After class today, a self defense instructor stopped by the gym again and offered to show me some knife defense techniques. He handed me a rubber knife and asked me to attack him. So I stabbed him about 50 times while he attempted to flail his arms around. He demanded re-do, and then another, and another, so I stabbed him about 150 more times as he attempted in vain to disarm me.
So then the guy looked a little miffed, and asked me to show MY skills defending a knife attack. (Bear in mine, I don't train to defend knife attacks, because knife fighting is about the stupidest most dangerous thing you can do in my opinion) So I took off my shirt to use as a shield (a variation of the medieval cloak & dagger fighting style, because I'm a super nerd when it comes to all things combat related that work in real life... also my neighbors in college ran a medieval sword fighting club), he stabbed, I caught the blade in the shirt, then shoulder locked him. He demanded a redo, of course, then another and another, similar results, different finishes each time. Number of times I got stabbed = 0.
So then the guy looked a little miffed, and asked me to show MY skills defending a knife attack. (Bear in mine, I don't train to defend knife attacks, because knife fighting is about the stupidest most dangerous thing you can do in my opinion) So I took off my shirt to use as a shield (a variation of the medieval cloak & dagger fighting style, because I'm a super nerd when it comes to all things combat related that work in real life... also my neighbors in college ran a medieval sword fighting club), he stabbed, I caught the blade in the shirt, then shoulder locked him. He demanded a redo, of course, then another and another, similar results, different finishes each time. Number of times I got stabbed = 0.
He had clearly never seen anything like that before. He looked upset afterward- like a grand pleasant delusion of invincibility had been shattered by someone who shouldn't have been able to shatter it. Well friend, it's far better to have your pride hurt at the end of a rubber knife than a real one.
I don't teach self defense. I'm not a self defense instructor. The vast majority of what's peddled as "self defense" is certifiable nonsense. I have yet to meet a self defense instructor or see a self defense system that I feel confident in recommending to anyone. Self defense isn't about winning, it's about running away and surviving. Fighting a knife wielding maniac with your bare hands isn't self defense, it's taking a massive risk (even if you are a master of 16th century weaponized haberdashery)
It always astounds me how few self defense instructors will even remotely suggest the idea of arming yourself. (You don't need a weapon, you just need to buy their unstoppable "system"!) Even a shirt, a rock, or handful of dirt as a weapon is 100% more effective than no weapon at all when confronted with an armed attacker.
I don't teach self defense. I'm not a self defense instructor. The vast majority of what's peddled as "self defense" is certifiable nonsense. I have yet to meet a self defense instructor or see a self defense system that I feel confident in recommending to anyone. Self defense isn't about winning, it's about running away and surviving. Fighting a knife wielding maniac with your bare hands isn't self defense, it's taking a massive risk (even if you are a master of 16th century weaponized haberdashery)
It always astounds me how few self defense instructors will even remotely suggest the idea of arming yourself. (You don't need a weapon, you just need to buy their unstoppable "system"!) Even a shirt, a rock, or handful of dirt as a weapon is 100% more effective than no weapon at all when confronted with an armed attacker.
And then there's this garbage about disarming attackers with weapons. Every charlatan that teaches that crap always uses a scenario where the attacker is standing at point blank range with the weapon pressed against the head. I have attacked 6 times in my life by robbers (and twice by the police... I'm totally innocent, I swear!) There was always at least 10 feet of space between us. There is no reason to threaten to use a ranged weapon at point blank range. The whole purpose of a ranged weapon is to facilitate an attack from a safe distance. And even if you get mugged by the stupidest people on earth, the chances of you pulling off kungfu disarms before they can pull a trigger are slim. Just hand over your wallet! it's super easy. That's what I did. It worked every single time (even with the police... they asked for my ID) I never got shot once. Amazing.
Rant over.
Rant over.