Don't think that I picked on Eric. I gave an opinion of one of his sequences. In the very next letter, I wrote to him for advice.
Chris Louth wrote in with a question about having the time to pull out a gun before an attacker 'got you' with a knife.
We have discussed Tueller Test at great length in the past. And some of you think the subject is passe', because of all of the references on the Net.
I think it's a good lead-in for the article that follows this one. First, take a look at the question posed by Chris and then Eric's response. Of course, thanks to Eric for taking the time to field this one, for me:
"I have a question for you. I've seen a demonstration (and been involved in practicing) something interesting regarding gun vs. knife many years ago. The details are a little hazy..."
"Here's the scenario:
"Police officer (RCMP specifically) with his/her gun holstered. 20 feet away, an attacker with a knife. The police officer is required to shoot the attacker before the attacker strikes.
"I know it's a valid exercise, showing
1) the value of having the gun ready instead of holstered, and
2) the speed at which things can fall apart in a 'situation.'
"Here's where I am perhaps a little off: At what distance does this scenario tend to fail (i.e. the gun is faster than the knife)? And what is a police officer trained to do for a standard shot (unbutton the gun, take off safety, enter firing stance, aim, fire)?
"Like I said, I can't remember the details and have lost touch with the people in my life who would still know them. Still, it's interesting to practice, especially when you think about being an American in a place where concealed guns are legal."
-- Chris Louth
"From a knowledgeable martial artist perspective. One must understand that a deranged maniac with a knife, may be much different from a person with knife. With knowledge in arts such as Kali, Escrima or Applegate methods of attack.
"These individuals have the ability to strike multiple lethal targets on the body during an altercation. One that may disable your ability to fire a weapon.
"Two even if you do, and you do neutralize your assailant. You may expire anyway.
"Example, six counts done in the knife fighting methods are directed veins, arteries, and tendons controlling muscle movement.
"Ex- I was taught a six count, but 1-3 may be all that is necessary to be lethal. Strike one L carotid vein, two R carotid artery, three, thrust to the midlateral line to the muscle controlling breathing just below the solar plexus. Strike one and you would bleed out, much less if you took two, three or even six strikes.
"So when facing a blade realize it can cut in mult directions and times. It is a deadly serious game within the 21 ft mark, even with a gun."
-- Eric, 11 yrs in Law Enforcement,
16 yrs in the Personal
Protection
Ind. and Lifelong study of the Martial Arts
Those contact points with the knife happen in a flurry, almost as one beat.
My advice to Chris would be to not think of it in terms of a specific distance. How much adrenalin is rushing through your body, how scared you are, how well-trained you are, whether you are sitting or standing, how the weapon is holstered, how practiced you are at freeing your weapon all affect the distance.
With that in mind, you make the attempt to follow your best course of action. If you are holstering a gun or a knife, then of course, if at first intuition, you feel you can get to your weapon, then you go for it.
If while freeing your weapon, you realize that your attacker is getting too close, then you modify and adjust. If you have the gun in hand, but can't fire, for example, then you hit with the gun. If on the other hand. the gun isn't free of your holster, then don't continue to fiddle with it, when the attacker is almost in kicking range.
Kick!
With the above in mind, get lot's of practice. Start with one practice partner. Play the distance game, until you know your effective distance with "this" partner. Then generalize to different people.
Add some distance to allow for the feeling of stark terror. Add some more for the element of surprise ...
and then go back to my initial advice of learning to adjust, depending on the situation.
Readers who enjoyed the above article also liked the following article:
Martial artists who think that they can use their regular moves from their styles in a knife fight, just won't have a chance.
I am not trying to be mean, just honest.
Knife against knife is a whole different kettle of fish from an empty-hand attack. You need an efficient, automatic way to respond. Here's the answer ...
Read More about 10 Days to Better Knife Fighting ...
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