KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

You both face each other. You both get ready. You attack -- but for the purposes of practice, slow it down a bit. Work at either half or three-quarter speed. This is necessary for this exercise.

Have your partner respond. He or she also responds at the slower speed. Now, here comes the slash....

While your partner is defending, see if you can find a new target with your knife.

For example, you stab at your partner's abdomen. Your partner deflects the arm that is holding the knife, so you let your arm bounce back on a new angle to stab for something else, like your partner's face.

Or, while your partner is controlling you with a joint lock or arm bar, could you change the trajectory of your knife and slash at his or her fingers, or leg, or or or???

The point of doing this exercise is for your partner's benefit, not yours.

You are making it difficult by changing the routine -- by not stopping with one thrust of the knife.

Get your partner to figure out how to control you at all times. You should never be able to stab at your partner. Your 'buddy' needs to figure out how to maintain constant control -- through pressure, positions, etc....

Work on it. Figure out out to constantly check against a knife stab. Experiment.

Once you have a safe method, bring it up to speed. Really master the technique.

Once you have mastered the technique, it's time to change the parameters yet again....

What happens when, after your initial attack with the knife, you switch the knife to your other hand?

Plan, plan, plan -- practice, practice, practice.