Would you know what to do if someone attacked you with a knife? If your answer is no, then you are just one among many in today’s society. Even with our technology to stay informed and up to the minute on all happenings around the world we put on blinders when it comes to our own safety. We choose to think of an attack happening somewhere else to someone else. We never learn the basics of defending ourselves in case we face a situation of danger.
Learning the basic of what to do when faced by an attacker holding a knife is a simple and quick lesson. You just have to become aggressive enough in your thinking to apply what you learn. This is not for the long term martial artist or he man hero. This article is for the person who goes to work everyday, comes home to their family every night and has a little fun when time allows. No one can be safe all the time so a little knowledge can go a long way in protecting yourself and your family.
1. Control of yourself.
Your first lesson is learning to control the way you see yourself in comparison of the attacker and weapon. Too many times people will not take a stance because the media portrays an attacker as having all the power. The victim gets stabbed once in a non vital part of the body and drops dead or helplessly screams defeat.
You are not going to scream in defeat. You are going to stand tall and do whatever you have to for your own protection and that of your loved ones. Most stabbing victims die of blood lose, not a one time shot. For a person to drop dead within moments of the stabbing the knife has to hit a very vital part of the body. Most attackers just want control and without thinking about where they are stabbing. So you are going to remember you have the ability to control whether you think about giving up, dying or living.
If you are stabbed with minor injuries you are NOT going to panic at the sight of your own blood. You are going to continue to fight your way to safety. You need to continue to fight so you can provide medical attention for yourself as soon as possible. Do not think about the attacker and their injuries. They made a choice and you are to concern yourself with your own life. When the police become involved they will attend to the attackers medical issue at the time.
2. Control of your environment.
When you are with your family at home or alone on a trip you need to be aware of your environment. Check out the area you sleep and play in. Know how your rooms are designed for escape or possible weapons. If you travel then always explore for landmarks, safety issues, hiding places and dark areas. If you stay alert you are better prepared to avoid trouble before it happens. Look for crowds to blend in with or businesses you can enter if you are uncomfortable with someone walking near you.
Do not be afraid to change your route, cross the street or move away from others coming in your direction. This is the best way to remain safe before a situation happens. Walk with your head high and your eyes forward. Do not hide your face because this invites trouble making you look like a victim and easy mark for robbery. You have to carry yourself with confidence so an attacker will pass you by as too much trouble.
If you are at home take a good look at your yard. Is there shrubbery someone can conceal themselves behind? Are there lights or is the area leading to the front door dark? Watch for movement when approaching your front door at night. Have your keys ready so you can unlock the door quickly. After you are in be sure to lock the door behind you right away to prevent someone following you inside. Turn on lights before you venture further into the house.
Once you are inside look for anything out of place. If you feel like someone has been in your house or might still be there then leave. Go to a neighbor or local business and call the police. They would rather look through a home for a possible invader then look at the result of a murder. This is not being fearful, this is being smart so call the police and let them handle it. They have the training and equipment you don’t have.
3. Control of the knife.
Seeing someone with a knife coming at you is going to be the most frightening part to overcome. Our eyes and mind see only the silver blade. It is overwhelming fear we cannot imagine from any of our previous experience with life. Our first thought is we are going to die. This thought pattern has got to change. The knife is only a small weapon held with only one hand. So you will learn to see it differently and to react to it as an item, not a slicing death.
There are many ways to fight with a knife and just as many way to protect yourself from an attacker with a knife. Take one of your own kitchen knives in hand. Hold it, look at it. Notice how big or how small it is and how it’s made. Most kitchen knives are of low to medium quality so the blades are not very strong. Good kitchen knives are much stronger, but they are still just kitchen knives you use every day of your life. Touch the blade, get used to the beauty of the metal. Learn to look at it as art work, as a creative extension of it’s maker.
Hold the knife away from your body in an attack stance. Notice the length in comparison to your own body build. Move the knife through the air around you and listen to the sound. By doing this you are learning to see an object, not a weapon. It does NOT have an endless reach as our imagination will try to make us believe during an attack. The knife is only as good as the person on the other end of it. So don’t be afraid to take it and defend yourself with it if need be.
4. Control of the attack.
If you are approached on the street by an attacker try not to panic. Be alert and be ready to defend yourself if he/she tries to stab you. Most muggings committed with a knife will not result in direct injury if you stay calm, give the mugger what he/she wants and let them leave the scene as fast as possible. Most muggers look for a victim that can provide them with some quick cash and a quick get away. Whatever you have is not worth fighting over if it might cost you your life. This will be the easiest defense ever presented to you. It’s all replaceable unlike your life and how much it means to your family.
If you are in an attack situation in your home or in a crowded event it is likely the attack is taking place because of anger or mental illness. Not because of a desire to commit illegal surgery! This is why you are to be aware of your environment. What obstacles are in your way or available for your use? What is near you to use are a weapon or for protection? How much room do you have to move around in? Is there an escape path or are you trapped where you are? This is very important in being able to make a quick decision.
When the attacker approaches you with the knife and there is no escape you will have to fight back. First do NOT put your hands in front of you in a stop stance. It does just as much damage and causes just as much pain to be stabbed through the palms of your hands as any other part of your body. This is one of the dumbest defenses you can perform. Move your hand apart from your body, low and spread to the side. When the knife comes at you just turn your body sideways to avoid being stab.
The knife will go past you and if you are sliced a little with the knife it’s better to have a little blood and a few stitches than six inches deep through the gut. Using your hands hit the knife away from you. Continue doing this only a few times until you take the chance and grab the knife hand for control. Do NOT grab the blade! It is pretty and shiny and sharp. You grab the back of the attackers hand and hold tight. Raise his/her hand and bring it down as hard as you can on an opposing object such as a counter, table, car hood, your up raised knee or into the wall. Do not stop until he/she drops the knife.
If you feel it is too dangerous to try to grab the knife then remember your legs are longer than his/her arms. You have a better reach if you choose to kick the knife hand, knee, back or anywhere else you can reach. If you gain control of the knife hand you can kick out a knee joint on the attacker while controlling the weapon. Control and disable, leave and live. It’s a great motto if you want to continue being a part of life.
Your other option is to grab a weapon for yourself from what is available. A kitchen chair or stool can be used to knock the knife from the attackers hand and then knock them out! You can also use the chair to block the knife coming at you. If the attacker grabs the chair with his/her free hand and pulls then add to the momentum and push the chair against the attacker. Keep pushing hard until you run them into a wall or to the ground. Do not be gentle because you are fighting for your life and maybe even theirs.
At the first chance you get leave the area and seek safety. Do not return to check on anything. Let the police take care of it from there. If you think you hurt your attacker and want to see if they are ok, don’t do it. They made their choice and you have to make your choice to stay alive and away from them.
5. Control of the attacker.
Most attacker who choose to use a knife do so because they are easy to obtain and to conceal. It doesn’t take any training to learn to use one and most people are easily intimidated by one. This gives the attacker a false sense of power. If you can overcome your fear of a knife as a weapon in someone else’s hand then you have a better chance of being the intimidator. It’s hard to maintain the feeling of power when it seems you have none.
View your attacker as a victim too. He/she needs money, power, drugs or something that will make them feel in charge of their life again. Place yourself as the one who will win this fight and never imagine being the loser. Once the attacker knows you are going to fight back you will have the edge. They will become careless and not watch what is going on around them. You can keep them distracted long enough for someone else to step in and help stop the situation from becoming deadly to anyone.
If you have a chance to take the knife then do so. Keep it in your own hand and hold tight. You can continue the fight using the knife yourself and using your own body. Kick low to the attackers body at knee’s, back of knee, inner thigh, groin, lower spine and top of his/her foot to disable. Keep kicking until you know they are not going to be getting up easily, then leave the scene and call the police from a safe area.
If he/she manages to crawl away they will have to eventually seek medical help. At that time the police will be notified and you can identify him/her. This concludes your basic lesson for defending yourself in a knife attack. But more than anything you have learned from this article the best defense is not to be involved. Avoid being attacked by being aware of your surroundings. Explore and learn to be comfortable around knives. They are a simple small item you CAN defend yourself against. Just have confidence in yourself and your ability.