 

Defang
drill No. 1: Jim Moseley delivers an angle 1 (downward diagonal forehand
slash), and Erin Vunak cuts his arm as she backs away.

Defang
drill No. 2: The partner (right) executes an angle 2 (downward backhand
diagonal slash), and Erin Vunak meets it with an angle 2 of her own.

Defang
drill No. 3. The opponent (right) feeds Erin Vunak an angle 3 (horizontal
forehand slash), and she responds by moving her body backward and cutting
his knife hand.

Cut-and-check
drill No. 1: James Wilks executes an angle 1 (downward diagonal forehand
slash), and Erin Vunak cuts the inside of his arm while using her free
hand to check that arm.

Cut-and-check
drill No. 2: The opponent (left) feeds Erin Vunak an angle 2 (downward
backhand diagonal slash), and she attacks the outside of his arm.

Cut-and-check
drill No. 3: The partner (left) tries an angle 3 (horizontal forehand
slash to the midsection), which causes Erin Vunak to check with her free
hand as she passes to the outside and cuts the arm.

Defang
drill No. 4: As Jim Moseley attacks with an angle 4 (horizontal backhand
slash), Erin Vunak backs away and slices his knife hand.

Defang
drill No. 5: The partner (left) executes an angle 5 (straight thrust to
the abdomen), and Erin Vunak moves to the left as she cuts his knife hand.

Cut-and-check
drill No. 4: Erin Vunak is confronted with an angle 4 (horizontal backhand
slash), so she checks with her free hand, passes the knife and, instead of
cutting the arm, opts for the neck.

Cut-and-check
drill No. 5: James Wilks attacks with an angle 5 (straight thrust to the
abdomen), and Erin Vunak responds by stepping off-line to her left and
executing a forehand horizontal slash.
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A
Guide to Knife Training for Women
by
Erin Vunak
Women who
study the martial arts often discover that what they are taught works
fine in the dojo against a male opponent who doesn’t resist too hard,
but when they try to use a technique for real, they may find that it is
woefully ineffective.
If you are a woman training in a predominantly male environment,
you’ve probably been searching for ways to put yourself on a more
equal footing with men. Certainly you should strive to increase your
overall body strength and develop your punching and kicking power, but
you should also consider a way that will make the most of your natural
feminine attributes instead of simply trying to overcome them: Add
Philippine weapons training to your workout.
Cutting Edge
The Philippine martial arts were developed by a nation of comparatively
smaller people so they could better defend themselves against invaders
who were larger and armed with more modern weapons. Strength and power
are not major requirements, but coordination, speed and stamina are.
Bruce Lee regarded the Philippine fighting methods as quite useful
(witness Enter the Dragon), and students of jeet kune do concepts have
embraced them for years.
Philippine knife fighting can help women gain an edge in all aspects of
their training. As a self-defense equalizer, the knife is unmatched. As
a fitness- enhancing tool, weapons sparring forces quick, agile movement
and provides a phenomenal workout. And as a physical, mental and
spiritual enhancement, knife fighting offers such a wealth of
information and training concepts that no one could possibly learn them
all in one lifetime.
Women who take up the blade develop attributes that will make them more
effective martial artists: timing, agility, speed, cat-like footwork and
the ability to draw and intercept an opponent.
These attributes don’t apply to just knife work; they will also
improve your training and sparring under any conditions.
This article presents four basic exercises that will jump-start your
edgedweapons training. For maximum safety, you will need to obtain a
training knife before you begin. To protect your hands, boxing or bag
gloves work just fine, but hockey gloves are also good. If you plan to
spar with intensity or if you just want to be extra safe, eye protection
should also be worn.
Before you tackle the exercises described below, take a moment to think
about the principle of “defanging the snake.” A cornerstone of the
Philippine martial arts, it teaches that rather than trying to get close
to your attacker so you can cut his body, you should strive to cut his
weapon hand as he tries to strike. Once you have done that, his weapon
and his attack will be nullified.
You will then have the choice of finishing off the snake or letting it
go while you make your escape. From a tactical and legal point of view,
defanging the snake is the best strategy for self-defense with a blade.
Defang Drill
This exercise introduces the concept of defanging the snake. You and
your partner should each have a training knife and a glove for your
knife hand.
Your partner moves first by stepping in and feeding you an attack along
one angle. Your mission is to cut the incoming limb (aim for the glove)
while backing away. The footwork is crucial: Don’t just stand in place
and cut. If you happen to miss with your knife and you stay planted,
your opponent’s next cut will most likely reach a vital part of your
body.
Run through the exercise slowly at the beginning, then speed it up as
you become comfortable. Feed your partner different lines of attack—in
some sort of order at first but then at random. The following are five
basic angles of attack you can use:
• Angle 1: Forehand slash or thrust, high (neck); angle downward,
• Angle 2: Backhand slash, high; angle downward,
• Angle 3: Forehand slash to body; horizontal (rib area),
• Angle 4: Backhand slash to body; horizontal,
• Angle 5: Straight thrust to abdomen.
Your partner should feed you all five angles, then you do the same for
him.
This is not a sparring drill in which you and your partner try to attack
and defend simultaneously, nor is it a “flow” drill in which each
person alternates attacking and defending. Instead, one person defends
while the other acts as a coach.
This exercise is called the largo mano drill because as the defender,
you are trying to stay out in long range where your opponent can’t
reach you with his knife but you can cut his hand.
As stated above, footwork is vital. Step backward, zone to the side,
change your elevation—but keep moving. You may discover that against
certain angles of attack, certain cuts work better while others get you
cut. The important thing is to find what works for you.
Cut-and-Check
Drill
This exercise familiarizes you with close-range blade work. It is not a
preferred method of knife fighting per se, but it is an invaluable
self-perfection exercise for sharpening your body mechanics, sensitivity
and knife-handling ability. For simplicity, refer to the above-mentioned
five basic angles of attack. Your partner feeds those five angles first,
and you defend. Your checking hand should ensure that once you cut your
opponent’s weapon hand, it doesn’t come back for another swipe.
• Against angle 1: Cut the attacking arm with a forehand slash and
check your partner’s knife hand with your free hand. Release your
check before your partner goes on to the next strike.
• Against angle 2: Cut the arm with a backhand strike and check the
knife hand with your left hand.
• Against angle 3: Pass your partner’s knife hand to the right
(across his body) as you cut the arm with an angle 3.
• Against angle 4: Pass your partner’s knife hand to the left as you
cut the arm with an angle 4. (Note that your passing hand is also your
checking hand; it should be monitoring what your partner’s weapon is
doing.) • Against angle 5: Move your body to either side out of the
path of the knife as you cut the attacker’s arm with an angle 3.
You will find that your ability to avoid being cut, while at the same
time cutting and controlling your partner’s weapon hand, can be
greatly enhanced by using proper body mechanics. Twist left when you cut
against an angle 1, and twist right when you cut and deflect an angle 2.
Imagine that you are performing this exercise with razorsharp knives and
think about what you would do to avoid being cut.
Knife Sparring This is a fun drill that gives you a great workout while
drawing out your killer instinct. Your objective is similar to that of
the largo mano drill: Cut your opponent’s hand as he tries to cut you.
The difference is that no one is feeding strikes; you’re both going
for it. If a cut to the body happens to present itself, do it but
don’t chase it. Try to stay in the relative safety of long range,
making your opponent’s hand your primary target. Footwork and timing
are essential elements, so be light on your feet.
You can intensify the workout by adding calisthenics or plyometric
exercises such as the jump-squat. Spar for one three-minute round, then
do 20 jump-squats and spar a few more rounds.
You will learn a lot if you spar with different people, especially those
who are more experienced. A beginner is typically the easiest opponent,
since he will probably use mostly simple direct attacks. A veteran knife
fighter will attack with combinations and, therefore, be more difficult
to deal with. Make sure to maintain your distance and put together your
own combinations.
Knife-Defense
Drill
This is one of the best drills for learning to defend ourself with a
blade because it forces you to use a training knife to fend off multiple
opponents.
The attackers are decked out in goggles, boxing gloves, elbow pads and,
if desired, groin protection and shin pads. Start with a single
opponent. He moves toward you with obvious bad intentions. Try not to
let him touch you. Attack the body part that is closest to you—his
arms if he’s trying to grab you.
As soon as you get one or two good cuts, he should pull back for two to
five seconds to simulate what would happen if you actually cut him in an
encounter.
After the pause, he should come in again for another attempt. Continue
for one to three minutes. When you feel comfortable with this, add
another attacker. It is important that no matter how many people are
opposing you, they attack with conviction. This will trigger an
adrenaline rush in you, and you should learn how to deal with its effect
on your fine motor movements.
Keep the following points in mind:
• Do not focus exclusively on your attacker. Use your peripheral
vision to determine if more bad guys are approaching. Look for a safe
place to run to.
• Keep moving. Use your footwork to keep someone from sneaking up
behind you. Get your back to a wall if possible.
Do not run into the middle of two or three attackers because they will
swarm on you. Keep maneuvering so you must deal with only one at a time.
• Don’t panic. While the attack is happening, extend your awareness
so you can tell where the attackers are without turning to look.
Joy of
Discovery
There is so much more to knife fighting than could ever be presented in
one article. The four exercises presented here could keep you busy for
years. Remember that the purpose of edged-weapons training is not
necessarily to learn a lot of techniques with the knife. It is more
about embracing the concept of equalizing the odds. Whether or not you
ultimately decide to carry a blade for selfdefense, the principles and
concepts of knife fighting will give you a tremendous edge in all areas
of your life.
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