In Less Than 2 Minutes of Training?
Self Defense Instructors: If a beginning student were about to face a knife wielding assailant, can’t run away, and you only have 2 minutes to teach her a self defense skill set, what would you do?
Defending against a knife attack is brutal. It’s fast, furious, gory and oftentimes fatal.
Criminals can avail themselves of knives or create edged weapons inexpensively, without the need for a background check or permit. Knives are easy to conceal and carry.
Most interviewed victims of knife attacks didn’t even know a knife was involved in the fight until after the fact.
Recently during a COBRA Academy 10 second knife survival scenario, a female student experienced the reality of such an attack with professional instructors using training props in a safe environment.
She was given the time, place, and method of attack, a luxury not afforded by criminals, and still found it impossible to defend empty handed against the knife attack. She quit the scenario in 5 seconds after her 2nd unsuccessful attempt.
In COBRA Self Defense Training we teach students a survival tenant: as long as you’re conscious and breathing, you’re fighting. Skill set is no substitute for a strong will to survive. You will need solid empty hand skills regardless, but especially if you don’t have a self-defense tool that can serve as an “instant equalizer” in an assault.
Enter the Cane: Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to demonstrate the self-defense potential of the Cane and how training saves lives. Here’s what I did with this temporarily discouraged student.
Gave her a padded Cane Drone, pulled her to the side and coached her for exactly 1: 45 minute(s) on the strategy to use against the same apparently insurmountable attack she had just faced. This time Cane in hand.
The video below shows the result. Attacker had no choice but to retreat. Click the image to watch the video.
Instant empowerment for our student and perhaps a different perspective on what she formerly viewed as a “crutch” or geriatric medical device.
Moral of the Story: Empty hand self-defense skills are a must. The will to survive is vital, NEVER give up. Improvisational self defense tools like the Cane, can create life -saving leverage under duress. Training saves lives.
