Oh my God, he has a knife…
… wait we all have knives. The nice thing about training in a martial art predicated on practicality is that you never know what a class is going to hold in store. This was true the other night we did knife training. It was a very good class. Sensei spent a lot time working the class on knife basics, especially rule number one of knife work: control the weapon. The techniques essentially break down into (a) get out of the way/ parry weapon, (b) control/ neutralize the weapon, (c) counter attack in some horrific fashion. It was a nice change to our standard class format. Not that there is anything wrong with the normal class but different can be a nice change. We worked a few parry, control, slash, stab combinations and then moved on to other things. I really did like a couple of the things we worked on. It was a good change.
I will say this, getting hit across the bicep on a repeated basis with a wooden tanto hurts after awhile. I had a bit of bruise the next day. The Evil Martial Artist will not wince but he will admit pain. It was nice to work on pure quickness. Sometimes Kenpo is about power, of course the stances and techniques don’t necessarily require power but a lot of technique is more effective with properly applied power (just a fact). However, the knife techniques are all about reaction time and speed. I am a rather large guy so my quickness needs to be inspired, it is not natural these days. So to say I had a bit of time with the smaller and faster students is an understatement. But you don’t get better if you don’t practice. Or as Master Parker would say “perfect practice makes perfect”.
I will say this, I am more afraid of knife than a gun. I would rather be shot dead than left bleeding to death. The result is the same but the knife sounds like a worse way to go. I think more knife training is in order. I did like it a lot. I was looking for a way to spice up my training, this seems like a good fit.
Filed under: American Kenpo, Martial Arts, Weapons
I agree with you - I’d rather face a gun than a knife. Only I think a gun is far less dangerous. It’s very difficult to shoot a pistol accurately under stress -especially at a moving target. Also you’re more likely to suffer a severe injury with a knife. Most gunshots are not lethal, and it only leaves a small hole, as opposed to a big gash.
Fun to practice defense against a knife, too!
I’m going to be weird and be half and half.
If I had to go up against a random hoodlum with a weapon, I’d rather a gun — get out of the line of fire, and you’re in good shape.
But if I knew I was going to die from the encounter, I’d rather die by the knife. There’s something personal about it (if you want my blood you have to come get it!), and something historic and even romantic about it.
(But please don’t try.)
I don’t agree with you on point 2. In my mind there is nothing romantic about getting gutted. It is just a slow painful death.