Basically you have to do two things: First, do not get cut by that knife, and second, get a hold of that arm and twist it. Use both hands, grab the knife arm, and twist it. Like a wrestler, or a judo move. You can then break the arm if you can stomp on the elbow, or dislocate the arm from the shoulder. Keep twisting until it breaks. I highly recommend this if you get the chance, just take it and break that arm.
Shit doesn't work against determined attackers. Might work in your McDojo with polite students complying with demonstrations. What you describe is "Just grab his arm and start twisting"- what's the attacker doing while you're doing this? Politely standing there, allowing you to break his arm? Fuck no- he'll probably try to switch the knife to his other hand, or punch/headbutt you in the face while you're trying to pull off a standing kimura or americana lock.
Do we have any record of such techniques working on knife attackers? Any footage? Any articles? I really, really doubt it. We do have data on knife attacks, though. For example, around 70% of 250 knife attacks on film begin with the attacker reaching out with their empty hand to grab their victim by the clothing. 90% of the time, it'll be their left hand they try to grab you with. 25% of the time, the attacker will use a "straight stab" aimed at the belly/chest.
Here, this guy actually tested thousands of techniques from various martial arts and analyzed their effectiveness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Y6YG2BfE4
The approach of taking footage of knife attacks and analyzing them is brilliant. With over 200 videos, you have a good sample size which enables you to identify patterns in how knife attacks begin, how they unfold, and how they end. You'll see people effectively defending themselves, and you'll see people being cut to ribbons as they flail about helplessly. You probably won't see what you described, a man's arm being broken mid-attack while standing up.
Many knife attackers are not ready to be attacked themselves and will leave themselves open. Their focus is usually fixed on attacking, not defending. Stay foremost focused on the knife when you confront him, but look for the opportunity to strike like a boxer would.
That's really good advice. Typically, both the victim and attacker will get tunnel vision focus on the knife/gun/weapon they're fighting over. 90% of their focus is "retaining the weapon", 10% is "stabbing you". This absolutely leaves them open for punches and headbutts. The basic principles of Boxing can be applied to the initiation of a knife attack- attacker reaches forward with his left hand to grab you- he's now in the perfect position for you to slam a right hook/cross into the jaw or nose, while keeping your left hand ready to parry or take the cuts as they're thrown.
We wouldn’t still be using knives if they weren’t so effective.
Imo he's not advocating silly martial art techniques - when he suggests 'twisting the arm'. I don't take that to mean just one single twist but more like 'fighting' to prevent the arm from being used (twisting, grappling, wrenching etc). Maybe he should have used the word 'fight over' instead of 'twist it'. Majority of successful do or die knife defense on video or in real life (best gore, ASP, live leak etc) essentially follows what the poster described. Focusing on the arm and knife, preventing the attacker from cutting stabbing slicing, and getting the knife away and out of the hands by any means necessary. Just what he actually described.
I specifically contend that the "breaking the arm" bit is nonsense. In the videos you saw, I would wager pretty much anything that the attacker who ended up disarmed did not have a broken arm at the end. Maybe a busted up face, maybe some broken ribs if there was a lot of slamming around involved.
You may be right, that it's the way it's worded- makes it sound like the attacker will passively stand there while you're gradually twisting his arm to the point of a break. All of the knife attacks I've seen were ferocious, fast blitzes. Most stabbing victims don't even realize they've been stabbed until they feel the warm wetness- terrifying thought, isn't it?
I suppose my issue is more with people who make self-defense situations sound like "Just poke him in the eyes/kick him in the balls/break his arm, no problem!" This is silly. How many serial killers/rapists are missing eyes? You think their victims weren't desperately trying to gouge their eyes out as they're being manually strangled? Or they try to grab and squeeze his balls mid-rape? That'd probably just lead to the attacker getting pissed off and punching the shit out of the victim before continuing the assault. There is no "Just do this and it's over" technique- there are so many variables in fighting, that you must be versatile and have a variety of tools.
Yeah i concur. I think we're on the same page. I just kinda didn't read into the 'twisting - breaking the arm' as single one off nonsense that is proliferate on all those hammy self defense tutorials but like i said i took it to mean (in the context of his post) an actual fight (to the death) over the arm and knife and hey if you some how manage to break the guys arm in the ensuing melee. Kudos ...
All right - actually, twisting of any limb is a very viable and proven fighting technique, taught not only in the martial arts, but also wrestling and police academies, militaries, etc.
It's a lot easier to do without boxing gloves on.
While bones are strong, they tend to only be strong in certain directions. Muscles too. Also, the bones are connected by connective tissues which are not nearly as strong, and are in fact very easily torn. This is especially true of wrists, elbows, and shoulder joints. The limbs of the body are designed to move in very specific directions. They are strong only in highly limited ways.
I bid you right now, just hold out your right arm, now rotate it to the right until it stops, then rotate it back to the left until it stops. That is your limit right there. 20% past that will rip tendons and muscle, tear ligaments and cartilage, and shatter bones. In fact, I can move your entire body pretty much wherever I like if I have your arm already twisted. The pain from having your arm torn up like that often leads to a loss of consciousness. It will render your arm just as useless as that guy who was shot in the arm by Kyle.
In other words, if I get a hold of your arm, you are entirely fucked. I don't really need anything else after that. You'll be screaming in pain if you can even remain awake.
This is basic ass martial arts. It works perfectly well both inside and outside of the dojo.
Remember, cops twist people's arms behind their backs when arresting them, frequently breaking arms in the process.
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