champions" and how they expect people to buy into this garbage.

Truth of the matter is; there are only 2 type of "master" or what ever you want to call it,

1- They have NEVER been in a life threatening confrontation with a knife and trained soley in a dojo or

2-someone who just got lucky with a little skill at the most.Although it is possible to defend yourself against a knife attack,staking claim to such titles is just pure moronic.

A "true" knife "fighter" will never let you see the knife 99% of the time.You will feel it before you see it.

I come from a time and place where the "old timers" used to settle pool game debts with straight razors and most of the time,the "winner", at best,came away looking like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces missing.Some people say,"expect to get cut".

Why? That's not always the truth.

BUT, luck does play a huge part of a knife confrontation,regardless of skill.People seem to not realise the finer aspects of knife confrontations when it comes to using what they have learned in a dojo setting. Things like,sweat,blood,clothing,drugs,alcohol,unknown skill of your opponent,the enviroment you are in or on...the list goes on.

These are factors that make knife confrontations more "interesting",to say the least.It is not quite possible to train for complete realism due to the fact,someone must get cut or die.

When people tell me their knife work is 100%; I ask them: "will this work in a prison excercise yard?" Knife attacks are mostly fast and furious as hell and that ain't no joke! You may get the occasional "one jab and run" scenario, but don't rely on that.

Most of your traditional arts teach it that way. Grappling arts barely teach anything at all and, sorry boys and girls, Grappling is the last place you want to try and deal with a knife! I know of guys who will wait until you get them on the ground and THEN they will gut you like a fish.

Knife training of any sort can be risky at the best of times. The old saying of A little martial arts training can get you killed in a fight" is definately true in knife work. If you want knife work to succeed, you MUST train for it religiously! Not the occasional class here and there at your local YMCA,but with a diligence you have never thought possible.The reason is not because the "other guy is training to kill you", but because,when faced with a knife, death can come litterally, by accident.

A person does not need skill to kill, just the desire. In fact, most people who use a knife, have no skill at all. They just "go for it". And you're "it".

You can't read the other guys mind when he's holding a knife. The thought of "if he just shows it to you, he won't use it. it's a scare tactic" is pure bollocks! You can't rely on theory! You can only count on the fact that you might die if you hesitate to either run (preffered) or fight (final option).

There are tons of theories about how to fight someone with a knife.Grab the wrist,grab the arms,poke the eyes,kick the groin....or my fav....."wait until he stabs you in the abs THREE times and on the 3RD time, clench your abs! he won't able to pull the knife back out" (oh dear God).

I like the Jackie Chan Method myself, "Hit him with whatever you can get your hands on and run like hell!!!!!" But, there are ways to learn that are much more viable than others. Some arts are based in practical, modern, adaptable practices. Others are nothing more than theories. When all is said and done; the only knife "expert" is the one who survives. There are no "knife fighters", no masters, no champions. Just people who recognise skill with determination and a bit o luck can make the difference.The rest are just full of... (insert substance here).

"Streetfighter" or "The Macho Myth"

Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:30 | Author: Damien Alexander |

As I have said in a previous blog; people have a preconception of what they want to learn when joining a martial arts club or system.Most of the time, it is to learn "Reality Based Self Defense"(RBSD) or some way of defending themselves on the streets. Some actually believe high kicking,fancy flipping tactics actually work. Any idea of how many of these guys are buried each year?Unfortuantely, the media is the biggest propaganda machine ever created and even worse....people believe 98% of it.When people see all the "hollywood hype" of a "Bourne" movie followed by the news,the get the impression that the movie acrobatics works and they go out and hunt down a system who teaches it or,when they here about these military combative systems; they think: "if that works for the military,it must work on the streets"!The problem is, the military and the streets are 2 completely different battle grounds. Truth of the matter is; most of these "military combatives" and "ultimate fighting systems" are not going to work on the streets against a proper seasoned streetfighter.

Why?

Because,the misconception of a "street fighter" is not someone who fights to gain accolades. Like the MMA guys who claim to have a "record" of 200+ street fights. Those are just fights in the street.A "real" streetfighter is the guy who is going win at all cost and he is going to cheat to do it. He isn't going to worry about "rules" or consequences and he WILL use a weapon to win,even if it is more friends like him.

If he has to wait in the shadows to hit you in the back of the head with a 2X4 or shoot you when you aren't looking, he will do just that.Some people think if you learn a "new and ecclectic" way of fighting;i.e, get him in an armbar on the ground, you will win because the opponent taps out.What do they teach you to do when you manage to get someone in an armbar on the ground and your opponent bites a massive chunk out of your leg and keeps chewing until YOU let go?

A "streetfighter" will do just that.Streetfighters are rare,but a vicious breed. They will cut you,shoot you,gouge your eyes out,bite chunks of flesh out of you. They will do whatever it takes to win for them. They are out there and no matter how much "macho based training" you do,you stand a damn good chance of losing and in a very bad way.

No matter what fancy moves or tricks you learn or how much you practice these "tournament based moves" with rules, the true streetfighter will go straight through them like a lawn mower through your front yard.

Now, you're asking yourself: "then what am I doing wasting my time trying to get a black belt in (place system name here)?!?!?" Pure and simple,in most cases,like it or not....The Placebo Effect(it's a great money maker these days). Ever have dream that your fighting and you lose or you move way to slow AFTER you get you Black Belt? Could that be your subconcious telling you that you have no confidence? Think about it...

Now,you need to ask,"what's missing and what does an untrained streetfighter have that I don't?"The answer is fairly simple: WILL.

The key to winning or succeeding in everyday life is NOT that Black Belt or that University Degree(any idea how many Uni Grads are homeless?!) or how much training you do. All that is just 1% of what you need to survive or succeed.What you ACTUALLY need is .THE WILL TO DO WHAT THE OTHER GUY WON'T! The will to go to a level he has never thought of or,at the very least,get to that level before he does.Bodybuilders have a rule of thumb for success: 1% inspiration,99% perspiration.

Litterally; you must willing to work harder for it that you actually want it.

You may not be willing to do what a streetfighter will do,but you have no choice if you want to win. I have heard people say:"oh I couldn't do that to a person"....why not? He'll do it to you and not think twice.All the training we do as martial artists(or pugilists) is not gone to waste,if you have the will to go that extra distance and do whatever it takes to win.

Training in any type of pugilism is giving you confidence and options to go the needed distance,but the instructors can only take you so far. The very last mental stage is up to you.

We can't tell you how you are going to react to the realities of having to bite someones flesh until the blood gushes or how it feels to listen to the screams of someone who has just their elbow joint popped and destroyed or how you will react to shoving your fingers into someones eye socket.

TOO many times I have seen someone hit another person in defense and immediately panic and beg for forgiveness while the other guy is stomping the crap out their head. All because that initial punch didn't work right off the bat.You have to have the WILL to keep hitting,kicking,stomping,biting,breaking...whatever it takes for YOU win!

Nothing less is acceptable.In this day and age,you can't rely on Honor or the hopes the other guy won't have a weapon.Chances are: he has none and has at least one and you can't rely on the biggest bullshit myth of all: It won't happen to me or not in my neighborhood (EVERYONE travels,you know).If you even think for ONE second that you have ANY doubt what so ever of your ability to win, all you have to do is:Consider the alternative.... It's bad. No matter how you look at it.

As I tell my students and clients; I pray with all my heart that you never have to go to that level,but I pray infinately harder that you can if the need arises.

Substance Vs. Hype

Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:27 | Author: Damien Alexander |

A lot of people, when starting a martial art, be it beginner or experienced trying a new art, have a pre-conception of what they want to learn. The instructor has a pre-conception of how he wants to teach.The key is finding a middle ground with both parties that each can work from.When a person goes into a new system,most of the time,they know very little of what it has to offer and if they have read up on it,; they know even less of the instructors methods of teaching and relaying information.Fortunaely, in this day and age, there is more than plenty of different types to make everyone happy.UN-fortunately; there are also a lot of instructors who suffer from the "self hype" of "it works for me,what's your problem?"Some people will use their so called titles to promote themselves as "masters" and even give false ranks just to boost their own ego and boost the memberships of their clubs. They will even give their sport titles as testament to their art being "street combat effective", even though, they have never even come close tobeing taught combat effective techniques or even been in some kind of fight.But, you will see all the fancy advertisement and "flash" associated with these same clubs and they look really cool and fancy,which is very appealing to the uninitiated. Then,when they(students) finally see the truth,it is usually too late and the money has been spent.On the other hand, you will find some instructors who have nothing to prove, so to say. They have "been there, done that" and now they to pass on what they know. Not stay in the fading limelight.As one man once said to me: "we are just guardians of a legacy. we learn,we train,we show,we pass on to the next generation. Then they keep the legacy going.

"*those who can; fight.

*those who can't; teach.

*those who can do both; revolutionize.

An istructor worth his salt, doesn't need to advertise and hide his "short commings" with fancy hype. The truth will ALWAYS come out.An instructor who IS worth his salt; doesn't need to advertise with fancy hype.*Substance will hold up his and his teachings reputation.When there is nothing to prove; there is nothing to hype.

Training with Tools

Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:20 | Author: Damien Alexander |

Ask yourself this when was the last time you cut a steak with your hand? When was the last time you hammered a nail with your fist? When was the last time you screwed in a screw with your finger nail. When did you last walk to work (if you live five minutes or more from work) and did not drive your car? When was the last time you failed to use a flash light in darkness to perform a task? The point I am trying to make is that we as humans use tools all the time. This is an essential point to understand in your Martial Science growth.Most predators will try to give themselves an edge. How will they do this? With surprise and also with a tool in hand to allow them to achieve dominance. Your Martial Science training needs to be tool based if you will function well in the real world. You need to know how to use projectile tools such as firearms, chemical tools such as OC, Mace, etc, vehicular tools like a car, (yes a car is a great tool) blunt tools such as a cane or a stick, bladed tools such as all the myriad different types of knives, flexible tools such as your belt, rolled up shirt, etc. So you can see that you need to be well versed in how to utilize tools to your advantage.Ask yourself this question? If some predator violently attacks you or your loved ones with a knife would you rather have to deal with them with your bare hands or some tool such as a firearm, knife, stick, etc? The answer is pretty simple. We humans use tools for everything and that is an essential part of our nature and one of the reasons we are so successful on this planet. It should be no different in the Martial Sciences!Utilize A Tool And Succeed!

Copyright Instinctive Response Training LLC 2008Brian R. VanCiseNote: This Blog is opinion only and Instinctive Response Training LLC nor Brian R. VanCise is responsible for any third party actions taken.

Blade seeks flesh, Stick seeks bone

Tuesday, 11 August 2009 14:24 | Author: Damien Alexander |

That is a statement every FMA practitioner, or any kind of weapons practitioner, should be familiar with.
It is fairly simple and straight to the point; yet some people still don't get the meaning of it.
We're going to concentrate on heavier stick use, in particular, something like a walking cane. In the FMA, the stick is a replacement for the blade. Which, of course allows you to train knife techniques in an extremely safe manner (and your partner doesn't whine so much ;-) ).

Then someone finally realised you could use the stick on its own. Genius, I say! But, the main problem a lot people run into is you can't use all knife techniques with a stick.
With a knife, you can slash, or slice. With a stick, or even a walking stick or umbrella, a slicing manoeuvre is almost useless and time wasting. You pretty much need a hacking motion if you were to use something heavier than a knife. Slicing may give them a friction burn at best. You can still block, parry and even lock up, but no slicing.
With a knife, you can let the blade do the work. It doesn't take much pressure to cut, so, you can be faster and let the blade do all the slicing and dicing. Hence, "Blade seeks flesh".
In the sport side of a lot of FMA practices, they preach that you do not need power. If you are training for knife technique, correct. If you are training for a sport competition using extremely light sticks, yes. If you are training for the use of a proper, heavy stick, you need speed, but, you also need to train for power.
You must train to hit for as much blunt force trauma, as quickly as possible and as much as you can physically gather.
You are trying to hit the bone at all cost. "Stick seeks bone"...

This especially applies to using the majority of improvised weapons. Most of which, will be blunt based objects anyway. When training, it always best train with an object you can hit full force. That is where tire training comes in. It gives good rebound to strengthen forearms and conditions the practitioner to deal with rebounding kinetic energy.( if you are unknown to the world of rebounding kinetic energy; walk outside and hit a telephone poll with a wooden baseball bat as hard as you can, with one hand , and get back to me ;-) )
There are a lot people who have utilized the method of warming up on a target with a decent weight rattan for a few minutes, changing over to an iron bar for 15-20 minutes, and then going back to a rattan for while. This helps you build speed and power and helps increase conditioning time. You also need to train without hitting a target to develop full range of motion of striking.
Then, there is my favourite; full contact padded stick sparring.

Now, to be truthful, if you are in a situation where you are stuck with a smaller weapon, like the thin end of a cue stick, you will have to use speed to wear your opponent down, due to the lack of weight of the stick needed to generate more powerful strikes, which utilize more, larger muscle groups. With lighter weapons, you have to work faster; heavier objects; harder.

Think of it as; a person hits you 10 times with a chop stick as fast as he can and you hit him once with a tree branch, as hard as you can. You Win!
Also, you have to think of dealing with multiple opponents on the street as well. In our class, we try to train for a minimum of 3 hits when going one on one. In a multiple opponent situation, you don't want to waste your time with hitting one opponent several times while his friends kick the snot out of you from behind.

So, you want to make the strikes as hard and as minimal as possible. A lot of times, you only get a chance to hit each assailant one shot at a time.
There a lot schools out there who train for the sport side only and call it effective in the street. You need to understand that there is a difference and be sure of what you want. If you want sport, no problem. It is out there and there are damn good coaches. In fact, you will find more of those because the sport side is flashier and easier to sell. BUT, a decent coach will have power training on a regular schedule ;-). You may have to search a little harder for someone who concentrates on the more power/street application, primarily.

If you want to train for knife/sport, train for speed (seek the flesh).If you want to train for stick/street, train power (seek the bone).

Last Updated (Tuesday, 11 August 2009 18:28)