Man..... Did you not only kick the knife out of his hand... but then into what would have been his NECK had he not been wearing a helmet? that's something you would see in a movie and call B.S.
I have a small business, and driving that far would add a couple of extra days to the trip, and flying is too expensive at the moment. Do you have any friends closer to Chicago?
W.E.Fairbairn was the OG of Knife 🔪 Defence! & Developed the 'Defendu' Program for the British Military! He even Co Designed the 'Sykes Fairbairn'🗡️ Knife issued to OSS & Commandos! These are Very Old - but Proven techniques that do Save Lives!! He coined the term "Gutter Fighting" for his 'Anything Goes' No Rules survival Fighting & Defence system! I'd Highly recommend his books! to Anyone for Practical Self Defence! - Cheers👍
Greeting!! I saw a few days back your video about pistol crossbow for defence, love it. If there is a opportunity look for the Vlad Impaler Ek Archery Crossbow, you will love that crossbow.
Amazing courses. Also had the privilege of taking all of these courses over the past year and I would definitely agree with you. I know we have discussed these courses a lot, and they are all great for their own reasons. Regardless, if you are serious about learning self defense and more importantly knife defense, go take these courses. Big reality check. Plenty to learn from these courses as well as the instructors themselves.
@@hard2hurt Looks interesting and maybe will check out if offered in my area (Northern Cali) but I will be very honest here. I have no illusions about "getting the knife" and wrestling out of it. I will either mag dump the guy or if I do not have a jammie on me, I will evade until I find a brick, bat or a really nice rock. Or...I will run my ass off. Before you say anything about running is bad, I am a trained runner and can outrun most! Thanks for bringing this awesome course to my attention and I love your channel. I am not a young man and have seen my share of "Bullshido" and you are as legit as it comes.
One of the things that I can't get out of my head about martial arts of any sort is the selection bias. You're sort of training to fight against other martial artists, but most of the time in real life you're not doing that. Then again, I guess that does give us something to do after the first couple weeks.
In martial arts you’re training to fight against someone who has trained to optimize their fighting style to be as effective as possible. The thing is that a beginner in martial arts may have a bad time against someone completely untrained because the untrained guy may be highly unpredictable, so if your defence (movement, positioning, blocking and dodging) isn’t on point you still risk getting beaten up. You can find examples of this on streetbeef, watch the lamb vs war horse, untrained guy vs guy who looks like he had at least a couple of months of training in martial arts
Bet that kick felt good when the knife flew out of the hand during the Australian championship. It’s always good to have room to run when facing knives, but also good to have grappling in the pocket if need be. Both are great
It would be interesting to invite these instructors together with FMA/Silat/other systems to partecipate in the self-defence championships and see how they fare
The ultimate self defense competition is hilarious and proves that sport based martial arts training leaves you unprepared for real world self defense. You guys are fun though.
When we do it at our place we go full wrestling with training knives, basically BJJ and wrestling with knife attacks. It's basically a form of sparring and you realize how hard it is not getting cut and stabbed, but you also learn what can work and what doesn't, how to possible control the attackers bodies while also keeping your focus on their weapon. It's very difficult, but I feel it's good training. You also understand how much fitness really makes a difference, like with any fighting.
@remixgod4496yeah no doubt, fuck all this knife vs unarmed jazz. Once someone pulls a weapon, either pull yours, find one extremely close or run for your life.
I'd give my left gonad to take any of the 3 courses discussed in this video. I know that sounds insane, but I'd rather give it freely than lose it in a knife fight because I had no idea how to defend myself against a knife wielding psycho. Also, I have 3 sons, so I don't really need both of 'em anymore.
Excellent comparison and contrasting of these courses, and awesome assessment from someone actually experiencing these and applying the training under intense pressure.
I don't know how many compliments you get on your composition and writing, but that was a killer intro. There's not a chance I'm not watching this whole video after that. Fishhooked like a sprat
The three things I learned from combative edge classes I took: 1.knife fighting sucks. The training is hard and in the end there may not be no clear winners 2. Wresting is the way especially when it comes to controlling that weapon bearing arm 3. Situational awareness is more important than skill.
@Oodles of Noodles ehh idk about you but I wanna stay on my feet if we're outside on concrete. Too much unpredictable shit could happens even moreso than on two feet IMO
@@BillyBobThorton777Wrestlers are better at staying on their feet than anyone else, until they want it to go to the ground. If you don't want to be on the ground in a street fight, you should learn wrestling. It's how you learn takedown defense.
I’ve done 1/3 of the courses in the video (basically just KCC), but from footage of both Craig’s and Ryan’s material, I can firmly recommend all of them. Very few programs can be so realistic without being edgy, and these are the best courses for using functional combat sports skills in a weapons based environment. Great video!
There's a particular tactic I learned very quickly when doing active resistance sparring with knife defense, which is the hand transition. You lock up on the knife hand and start trying to control it, they just snatch the knife with their other hand and go to town since you're now open. I noticed that the defender was particularly vulnerable to this tactic when wrestling. In my (admittedly limited) experience, no knife defense could be considered feasible or practical if you couldn't overcome this tactic. Did any of these three classes address this?
Mike's done a video on Kevin's channel mentioning a person who studied 170 knife attacks and transitions like those never happened in the heat of the moment.
We used training knives in the gym today, I learned how to escape the off arm's grasp and only get stabbed a few times before running away. How the hell can people actually successfully do anything else?
You put out a video last year, I think, and It was a small blade that another fellow may have designed and It showed him block your arms with his left arm and go for the right side of the groin twist and pulled up, and I'll never forget how devastating that would be, THX for posting. 👍
Great video, and excellent lessons learned! The first time I had a little bit "fun with knives" with a friend in my backyard was an eye-opener. We went the dueling route - we used sheathed knives (the blades were a bit dull, too, so we didn't have to worry about the knife poking through the sheath) and went at 20-30% sparring intensity (no face stabbing). I had almost zero wrestling experience and some striking and knife-swinging practice, and the friend had zero martial art experience. The lessons: 1. After a swing or two, it devolved into wrestling with knives. 2. In just about 15-20 minutes (with some breaks), we were both successfully closing in and clinching up without too much damage. 3. My size and skill advantage mattered little at the cutting range and much more at the clinch. 4. Taking the initiative and violence of action had a bigger influence on the outcome than anything else. A similarly short and playful session or two with my little brother as an attacker (some short rolled up/taped up notebook as a stabbing implement) and me unarmed defending taught me: 1. Shelling up like a boxer helped me survive the first couple of stabs (hit in the forearms) and allowed me to clinch. 2. My lack of wrestling skills became obvious, and it was difficult to control the opponent. 3. The attacker was fixated on the shank and stabbing and left openings for clinching/striking. 4. Slamming him to the ground seemed like a much more effective option than trying to strike and control (we went light with trips and lifts, no actual slamming happened). 5. His lack of proper aggression (out of respect/fear of pissing off his bigger brother) made it easier than sparring with my friend , but I was still getting stabbed a bunch. In just a couple of short casual sparring sessions, with no expert coach and me going off of "Folsom Prison Knife Techniques" and some stories about how knife attacks happen, it became apparent that good wrestling fundamentals (Judo came to mind back then because it was more common where I live) executed with relentless aggressive intent were the key to surviving (or killing the dude you just assaulted, from the attacker's perspective). Since then, I always wondered why most online knife defense guys/gals had never taken 5 minutes to see how an actual assault would really go down and learn from it.
For me the problem always was the skill level difference needet to be succefull in a knife defence. When the knife guy has just a little experince in knifefighting you need to be so much better to have a chance, it's a lifteime of training vs a weekend of training and bad intensions.
@@hard2hurt If I tried to defend myself against the sort of person who can "handle most dudes" I cant imagine a knife doing me any good at all let alone being a serious modifier. Frankly if I was being attacked by such a person and all I had was a knife I would give up immediately and make absolutely no attempt to fight at all because as far as I am concerned there is absolutely nothing I can do. If possible i would dispose of the knife so it cant be used against me and if this was not possible i would give him the knife in the hope that it appeases him.
@@hard2hurt I mean yeah, and on the other hand, you wouldn't go back to a department for basically anything would you? I'm not saying you have the easier job, but I believe you know you have the better one. 🏆
Doesn’t look like it’s working well in these training scenarios, ppl are still getting shivved despite the grappling. pls look into something like Sayoc.
Did they immediately stop the Self Defense Championship and give you the trophy after the knife kick? They really should have. You should hang a big screen in your gym's lobby that just shows that on a loop and when someone comes in inquiring about training just point to it and say "cash, check, or credit?" Seriously though, this was a very thoughtful contrasting of the courses. My knife defense experience has come from a kali, wing chun, military combatives base (I think it most resembles EOR of the three) , but I have pressure tested and it seems to go fairly well. I would really enjoy any of these courses I think. I may try to get down to Fit to Fight next time I'm in NC.
Mike, it would be cool if you made a video discussing SOCP, Special Operations Combatives Program, as they have a good bit of weapon defense tactics. You're not far from some special people.
FMA is legit in this. I attacked a FMA instructor (with 7 years experience) with rubber knife, freestyle and wildly, and he blocked everything. He was so skilled that I couldn't "cut" even his hands which were blocking my knife hand.
Of course it is... thousands of reps against a knife vs your typical "mcdojo". Better BJJ wins. Better boxer wins. Better fma wins. Knife > than trained fighter. It's been tested countless times. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Don't bring fists to a knife fight.
That knife kick was straight up what Gabriel Varga taught you. I saw the sparring footage. When you two broke the clinch he was throwing head kicks. You downloaded that and started doing it to knife-wielders. Well done, sir.
A guy pulled a knife on me out of nowhere while passing me. He stopped the knife one inch from my heart. It happened so fast I had no time to react. He was able to access my torso easily because I didn't see it coming. He just walked away after this. It was the most dishonorable thing I've ever seen. Rogue like in every sense of the word. What would you have done?
No discussion about knife defense and knife fighting is complete without investigating the deThouars Kuntao Silat Serak. There were 4 brothers. Three of them have passed in recent years. However Willem is still alive, and has a solid group in Colorado, and his youngest brother Victors school, the VDT Academy, is still going strong under his senior student/instructor.
I agree with your final conclusion, because it is principle based and that is what all my training is based on, the knife is not the problem the brain of the attacker is the problem. I never focus on any kind of defense, you cannot win on defense, my focus is on decommissioning the attacker as fast and as violently as possible, you have a much better chance of surviving a cut than the attacker has of surviving a crushed wind pipe.
Wasn't there a time in the past when all people had to fight with were edged weapons and clubs. Did they figure anything out back then, or was the knife the dominant tool on the battlefield?
in my experience focusing on the knife hand and controlling it and then them as a whole served me better than focusing on attacking the person. Striking them as soon as control has been attained...yes for sure.
"its all about training thousands of reps" this, is by far the most important thing in any martial art. i trained in combative aikido. meaning, aikido vs resisting opponents. for 3 years. it taught me a few very important things. 1. awareness. MMA doesnt teach you to look out for weapons, blind sports, or potential bad scenarios and how to get out of them. 2. REPETITION. six hours a day for six months was spent not being allowed to traditionally strike. but i was defending against them. this was mainly foot work, positioning, feinting, biding time, and developing endurance. 3. your not pulling off any of those moves in most situations, nore should you even try. but learning to take advantage of those opportunity when they arise was the big lesson. 4. the knife defense. everything mentioned above are all things you would learn from these classes also. yeah, aikido in most cases is bullshit. but if you do some research, read some books. study diagrams. but if you take the time to practice all the other stuff it teaches its a very solid martial art.
a real kinfe encounter ends in at least 2 people seriously hurt if you EVER SEEN A REAL KNIFE ENCOUNTER DONT TRY TO GET ROMANTICALLY SELF BULLSHITTED ,ther are NO WINNER only degrees of injury
genuinely curious - do these courses also train you how to respond/defend against a proficient knife fighter like, say, the Doug Marcaidas or Jared Wihongis of the world? because facing a competent FMA practitioner with a knife would terrify me knowing their knowledge of angles and finding openings.
Can you point me to any examples of them doing the thing you are afraid of in real life? Or hell... even in live training... or hell... anyone doing those things in real life or training? There is no compelling evidence to support the idea that FMA training has any impact on lethality or survivability.
Oh Jesus Christ! 🤦♂️ Right, look, first look at Ryan Hoover’s “You are not a knife fighter!” vid (I think it’s under Funker Tactical), then watch the fucking shameful group therapy session that was Ryan humouring the FMA Council (I shit you not!) as they missed his point completely & shared their respective personal anecdotes of FMA triumphs (that one’s either on Funker or Paulo Rubio’s channel).
You will NEVER see someone with high skill level attack you. It will never happen. People who train, train in self defense. You don't train to be the aggressor. If you were attacked by someone with skill in FMA then no amount of grappling will save you. You will have been cut in your grappling muscles and ligaments in a flash and then be fatally cut a split second after.
@@SMS2884yeah, that's what I figured as well. I guess I'm just curious if there are effective ways to respond in the very low likelihood, as you pointed out, that you are faced with someone skilled with a knife. that was the intent of my original question that I may not have articulated well. maybe I'm also assuming too much that bad people also learn this stuff to cause harm.
Rules of knife fighting. 1. Don't get into knife fights! 2. Seriously don't you will die! 3. Learn how to do emergency trauma first aid! Seriously where is that stuff in "self defense"? You can be great at fighting but not knowing how to stop bleeding, perform a Heimlich, administer an epinephrin auto injector, administer Narcan, do CPR, and locate and operate an AED leaves you defenseless. A video about basic first aid gear and where to put an AED in a place like a gym (like yours) would be really good and open up some useful discussion about having AEDs around in public places, especially athletic facilities.
Don't learn knife defence, it will give you false confidence. Most people who get stabbed don't even know it, because the knife is concealed. Instead, learn how to run fast, and learn situational awareness. These things will actually save your life.
Dear mike, How much did you train your knife skills outside the courses? You said it cost 3000$ for 70 hours. It is said 10000 hours are needed to master a skill. You will be broke before you get good at it if you continue like this.
The only time you know you can do this is experiencing it yourself through real violence. It depends on the environment , how fast or slow your opponent is . I have been attacked by someone with a knife in the streets , you don't have time to think only on how to survive . yes i did get cut and yes it hurts like hell the day after . I'm from south africa where real violence is an everday thing.
Depends on the will of attacker!!if he is attack on the way like palestinians attack with knife israely soldiers then you could be in trouble ,.israelly soldiers train krav maga bullshido but still if someone attack them with knife including woman they will rather shoot them with m4 then go on knife with bare hands
The ‘closed room’ rounds during the competition were flawed. They were all padded up and didn’t simulate attacker getting knocked out or stunned. They kept coming after taking blows to the head and being slammed into walls. Then they wanted to say, ‘zero points, he was still able to stab you multiple times.’ Well YEaH! Because the rules set neutralized all your counterattacks!! Big bone of contention IMHO.
How to fight someone with a knife: Step 0: Bring a gun. Step 1: If you don't have a gun, Run away. Fight only if you are with your back against a wall. Step 2: Find something large and heavy you can use to beat the shit out of the other guy. Preferably a chair XD
Yes you can. You cut inside the person can't grip. You cut outside person can't let go. You cut quads person can't stand up. It's legit. But you have to have the power and speed in the cuts to do it.
@@donh1572 Um it's biology. It's literally how the muscles work. And I can tell you from experience what I said is real. Again the key is the power and depth of the cut. It's like cutting a rope. One pass may not be enough. I mean that's like saying piercing the ear with a round doesn't flip the light switch. It does
What about "the epic snake knive: Mythbusting galore!" By joergSprave he swears up and down it won't break your fingers! As he says "why would it break your fingers! I think you should train against that monster for real! Lol
knife fighting is my least favorite training! it's very scary for me, and it triggers my temper. from what i have learned from practice, keeping a distance is the best option for me. i use my arms to shield and block while using my kicks to keep them at bay. i never try grapple at the start, but if i have to, im going for the eyes.
The idea that a person can't fight because they don't think you should grapple with a knifer is not true, they just understand how quickly you can be stabbed to death. Ever heard of the wrestler Bruiser Brody? He was stabbed to death backstage by another wrestler. What about UFC fighter Maiquel Falcao? He also was stabbed to death. Could these guys fight? Absolutely, they could fight better than most, but a knife attack is no joke, and one stab can kill you. There are knife fighters who even rub their arms in oil to make it difficult for someone to grab them. The first option against someone with a knife is always to run away, the second option is to use your weapon (or grab anything in the environment and use that as a weapon), and if that doesn't succeed only then do you grapple. It is the last resort, always.
At our school, we did a knife seminar where we used red markers. Three minute sparring matches, both people with red markers. The least marked competitor stayed “alive” and sparred the next fresh opponent until they “died.” No one left unmarked. Every student left with lethal marks. We all learned the lesson. Make lethal strikes first, then move out of range. And whenever possible, carry a badder weapon at range. The other lesson we learned is to carry a knife on each side, so a trapped arm doesn’t make you helpless while being stabbed. Everyone who attended the course now understands the advantages of two knives, a walking stick, and a gun.
You should've addressed the fact that learning how to defend against knife can kill you. Yes, I mean just that. A lot of the times a person with some training would stand and try to fight instead of running away. One mistake, one unlucky move, one stab and they are done.... Seriously, every time knife defence subject is raised it is extremely important to highlight that running away is the best defence and you should only fight when you absolutely can't avoid it.
Have you seen Armchair Violence's recent video on knife fighting? Apparently, even if you get stabbed a couple times, there's a good chance you'll live.
I have listened to a few stories about people only having knives against bear. And they were used as piercing weapons more than a slashing weapon. Great tip on clothing. I wonder how I would do in lv 3 ballistics jacket wrestling someone. I have wondered if bear could rip through it.
My only knife defense is to run away. And if I can't do that my backup defense is my knife as I can't legally own a firearm. Plus a little practice here & there involving repeatedly stabbing at the midsection of target dummies but I would much prefer to just run away. I've known people who have been both stabbed & shot and they've all said being stabbed is way, way more painful so to hell with all of that.
I knew a guy who got stabbed just sitting outside a resource centre for telling this guy picking on this chick verbally to chill, he was wearing 4 jackets cuz it gets to -40 here and it legitimately saved his life, also at this same place out front another one of my buddies got a knife pulled on him and he un-ironically kicked the knife out of the guys hand, it was on camera and the staff of the building said it was nuts to watch. Definitely not something I’d ever do 😂
The distance almost all of your training seemed to be at grappling range.Which is cool. I also notice that, I am not seeing any longer knives like full sized Tanto's or Fighting Bowie's. Why anyone would willing engage someone naked handed for any length of time naked handed is beyond me. People trained in knife fighting don't think like that just to let you know. Also I can't help but notice that your training in good light and in shorts warm climates. I live in Canada and it's cold most of the years, snow and ice on the ground and people are wearing multiple layers of heavy clothing. Its interesting to see your thoughts progress when it comes to edged weapons training.
A good knife fighter won't let you see his knife until it's too late for you! No one can fend off a knife, of course you can train reflexes for such situations, that also helps! You should consider something like a bicycle lock! They're not sure, you can crack anything! With a good bike lock you only buy more time
Excellent video, thank you for sharing these reviews and analyses How well did the t-shirts hold up to being grabbed? We grapple with street clothes sometimes at my gym, and I've only seen one shirt (a dress shirt) tear apart. T-shirts seem to get stretched out more than they come apart in your hands.
every training could be good. but here in the provinces of the Philippines where most people are farmers, they learn to cut, chop with their bolo while working in the farms and cutting grasses and woods. The practitioners of bolo or knife fighting will strike banana trunks to practice stabbing and hacking.
When I was about 15 we had this kid in my town that huffed gas and did crazy shit. One day he was at a park high as shit threatening people with one of those lock blade buck knives and I said I was going to find a phone and call the police (it was the mid 90's so no cell phones) and he heard me and charged at me with the knife. He held the knife in front of his right pectoral and came at me screaming trying to stick it in my chest. I didn't know much about wrestling but I did study boxing so I decided to ignore the knife and I stepped in and landed a right hand straight on his chin. His head snapped back and his knees went to jelly and took a spread eagle nap on his back. I did have a small cut on the back of my left wrist but I wouldn't have known about it if it hadn't been pointed out to me. Like Spicy Mike said at the end, he did better when he focused on stopping the attacker instead of chasing the knife. I never cared much for wrestling and ever since that day at the park I think the best way to deal with most weapons is a bit of footwork and nice tight right cross.
Not pointing to any curriculum in particular, but do you feel some schools overemphasize teaching students how to 'Fight with a Knife'? It feels like students are being fed this idea that if someone tries to mug them at knife point on the street, they will have time to draw their own knife resulting in some overly drawn out knife duel.
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Man..... Did you not only kick the knife out of his hand... but then into what would have been his NECK had he not been wearing a helmet? that's something you would see in a movie and call B.S.
I have a small business, and driving that far would add a couple of extra days to the trip, and flying is too expensive at the moment. Do you have any friends closer to Chicago?
@Ambulocetus they all travel and teach in multiple cities... so hopefully they end up near you.
W.E.Fairbairn was the OG of Knife 🔪 Defence! & Developed the 'Defendu' Program for the British Military! He even Co Designed the 'Sykes Fairbairn'🗡️ Knife issued to OSS & Commandos! These are Very Old - but Proven techniques that do Save Lives!! He coined the term "Gutter Fighting" for his 'Anything Goes' No Rules survival Fighting & Defence system! I'd Highly recommend his books! to Anyone for Practical Self Defence! - Cheers👍
Greeting!! I saw a few days back your video about pistol crossbow for defence, love it. If there is a opportunity look for the Vlad Impaler Ek Archery Crossbow, you will love that crossbow.
“And… and… I kicked a knife out of someone’s hand.” 😂
SenseiSeth enters chat....
I prefer to wave my hands around producing kanjis in thin air and then teleport 20ft behind my enemy's holding their heart.
He kicked the knife out of his opponent hand and into his opponents head. Crazy
BADASS!
And I stomped down on a spear!
I just wish, I could do such BS reliably. LOL
Amazing courses. Also had the privilege of taking all of these courses over the past year and I would definitely agree with you. I know we have discussed these courses a lot, and they are all great for their own reasons. Regardless, if you are serious about learning self defense and more importantly knife defense, go take these courses. Big reality check. Plenty to learn from these courses as well as the instructors themselves.
Oh you've taken these courses?
@@hard2hurt yes i had the super short hair that you didn’t care for :)
@@hard2hurt Looks interesting and maybe will check out if offered in my area (Northern Cali) but I will be very honest here. I have no illusions about "getting the knife" and wrestling out of it. I will either mag dump the guy or if I do not have a jammie on me, I will evade until I find a brick, bat or a really nice rock. Or...I will run my ass off.
Before you say anything about running is bad, I am a trained runner and can outrun most!
Thanks for bringing this awesome course to my attention and I love your channel. I am not a young man and have seen my share of "Bullshido" and you are as legit as it comes.
One of the things that I can't get out of my head about martial arts of any sort is the selection bias. You're sort of training to fight against other martial artists, but most of the time in real life you're not doing that. Then again, I guess that does give us something to do after the first couple weeks.
In martial arts you’re training to fight against someone who has trained to optimize their fighting style to be as effective as possible. The thing is that a beginner in martial arts may have a bad time against someone completely untrained because the untrained guy may be highly unpredictable, so if your defence (movement, positioning, blocking and dodging) isn’t on point you still risk getting beaten up. You can find examples of this on streetbeef, watch the lamb vs war horse, untrained guy vs guy who looks like he had at least a couple of months of training in martial arts
Bet that kick felt good when the knife flew out of the hand during the Australian championship.
It’s always good to have room to run when facing knives, but also good to have grappling in the pocket if need be. Both are great
I didn't actually realize it. I thought it was all dome.
Make way for Sensei Mike. Sumo when?
Thank you for reviewing those knife defense courses.
I was thinking of taking a class with Craig Douglas in the future.
Have you also ever done training with the dog brothers and what do you think of them?
Thumbs up on the kick and everything else actually Thanks for the info
great video
could kendo have a self defense application?
It would be interesting to invite these instructors together with FMA/Silat/other systems to partecipate in the self-defence championships and see how they fare
FMA and Silat guys have shown up to these courses. No FMA or Silat ever happens.
Yeaaah, sensei Seth for the wiiinn! Kick that knife boooyyy!!!
I don't suppose you have any advice on what someone should do if they don't live anywhere near where they can these kinds of courses?
Travel.
I thought this channel used to be called Sensei Seth?
The ultimate self defense competition is hilarious and proves that sport based martial arts training leaves you unprepared for real world self defense. You guys are fun though.
Holy fuck that Australian comp looked mental
When we do it at our place we go full wrestling with training knives, basically BJJ and wrestling with knife attacks. It's basically a form of sparring and you realize how hard it is not getting cut and stabbed, but you also learn what can work and what doesn't, how to possible control the attackers bodies while also keeping your focus on their weapon. It's very difficult, but I feel it's good training. You also understand how much fitness really makes a difference, like with any fighting.
That's a quick way to sort out what works.
@Remix God LOOOOOOOOOL!!!!
🤦🤦♂🤦♀
@@frontenac5083 kinda hard to stab someone when you can't see
@remixgod4496 just buy gun
@remixgod4496yeah no doubt, fuck all this knife vs unarmed jazz. Once someone pulls a weapon, either pull yours, find one extremely close or run for your life.
I'd give my left gonad to take any of the 3 courses discussed in this video. I know that sounds insane, but I'd rather give it freely than lose it in a knife fight because I had no idea how to defend myself against a knife wielding psycho. Also, I have 3 sons, so I don't really need both of 'em anymore.
You're allowed to trade them for stuff once you're done with them?
@@malkomalkavian not legally
@@yamiyomizukiain’t this a free market? I can sell one of my nuts if I want to!
@@malkomalkavian...you didn't know this? I traded mine in for an audi...
@@allosaurusfragilis7782 A8?
Excellent comparison and contrasting of these courses, and awesome assessment from someone actually experiencing these and applying the training under intense pressure.
Intense is right.
I don't know how many compliments you get on your composition and writing, but that was a killer intro. There's not a chance I'm not watching this whole video after that. Fishhooked like a sprat
Not many... but thank you! Also, the quote is "fishhooked _by_ a sprat" lol.
@@hard2hurt indeed it is. You kinda remind me of the mighty McGroin or whatever his name was a little bit. Could pull it off in costume anyways.
The three things I learned from combative edge classes I took:
1.knife fighting sucks. The training is hard and in the end there may not be no clear winners
2. Wresting is the way especially when it comes to controlling that weapon bearing arm
3. Situational awareness is more important than skill.
Knife fight/grappling is as tiring as basically every grappling martial arts that exists, it's taxing on the body and the mind
I think Shuai Jiao, Judo, Tai Shou practitioners have a high survivability in a knife fight
@Oodles of Noodles ehh idk about you but I wanna stay on my feet if we're outside on concrete. Too much unpredictable shit could happens even moreso than on two feet IMO
@@BillyBobThorton777Wrestlers are better at staying on their feet than anyone else, until they want it to go to the ground. If you don't want to be on the ground in a street fight, you should learn wrestling. It's how you learn takedown defense.
@@Shacksies Just easy target for sewing
Great video, really appreciate all the work you clearly put into doing this.
Yeah... it was a rough process making this one. Thank you!
That knife kick was pretty sweet. Great video!
I’ve done 1/3 of the courses in the video (basically just KCC), but from footage of both Craig’s and Ryan’s material, I can firmly recommend all of them. Very few programs can be so realistic without being edgy, and these are the best courses for using functional combat sports skills in a weapons based environment. Great video!
There's a particular tactic I learned very quickly when doing active resistance sparring with knife defense, which is the hand transition. You lock up on the knife hand and start trying to control it, they just snatch the knife with their other hand and go to town since you're now open. I noticed that the defender was particularly vulnerable to this tactic when wrestling. In my (admittedly limited) experience, no knife defense could be considered feasible or practical if you couldn't overcome this tactic.
Did any of these three classes address this?
That is part of the whole edge control. isolate and prevent them form making the transtion. you can see it being done in the clips.
Mike's done a video on Kevin's channel mentioning a person who studied 170 knife attacks and transitions like those never happened in the heat of the moment.
We used training knives in the gym today,
I learned how to escape the off arm's grasp and only get stabbed a few times before running away.
How the hell can people actually successfully do anything else?
Best Defense is be better with your own knife lol
You put out a video last year, I think, and It was a small blade that another fellow may have designed and It showed him block your arms with his left arm and go for the right side of the groin twist and pulled up, and I'll never forget how devastating that would be, THX for posting. 👍
Great video, and excellent lessons learned!
The first time I had a little bit "fun with knives" with a friend in my backyard was an eye-opener. We went the dueling route - we used sheathed knives (the blades were a bit dull, too, so we didn't have to worry about the knife poking through the sheath) and went at 20-30% sparring intensity (no face stabbing). I had almost zero wrestling experience and some striking and knife-swinging practice, and the friend had zero martial art experience.
The lessons:
1. After a swing or two, it devolved into wrestling with knives.
2. In just about 15-20 minutes (with some breaks), we were both successfully closing in and clinching up without too much damage.
3. My size and skill advantage mattered little at the cutting range and much more at the clinch.
4. Taking the initiative and violence of action had a bigger influence on the outcome than anything else.
A similarly short and playful session or two with my little brother as an attacker (some short rolled up/taped up notebook as a stabbing implement) and me unarmed defending taught me:
1. Shelling up like a boxer helped me survive the first couple of stabs (hit in the forearms) and allowed me to clinch.
2. My lack of wrestling skills became obvious, and it was difficult to control the opponent.
3. The attacker was fixated on the shank and stabbing and left openings for clinching/striking.
4. Slamming him to the ground seemed like a much more effective option than trying to strike and control (we went light with trips and lifts, no actual slamming happened).
5. His lack of proper aggression (out of respect/fear of pissing off his bigger brother) made it easier than sparring with my friend , but I was still getting stabbed a bunch.
In just a couple of short casual sparring sessions, with no expert coach and me going off of "Folsom Prison Knife Techniques" and some stories about how knife attacks happen, it became apparent that good wrestling fundamentals (Judo came to mind back then because it was more common where I live) executed with relentless aggressive intent were the key to surviving (or killing the dude you just assaulted, from the attacker's perspective). Since then, I always wondered why most online knife defense guys/gals had never taken 5 minutes to see how an actual assault would really go down and learn from it.
For me the problem always was the skill level difference needet to be succefull in a knife defence. When the knife guy has just a little experince in knifefighting you need to be so much better to have a chance, it's a lifteime of training vs a weekend of training and bad intensions.
Yes. The knife is serious modifier. You could be a guy who could easily handle most dudes and the knife changes the equation by a lot.
@@hard2hurt
If I tried to defend myself against the sort of person who can "handle most dudes" I cant imagine a knife doing me any good at all let alone being a serious modifier. Frankly if I was being attacked by such a person and all I had was a knife I would give up immediately and make absolutely no attempt to fight at all because as far as I am concerned there is absolutely nothing I can do. If possible i would dispose of the knife so it cant be used against me and if this was not possible i would give him the knife in the hope that it appeases him.
Basically all courses are awesome! great vid as usual
Mike you're my go to for realistic self defense concepts love your videos man
Your job looks kind of fun.
The thing about "fun" jobs is they always look fun from the outside... they don't always feel fun when you're doing it.
@@hard2hurt I mean yeah, and on the other hand, you wouldn't go back to a department for basically anything would you?
I'm not saying you have the easier job, but I believe you know you have the better one. 🏆
AWESOME VIDEO! You are right! It's really about your personality, fighting style, experience as far as who is the best teacher for you!
Slow clap for that smug ending. That was pretty cool.
0:01 I'ma stop you right there Mike. Usain Bolt's running academy is the best program.
My AG1 came in yesterday, worth it for sure
Gamechanger!
That reveal in the end that you kicked a knife out of someone's hand is a plot twist worthy of M Night Shamalyan
control my weapon bearing limb? sure. control my second weapon bearing limb?
That's pretty cool those little packets and stuff what do they taste like though it looks like spinach green I'm just curious
Doesn’t look like it’s working well in these training scenarios, ppl are still getting shivved despite the grappling. pls look into something like Sayoc.
"3 butt-scooting grabby-boys" I'm rolling 🤣🤣🤣
Did they immediately stop the Self Defense Championship and give you the trophy after the knife kick? They really should have. You should hang a big screen in your gym's lobby that just shows that on a loop and when someone comes in inquiring about training just point to it and say "cash, check, or credit?"
Seriously though, this was a very thoughtful contrasting of the courses. My knife defense experience has come from a kali, wing chun, military combatives base (I think it most resembles EOR of the three) , but I have pressure tested and it seems to go fairly well. I would really enjoy any of these courses I think. I may try to get down to Fit to Fight next time I'm in NC.
Butt-scootin' Grabby Boys is my new favorite term for BJJ guys.
Those techniques are great but when someone is bigger stronger younger its game over if you are going to try and fight them.
Mike, it would be cool if you made a video discussing SOCP, Special Operations Combatives Program, as they have a good bit of weapon defense tactics. You're not far from some special people.
"butt-scooting grabbybois" never has a more perfect descriptor been rendered
FMA is legit in this. I attacked a FMA instructor (with 7 years experience) with rubber knife, freestyle and wildly, and he blocked everything. He was so skilled that I couldn't "cut" even his hands which were blocking my knife hand.
Of course it is... thousands of reps against a knife vs your typical "mcdojo".
Better BJJ wins. Better boxer wins. Better fma wins.
Knife > than trained fighter. It's been tested countless times.
Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.
Don't bring fists to a knife fight.
@@Happy-go-luckyTVok....I'll bring chainmail to the knife fight see how you like that.
Knife defense?
Hit them with a can of soup and run
Best weapon against a knife attack a broom stick
Great video. Just did the Kcc instructor online program. Hope i also can work with Craig in the future
That knife kick was straight up what Gabriel Varga taught you. I saw the sparring footage. When you two broke the clinch he was throwing head kicks.
You downloaded that and started doing it to knife-wielders. Well done, sir.
Excellent read
A guy pulled a knife on me out of nowhere while passing me. He stopped the knife one inch from my heart. It happened so fast I had no time to react. He was able to access my torso easily because I didn't see it coming. He just walked away after this. It was the most dishonorable thing I've ever seen. Rogue like in every sense of the word. What would you have done?
I replayed that knife kick scene so many times lol its like the chefs kiss finisher to that challenge 🤣
Would be cool to see you work with or try ISR-Matrix or Kelly McCann!
No discussion about knife defense and knife fighting is complete without investigating the deThouars Kuntao Silat Serak.
There were 4 brothers.
Three of them have passed in recent years. However Willem is still alive, and has a solid group in Colorado, and his youngest brother Victors school, the VDT Academy, is still going strong under his senior student/instructor.
What would your knife defense program name be?
Grabby Stabby Super Action Camp
@@hard2hurt fun for the whole family!!! 😆
Hey Mike, what is your opinion on knife proof clothing 🤔
I agree with your final conclusion, because it is principle based and that is what all my training is based on, the knife is not the problem the brain of the attacker is the problem. I never focus on any kind of defense, you cannot win on defense, my focus is on decommissioning the attacker as fast and as violently as possible, you have a much better chance of surviving a cut than the attacker has of surviving a crushed wind pipe.
That kick was badass Mike!!!!
Wasn't there a time in the past when all people had to fight with were edged weapons and clubs. Did they figure anything out back then, or was the knife the dominant tool on the battlefield?
in my experience focusing on the knife hand and controlling it and then them as a whole served me better than focusing on attacking the person. Striking them as soon as control has been attained...yes for sure.
"its all about training thousands of reps"
this, is by far the most important thing in any martial art.
i trained in combative aikido. meaning, aikido vs resisting opponents. for 3 years. it taught me a few very important things.
1. awareness. MMA doesnt teach you to look out for weapons, blind sports, or potential bad scenarios and how to get out of them.
2. REPETITION. six hours a day for six months was spent not being allowed to traditionally strike. but i was defending against them.
this was mainly foot work, positioning, feinting, biding time, and developing endurance.
3. your not pulling off any of those moves in most situations, nore should you even try. but learning to take advantage of those opportunity when they arise was the big lesson.
4. the knife defense. everything mentioned above are all things you would learn from these classes also.
yeah, aikido in most cases is bullshit. but if you do some research, read some books. study diagrams. but if you take the time to practice all the other stuff it teaches its a very solid martial art.
a real kinfe encounter ends in at least 2 people seriously hurt if you EVER SEEN A REAL KNIFE ENCOUNTER DONT TRY TO GET ROMANTICALLY SELF BULLSHITTED ,ther are NO WINNER only degrees of injury
If attacker have that knife for pigg meat (solingen&dick) slashing you better don't risk because even one slice will huet you terribly
genuinely curious - do these courses also train you how to respond/defend against a proficient knife fighter like, say, the Doug Marcaidas or Jared Wihongis of the world? because facing a competent FMA practitioner with a knife would terrify me knowing their knowledge of angles and finding openings.
Can you point me to any examples of them doing the thing you are afraid of in real life? Or hell... even in live training... or hell... anyone doing those things in real life or training? There is no compelling evidence to support the idea that FMA training has any impact on lethality or survivability.
Oh Jesus Christ! 🤦♂️
Right, look, first look at Ryan Hoover’s “You are not a knife fighter!” vid (I think it’s under Funker Tactical), then watch the fucking shameful group therapy session that was Ryan humouring the FMA Council (I shit you not!) as they missed his point completely & shared their respective personal anecdotes of FMA triumphs (that one’s either on Funker or Paulo Rubio’s channel).
@@hibernopithecus7500 haven't seen that video. I'll check it out. thanks.
You will NEVER see someone with high skill level attack you. It will never happen. People who train, train in self defense. You don't train to be the aggressor. If you were attacked by someone with skill in FMA then no amount of grappling will save you. You will have been cut in your grappling muscles and ligaments in a flash and then be fatally cut a split second after.
@@SMS2884yeah, that's what I figured as well. I guess I'm just curious if there are effective ways to respond in the very low likelihood, as you pointed out, that you are faced with someone skilled with a knife. that was the intent of my original question that I may not have articulated well. maybe I'm also assuming too much that bad people also learn this stuff to cause harm.
Rules of knife fighting.
1. Don't get into knife fights!
2. Seriously don't you will die!
3. Learn how to do emergency trauma first aid!
Seriously where is that stuff in "self defense"? You can be great at fighting but not knowing how to stop bleeding, perform a Heimlich, administer an epinephrin auto injector, administer Narcan, do CPR, and locate and operate an AED leaves you defenseless. A video about basic first aid gear and where to put an AED in a place like a gym (like yours) would be really good and open up some useful discussion about having AEDs around in public places, especially athletic facilities.
Don't learn knife defence, it will give you false confidence. Most people who get stabbed don't even know it, because the knife is concealed. Instead, learn how to run fast, and learn situational awareness. These things will actually save your life.
Dear mike,
How much did you train your knife skills outside the courses? You said it cost 3000$ for 70 hours. It is said 10000 hours are needed to master a skill. You will be broke before you get good at it if you continue like this.
Doing a knife training of $ 3000,- and a combat TV program where you fail terribly during a knife fight. 😄
The only time you know you can do this is experiencing it yourself through real violence. It depends on the environment , how fast or slow your opponent is . I have been attacked by someone with a knife in the streets , you don't have time to think only on how to survive . yes i did get cut and yes it hurts like hell the day after . I'm from south africa where real violence is an everday thing.
Depends on the will of attacker!!if he is attack on the way like palestinians attack with knife israely soldiers then you could be in trouble ,.israelly soldiers train krav maga bullshido but still if someone attack them with knife including woman they will rather shoot them with m4 then go on knife with bare hands
The ‘closed room’ rounds during the competition were flawed. They were all padded up and didn’t simulate attacker getting knocked out or stunned. They kept coming after taking blows to the head and being slammed into walls.
Then they wanted to say, ‘zero points, he was still able to stab you multiple times.’
Well YEaH! Because the rules set neutralized all your counterattacks!!
Big bone of contention IMHO.
How to fight someone with a knife:
Step 0: Bring a gun.
Step 1: If you don't have a gun, Run away. Fight only if you are with your back against a wall.
Step 2: Find something large and heavy you can use to beat the shit out of the other guy. Preferably a chair XD
Love to get your opinion on MBC with biomechanical cutting. Can you really instantly stop a fight just by cutting key muscle groups?
Yes! Love to see your opinion after working with Michael Janich. Since him and Craig Douglas have opposing views, yet still designed a knife together
Yes.
Yes you can. You cut inside the person can't grip. You cut outside person can't let go. You cut quads person can't stand up. It's legit. But you have to have the power and speed in the cuts to do it.
@@SMS2884 I understand the concept and even took MBC courses. But there is no empirical evidence of it working. it’s a theory
@@donh1572 Um it's biology. It's literally how the muscles work. And I can tell you from experience what I said is real. Again the key is the power and depth of the cut. It's like cutting a rope. One pass may not be enough. I mean that's like saying piercing the ear with a round doesn't flip the light switch. It does
I like your content but be serious about it is a complete compromise you WILL GET STAB AN OR SERIOUSLY INJURE
What about "the epic snake knive: Mythbusting galore!" By joergSprave he swears up and down it won't break your fingers! As he says "why would it break your fingers! I think you should train against that monster for real! Lol
knife fighting is my least favorite training! it's very scary for me, and it triggers my temper. from what i have learned from practice, keeping a distance is the best option for me. i use my arms to shield and block while using my kicks to keep them at bay. i never try grapple at the start, but if i have to, im going for the eyes.
The idea that a person can't fight because they don't think you should grapple with a knifer is not true, they just understand how quickly you can be stabbed to death. Ever heard of the wrestler Bruiser Brody? He was stabbed to death backstage by another wrestler. What about UFC fighter Maiquel Falcao? He also was stabbed to death. Could these guys fight? Absolutely, they could fight better than most, but a knife attack is no joke, and one stab can kill you. There are knife fighters who even rub their arms in oil to make it difficult for someone to grab them.
The first option against someone with a knife is always to run away, the second option is to use your weapon (or grab anything in the environment and use that as a weapon), and if that doesn't succeed only then do you grapple. It is the last resort, always.
At our school, we did a knife seminar where we used red markers. Three minute sparring matches, both people with red markers. The least marked competitor stayed “alive” and sparred the next fresh opponent until they “died.” No one left unmarked. Every student left with lethal marks. We all learned the lesson. Make lethal strikes first, then move out of range. And whenever possible, carry a badder weapon at range. The other lesson we learned is to carry a knife on each side, so a trapped arm doesn’t make you helpless while being stabbed. Everyone who attended the course now understands the advantages of two knives, a walking stick, and a gun.
What about Michael Janich from Spyderco, MOD etc and Martial Blade Concepts which is very popular.
You should've addressed the fact that learning how to defend against knife can kill you. Yes, I mean just that. A lot of the times a person with some training would stand and try to fight instead of running away. One mistake, one unlucky move, one stab and they are done.... Seriously, every time knife defence subject is raised it is extremely important to highlight that running away is the best defence and you should only fight when you absolutely can't avoid it.
Have you seen Armchair Violence's recent video on knife fighting? Apparently, even if you get stabbed a couple times, there's a good chance you'll live.
I have listened to a few stories about people only having knives against bear. And they were used as piercing weapons more than a slashing weapon. Great tip on clothing. I wonder how I would do in lv 3 ballistics jacket wrestling someone. I have wondered if bear could rip through it.
My only knife defense is to run away. And if I can't do that my backup defense is my knife as I can't legally own a firearm. Plus a little practice here & there involving repeatedly stabbing at the midsection of target dummies but I would much prefer to just run away. I've known people who have been both stabbed & shot and they've all said being stabbed is way, way more painful so to hell with all of that.
Haven't watched yet, but hoping to hear "All self-defense programs are unintentional grifts."
I've watched the knife fight scene between Steven Seagal and Tommy Lee Jones in Under Siege a 100x; I'm good.
I knew a guy who got stabbed just sitting outside a resource centre for telling this guy picking on this chick verbally to chill, he was wearing 4 jackets cuz it gets to -40 here and it legitimately saved his life, also at this same place out front another one of my buddies got a knife pulled on him and he un-ironically kicked the knife out of the guys hand, it was on camera and the staff of the building said it was nuts to watch. Definitely not something I’d ever do 😂
The distance almost all of your training seemed to be at grappling range.Which is cool. I also notice that, I am not seeing any longer knives like full sized Tanto's or Fighting Bowie's. Why anyone would willing engage someone naked handed for any length of time naked handed is beyond me. People trained in knife fighting don't think like that just to let you know. Also I can't help but notice that your training in good light and in shorts warm climates. I live in Canada and it's cold most of the years, snow and ice on the ground and people are wearing multiple layers of heavy clothing. Its interesting to see your thoughts progress when it comes to edged weapons training.
All of you gurus and experts and sensei got slaughtered by that dude with a knife. What a farce. And it is not even a REAL fight.
I want to see the seminar where the knife guy goes up against a guy with a cattle prod.
OK nobody tell Seth we will never hear the end of it!
Ssssshhhh! He's bound to be lurking in this comment section somewhere. Let's keep this between us.
A good knife fighter won't let you see his knife until it's too late for you! No one can fend off a knife, of course you can train reflexes for such situations, that also helps! You should consider something like a bicycle lock! They're not sure, you can crack anything! With a good bike lock you only buy more time
Excellent video, thank you for sharing these reviews and analyses How well did the t-shirts hold up to being grabbed? We grapple with street clothes sometimes at my gym, and I've only seen one shirt (a dress shirt) tear apart. T-shirts seem to get stretched out more than they come apart in your hands.
They stretched, but never so badly that they stopped being useful
every training could be good. but here in the provinces of the Philippines where most people are farmers, they learn to cut, chop with their bolo while working in the farms and cutting grasses and woods. The practitioners of bolo or knife fighting will strike banana trunks to practice stabbing and hacking.
When I was about 15 we had this kid in my town that huffed gas and did crazy shit. One day he was at a park high as shit threatening people with one of those lock blade buck knives and I said I was going to find a phone and call the police (it was the mid 90's so no cell phones) and he heard me and charged at me with the knife. He held the knife in front of his right pectoral and came at me screaming trying to stick it in my chest. I didn't know much about wrestling but I did study boxing so I decided to ignore the knife and I stepped in and landed a right hand straight on his chin. His head snapped back and his knees went to jelly and took a spread eagle nap on his back. I did have a small cut on the back of my left wrist but I wouldn't have known about it if it hadn't been pointed out to me. Like Spicy Mike said at the end, he did better when he focused on stopping the attacker instead of chasing the knife. I never cared much for wrestling and ever since that day at the park I think the best way to deal with most weapons is a bit of footwork and nice tight right cross.
Not pointing to any curriculum in particular, but do you feel some schools overemphasize teaching students how to 'Fight with a Knife'? It feels like students are being fed this idea that if someone tries to mug them at knife point on the street, they will have time to draw their own knife resulting in some overly drawn out knife duel.
Mike, everyone knows aikido has the best knife defence. You're not fooling anyone!
You haven't met with rory miller, marc danny, the guys from atienza kali....