So you wanna learn to fight with a blade? "Installment 1 of Knife combat instruction"

Growing up I always had a fascination with knives and edged weapons. It was Tarzan with his jungle knife that really got me interested as a young boy. Later on there was John Rambo with the Gigantic Survival knife; and let's not forget every boy's favorite, the "Swiss Army knife". I always wanted a "Swiss Army Knife", because it was a tool and a weapon all in one! As I grew older I engaged heavily into the Martial Arts and gained an even deeper respect for the knife as an edged weapon. Along with that respect I began to fear it as well. I was learning so many unarmed techniques; but i always had a worry in the back of my head about what should I do if someone pulls a knife on me and I can not escape. Luckily for me the martial arts school I went to had a special guest instructor (One of Jerry Peterson's Guys) come in and teach basic knife combat to us.

Many may be familiar with the program, it was called (SCARS) Scientific Combat Reactionary System. This was my foundation to what I would later develop into a program of knife and hand to hand combat for my Special Forces team; that would later turn into a system of armed and unarmed combat techniques. Now, after having attended this training I wanted to go a step further. I was so impressed with what I learned. The biggest thing that I learned was that my mind was the the most sharp and superior weapon. The techniques that I was taught were only the most insignificant detail in the course. The biggest realization I had come to was the fact that when dealing with an attacker who has an edged weapon I will get cut. Once I was able to accept that; I was truly able to be comfortable when it came to edged weapon combat.

Years later I joined the U.S. Army and looked forward to learning the very best in knife and hand to hand combat. Boy; had I been mistaken. It wasn't till I was nearin the end of my Green Beret Training later in my career that I learned any substantial combative techniques. I have always been the kind of guy that although I am always looking to learn new techniques I also study the basic principles of science and physics that make techniques work. I have always believed that if one can understand mechanics of movement then they will truly be an effective fighter / martial artist. I continued to train on all I had already learned and began to experiment and create my own methods based on everthing I had been taught. Eventually I was asked to develop a program of instruction for my team; because what the Army offers in so inadequate.

The program that I developed caught on and became the system that I teach today. Combat Application Techniques. It is from this system that I will be providing tips on Knife vs Knife Combat as well as Knife vs Unarmed and ultimately Unarmed vs Unarmed Combat. I will provide example techniques and excerpts from clinics and seminars all so those who are interested can gain further knowledge in Knife and Unarmed Combat. So now that you the reader knows about where my passion and interest comes from when it comes to knife combat let's get started down the path of Edged Weapon Combat!

The first thing I would like to get started on is mental preparation. The reason that Professional Soldiers, Mercenaries and Mixed Martial Artists are so lethal is that they think differently than the average person. They do not get personally get involved with the mark, opponent or target. Instead they accept the fact that it is just a sport or a job. The next thing that separates these professionals from the average joe is that they learn to separate their target from them by de humanizing the opponent, mark or target. "How do they do this?"; you ask. Simple; they spend hours training and drilling their minds saying (Example), "They are just a bunch of Rag Heads, or Gooks or Scum buckets,Pussies and Terrorists." This mentality alows the subconcious mind of the Soldier, Mercenary or Fighter to create the illusion (even if just in their mind), that they are battling a monster and there is an opportunity for them to be a hero and do something great. Dehumanizing also short circuits the natural resistence of the average human mind to taking or destroying another human life. When dehumanizing; you are not killing a human; but a subhuman or a monster.

One of the very most important things however is that MMA Fighters expect to get hit. Soldiers or Mercenaries are ready to die in battle if necessary. There are often many reasons for this. They believe in what they are fighting for, which is where dehumanizing can come into play. They know that it is their duty or responsibility; (I.E. The MMA Fighter knows that he is responsible for fighting and defeating his opponent, the Soldier or Mercenary knows and fully understands that they are past the point of no return and that unless they vanquish their enemy; they will loose their lives.) They accept the possibility of defeat and they expect for serious damage or casualties.

In spite of the popular psychology belief that this thinking is negative and detrimental to a victory or positive outcome; the effect is quite the opposite. Shock is the number one cause of death in combat. Very seldom is the actual injury the cause of death, it is shock. When one actually conditions themselves to believ that they are going to get shot and they will get cut, kicked or punched; it takes away from the initial shock of the traumatic experience. By conditioning our minds it is possible to short ciruit the wiring of out normal thought patterns and thus elimanating the panic response.

For this first installment I would like to leave you the reader with the thought in mind that mental development is the key to any victory. Weather it is in the arena of Professional fighting, soldiering, enforcing the law or even just protecting one's self from a predator or attacker confidence and mental fortitude will generally decide who wins, looses, lives or dies. The only one that can condition our minds is us. Please keep checking this post for follow on installments. The next issue will be on the imperatives of knife combat.




If you are interested in in learning more on knife combat or Combat Application Techniques: "Principles Of Destruction" go to http://www.unarmedcombat.zoomshare.com/