Sunday With Blackthorn - Today We Discuss The Difference Between Theory And Reality When Fighting With A Knife

 The Video below is from the Youtube channel of a guy I'm not a big fan of. Some of his stuff isn't bad, but as the old saying goes, "sometimes even a blind monkey can find a banana after it falls out the tree".

This however was not one of those times.

 In this particular video he brings on a 'Subject Matter Expert' that most of you guys who are regulars here will know. You will see the much vaunted, sometimes useful, but quite often over-hyped "Pressure Testing Drill" used to prove (ahem!) that knives are useless for self defense against multiple attackers.

Yes, proven by watching how a guy wearing padding, a helmet, gloves , etc., while being repeatedly stabbed and/or slashed by a rubber/plastic training knife will be able to continue attacking you, grappling with you, controlling you, and finally taking you to the ground so that his buddies can safely join in and strike, kick and stomp you.

I find it particularly interesting that these are the same guys who for decades constantly told everybody that grappling, especially on the ground, will work for you.  They tell and "demonstrate" this in the video in spite of the fact that they have for years derided Combatives guys and anyone else for telling you to avoid going to the ground if it's at all possible  because you will get stomped and kicked by your attackers buddies.

Amazing how that bit of hypocrisy works huh?

Anyway, after watching the video I will put up an old article from Carl Cestari. For those of you who  might not catch the point being made, I will make it easy for you. The word "Snake" in the article is a Metaphor for the word "knife".

 

 

“Training, Reality & Snakes"
by Carl Cestari

Before we "discuss" what will or will NOT work on the street and what is "practiced" in the training environment let's think about this analogy:
I place in front of you a King snake; let's say an average of four feet long. Non-venomous and
nasty looking to be sure, but in NO way really "life threatening".

I show you how to catch it barehanded.

You MAY get bitten, but since this snake is NON venomous, well............a little scratch never hurt anyone. After a couple of practice runs you feel fairly confident, and after
all, the snake is NON-venomous, so even if you do GET BITTEN, well, it's really NO big deal.
That IS the training environment. Rubber knives, training blades of various materials, even LIVE blades. All NON-venomous! No matter how "real" you think you're making it, NO ONE is really going to be maimed for life or killed. NON-venomous!

OK? Now I place in front of you a King Cobra. I tell you to capture IT barehanded.
Little different NOW, huh?

HIGHLY VENOMOUS!
One single mistake, one miss-step, even a GRAZE from one of those fangs and you are in DEEP SHIT!

AND......YOU KNOW THAT!

I bet you approach the WHOLE affair now with a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT attitude, mind-set and gut level feeling. Your sphincter will be slammed tighter than a virgin's thighs on prom night! ONE false move and YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE! HIGHLY VENOMOUS! That IS the STREET! HIGHLY VENOMOUS!

You CAN afford to make a mistake or try something "fancy" against the King snake. NON-venomous. You'll live.

Against the COBRA, well that's a whole different "ballgame". One "slip-up" might very well be your last. HIGHLY VENOMOUS.

And the above is analogous to JUST the fundamental difference between "training" and reality. Add ALL the other human elements (both yours and your assailant's) and the stew gets pretty thick and dicey.