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Old 04-19-2011, 07:32 PM   #71
KaliGman
Dojo: Warren Budokan
Location: Youngstown, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 36
United_States
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Re: Tanto Practice - Is true Aikido effective for disarming?

Quote:
Michael Varin wrote: View Post
Frankly, this too is a little unrealistic.

The whole area of "knife disarming" is so infected with dogmatic beliefs that I doubt anyone has a clear view of it.

If someone is armed with a knife, and you attempt to strike them to "soften them up," you will likely not be pleased with the results if they are content to cut whatever you throw out there.

One punch knockouts aside, if you attack someone who is armed with an edged weapon with empty-hand strikes, I would say that you do not understand the nature of the advantage a blade gives a man.

Atemi has a role, but the over-emphasis on atemi in these situations does not reflect the wisest of strategies.

Ultimately, we must learn all the techniques and tactics that we can, then let our intuition and judgment guide us in any given situation… That's where the "art" comes in.
Well, the most realistic thing is, when people attack with knives, you respond with lethal force. Disarms sometimes present themselves. Destructions of the limb are usually easier to accomplish and safer for the defender to use. George is quite correct in saying striking is important. I do believe, in this instance, that he and I are on the same page. This strategy is not easy and is not for everyone. I am not concerned with ''average" or "good enough", but with excellence. If you have put in the time and training to divorce your hands and feet so they can move independently, then you are able to conduct the footwork necessary to enter, while striking the attacker's arm, then sticking and bridging it across his body, simultaneously using the other arm to strike for the head or other target on the center line of the attacker. The entering footwork comes in at an angle and slams into the inside thigh of the opponent while all this is going on and turns his pelvis, taking balance. The defender's hands continue to move, hit, break, twist and do nasty things to the bad guy, generally several attacks per second. Generally, an elbow or shoulder of the bad guy gives way, a takedown presents itself or a potentially lethal targeting area opens up and is engaged. This can be done reliably under stress with the correct training. As for not knowing and dogmatic---maybe. But then, I have sparred full-contact, knife against knife, empty hand against knife, etc. for years, have faced knives in a few lethal force encounters in my years of law enforcement, and have only received a relatively minor cut or two. Really, unless you have spent an awful lot of time doing blade on blade sparring and working with the knife in a system that teaches blade combat, you probably are not going to be very good against the knife. I am sure that there are exceptions to this, but I have yet to meet one.
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