Empty Hands Knife Defense

Empty Hands Knife Defense

This course presents an overview of the problems and solutions regarding empty hands knife defense by exploring the “pyramid of priorities”.

Protection

As you do not want to exchange strikes with an armed attackers you must prioritize your protection over damaging him and so we first erect a barrier of protection using parries, stops, and checks.

Counter-attacking

This area is where we begin to “tenderize” our attacker with strikes to their bladearm and other available targets. Unless sufficient tenderization significantly diminishes your attacker it is unlikely you will be able to safely catch or grab the bladearm in order to effect a disarm.

Grabbing

This is where we explore the various ways to catch and grab the striking arm and to deal with neutralizing his other hand to reduce or eliminate its counters.

Disarming

Releasing the blade from your attackers grip is accomplished by turning the blade back on them, dislodging it with an object, and as a last resort using your own hand or arm to strip it from their grasp.

Control and Recovery

This stage of the encounter you have disarmed your attacker and you seek to maintain control over them to prevent further struggle and you wish to recover the knife so bystanders will not get it and use it or run off with evidence.