oftheherd1
Senior Master
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Any time I was visiting another dojo, if I was asked what I would like to work on from their art, I would request either self defense, sparring or weapons defense. And that's been a lot of dojos over the years. [and a lot of **** whoopings I got]
The speed and agility parts were never a problem for me. I'm just not good against knives, never have been. Unless I have a knife. And I practice a lot with a knife.
And you bring up a terrific point - the realization in students that it's scary. One thing I've seen throughout the years, in some places - is an almost blaise approach to knife training.
And the dreaded X block of a knife. You know, where you cross the wrists and block an incoming straight strike and then disarm with a wrist lock.......like I used to teach when I was a youngster. Thank God nobody actually had to use that and got themselves killed.
Probably goes back to the fear factor and trying to overcome that.
Anyway, some of my thoughts:
I did look it up and of the many You Tube examples I saw, I wasn’t satisfied. Many were showing why it would be so easy for the knife wielder to effectively defeat any attempt at a cross block. And darned if it wasn’t as long as the defender blocked and then just stood there awaiting their fate. I was intrigued by the sequences below:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cross+block+against+knife&&view=detail&mid=F69A4A96E8420CDC01D4F69A4A96E8420CDC01D4&&FORM=VDRVRV
About 1:38 he reaches forward and grasps the hand in a cross hand grasp. Goodness! Even about 1:49, he grasps the wrist in a more controlling way, but again pauses for the defender to switch the knife to the opposite hand. Not recommended. Worse, neither ‘cross block’ is really a block. A good cross hand block is with the fists clenched and is done in a scissor fashion so the wrists aren’t just blocking, but actually striking. With a good firm grasp like at 1:49, done as the defender makes a step to the left to even with the attacker’s plane (no cross block there by the way), while directing the strike to the left or the attacker, then moves the attacker’s hand and arm down and back and then up as the defender steps through with his right foot, the defender will find he has pulled in the attacker while twisting the arm, and can then bring the arm down forcefully and into the attacker’s abdomen; preferably into the liver, but certainly deeply into the bowels. The attacker’s left arm will have ceased to be useful as the defender pulls the attacker’s right arm forward then back while deflecting it away from himself.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=hapkido+knife+defense&view=detail&mid=920BBFCB258E038F7760920BBFCB258E038F7760&FORM=VIRE
It is similar to the defense at 1:09, but significantly different in the control of the attacker, and again does not employ a cross block. By not controlling the wrist better with two hands, and not pulling him off balance a bit, in fact, the left arm of the attacker might be brought into play. Also, by not stepping to the side, you meet the arm coming full force. Trying to stop it with one hand at the wrist and the other more with the thumb is to me way more dangerous. I am not sure if the defender is trying to use an elbow pressure point since it isn’t quite placed right, but no matter, I would consider it an inferior defense.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=cross+block+against+knife&&view=detail&mid=9052CB30F2D539A6D94F9052CB30F2D539A6D94F&&FORM=VDRVRV – In this video, you can see a much better application of defense after a cross block. It still lacks a strike, and is also a little tricky, but likely to work if done correctly and quickly. I personally would prefer what I described above.