From time to time, I get a student who openly admits they would have a problem shooting someone.
Non-Firearm Defensive Tools
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Emotional Components of Knife Defense, Part 3
Now we are going to discuss some psychological concepts and principles that can help students diminish their innate reluctance to use violence.
EMOTIONAL COMPONENTS OF KNIFE DEFENSE AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM THROUGH TRAINING, PART 2
In the first part of this article, we explored some of the factors that help form our attitude toward knife use and knife defense and how they may negatively influence our ability to protect ourselves.
Emotional Components of Knife Defense, Part 1
When I teach my defensive knife courses, at least one student always says, “I’d rather defend against a handgun than a knife. Knives scare me more than guns!”
Conventional and Unconventional Knife Grips
Understanding and utilizing a final fighting grip for a knife in a personal protection situation may be dictated by the urgency of the situation or the advanced preparation of the knife carrier.
Principles of the Clinch
Whether you’re a serious student of combative arts or just a casual fan of the combat sports, you’ve probably heard the term “clinch.” There seems to be an endless stream of variations, most named for the part of the world they come from (e.g., the Thai clinch or the Greco-Roman clinch) or the way they
Pride and Glory, Life and Limb, Part II: Bridging the Gap Between Competition and Combat
In Part I of this series, we discussed some of the differences between training for sport MMA and training for real-world violence. Now that the differences, including some of the advantages and disadvantages of each, have been dealt with, let’s look at how to bridge the gap between the two sides. Here are some suggestions
Pride and Glory, Life and Limb Part I: Differences Between Competition and Combat
Opinions on training for competition, such as sport Jujitsu or Mixed Martial Arts, versus training for real-world conflict fall over a wide spectrum. On one end is a crowd that advocates “If it won’t work in the cage, it won’t work anywhere,” and at the other extreme is an equally large group insisting “There are
Why the Knife for Self Defense?
I was recently asked why I’m so quick to recommend a knife, not a gun, as a primary personal-protection tool. For the purposes of this article, what I mean by a “knife” is one of the very commonplace folding knives found in almost any sporting goods store, or a small fixed-blade knife. Both of these
Bare-Knuckle Striking: The Issue of Form
Throwing a good punch is a complex process that employs the entire body from the soles of the feet to the surface of the knuckles. From the earth to the “boom,” so to speak. All these pieces of the process are important to effective striking; they are the fundamentals. Here I’ll address the jab, cross
