There You Are

So there you are, standing 15 feet away from the security of your car, or your front door. Maybe you just turned around and your back is to the night deposit box or your ATM. There is only one problem, the greasy looking punk with a knife who is only five feet away, and he is blocking your path! You’re not too worried, you’ve learned at least a dozen self-defense techniques dealing with similar situations. The one thing you’ve noticed, besides his knife, is that the guy is about 4 inches taller than you are. Still, you worked with taller guys in the dojo and you didn’t have any problems. Then why does this one observation unsettle you?

The most important question you haven’t asked yourself, and it might make a big difference, “Is he just a punk with a knife, or is he a killer?” What was it sensei said to do if he held his knife thus and so? Did this mean the attacker will use this angle, or that angle? This sure looks like a classic self-defense number 26a. Well it did until he shifted his knife to reverse grip. Now what?

You’re thinking odds are that he is not as skilled as you are. But he may have killed! He may have killed in the “hood” or in prison. Savagery and brutality are the only techniques he knows. His knife may be a garden-variety kitchen knife, not a $450 custom folder, but it suits his needs. Now your hands begin sweating as you remember the dozen attempts it took you to wrench the training knife out of Jack’s hands, yeh Jack the tall guy in class. Sensei said it was OK, just keep practicing and eventually you’d get the technique right. Maybe self-defense number 26a is not going to get you home safe tonight. Maybe short guys require a change to the technique. Too many maybes and not enough time to think. Too many set techniques and not enough conceptual understanding. Shit I don’t think this is going to end well.

What difference does a few inches in height make? It can be a critical difference. Our first book The Rhythm of One is available again and our second book is slowly coming to completion. In them we offer some edged weapons concepts not addressed by most modern authors, drawing from the wisdom of our teachers and masters from all ages. You are welcome to email me with any questions posed by our blogs or our book at: ghdave2@hotmail.com