AMOK! Knife Defense, Knife Fighting and Combat Training

AMOK! Main Page

Self Defense Courses:

Managing Criminal Assaults 10/30/2010

11/28/2010 DESPERATE MEASURES & MANAGING KNIFE ATTACKS with Tom Sotis

EMPTY HANDS KNIFE DEFENSE COURSE MENU OPTIONS

(with a short description for each)

EMPTY HANDS KNIFE DEFENSE (EHKD)
This course presents an overview of the problems and solutions regarding empty hands knife defense. Attacks occur via ambushes, from positions of disadvantage, against different angles of committed and non-committed strikes, delivered in single and combination attacks, from forward and reverse grip, in their right or left hand, as delivered by thugs, predators, convicts, soldiers, and other capable foes. The course objective is to widen and increase your functionality against these forms of attack. As always, we include the always-present "what if" factor so you'll have contingency actions to keep things progressing in your favor.

MANAGING CHAOTIC KNIFE ATTACKS
In this course you will learn how to manage the chaos of violent knife attacks. The entire course is done in real time so there leaves no question as to how the material functions in combat. You will learn how to salvage being ambushed, and how to counter single and combination attacks delivered by a determined foe. The course covers how to counter quick jabbing strikes meant to open you up and how to counter transitions from jabs to committed attacks. Then you will learn counters to fake and strike attacks, and you will learn how to attack when the opportunity presents itself. Once the chaos has been brought under your management, you will learn how to seize opportunities to disarm and how to prevent their counters followed up with takedowns, controls and recovery tactics. No experience or prior training is needed to attend this class.

MANAGING GRAB 'N STAB ATTACKS (MGSA)
This course breaks down how to counter grabbing attacks whereby your adversary has a hold of either of your wrists, under/over your elbows, or if he has you by the throat and he is pumping strikes in. These are, typically, prison-style shankings delivered with murderous intent and present perhaps the most serious tactical challenge to overcome. There are no magic bullets here - just the best fought-out solutions we have for these worst-case scenarios. No previous courses are required but MCKA or AWUA are quite helpful.

HOLD-UPS AND STRUGGLES (HU/S)
Hold-ups and struggles (either standing, against a wall, or on the ground) are environments that task your physical resources differently than do free-radical exchanges. This course presents solutions to these scenarios and is a critical facet in securing your sphere of readiness. This training will put you in good standing for defensive situations you may encounter in the real world. No experience or prior training is needed to attend this class.

DISARMING FORWARD GRIP (DFG)
This course will teach you a practical means to use your empty hands or your knife/pistol to disarm a knife held in forward grip by a non-compliant adversary. In responding to a knife attack, generally one must first manage the chaos before an opportunity to disarm, or do otherwise, will occur (which is why MC-1 is recommended). Once that opportunity appears, or is manufactured, you will need an achievable and reliable means of dislodging that knife from their grasp. You will learn why most people fail to achieve disarms, when and how to effectively achieve them, and how to defeat your adversary's attempts to counter.  In just one day of training you will significantly improve your functional disarming ability and you will know how to format follow-up practice.

DISARMING REVERSE GRIP
This course will teach you a practical means to use your empty hands or your knife/pistol to disarm a knife held in reverse grip by a non-compliant adversary. In responding to a knife attack, generally one must first manage the chaos before an opportunity to disarm, or do otherwise, will occur (which is why MC-1 is recommended). Once that opportunity appears, or is manufactured, you will need an achievable and reliable means of dislodging that knife from their grasp. You will learn why most people fail to achieve disarms, when and how to effectively achieve them, and how to defeat your adversary's attempts to counter.  In just one day of training you will significantly improve your functional disarming ability and you will know how to format follow-up practice.

ADVANCED DISARMING TACTICS (ADT)
This course presents ways to prevent being disarmed, how to counter disarms when they are attempted, how to counter-disarm (take his after he took yours), disarming using only one hand, as well as progressions and combinations from previous DFG/DRG. You will learn advanced practices to enhance your set-up and execution skills, and how DEW principles apply to disarming other weapons. We strongly recommended first attending DFG and/or DRG.

TAKEDOWN, CONTROL AND RECOVERY
In an edged weapon conflict your adversary is a threat to your life for as long as they remain on their feet and possibly even after you put them down. This course will teach you, once you have neutralized their attack how to take someone down by their head, arms, legs, or torso (and not be cut if they are holding a blade), and how to contain or delete them while remaining ready to address additional attackers. Participants should be in good physical condition.

USE OF WEAPONS COURSE MENU OPTIONS (with a short description for each)

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EDGED WEAPONS COMBAT (MDEWC)
This course presents an ideal "first experience" to edged weapons training through "guided discovery"; a dynamic approach that delivers comprehensive and practical experience far surpassing the format of other methods. Fighting tactics are explained by practical and scientific theory, as well as critical formatting that most rapidly develops functionality against determined adversaries. You will learn about various pressures and the tactical realms, experience managing those realms, and discover the key to ensure your counters are compatible with the attack. This course gives you an overview of edged weapons combat such that all subsequent courses are detailed expansions of this introduction. 

EDGED WEAPON COMBAT (EWC-1)
This is our flagship course that will teach you how to prevail in knife-to-knife conflict. This course emphasizes full-on knife-to-knife battle tactics that you need to defeat a determined and capable foe. The entire course is done in real time so there leaves no question as to how the material functions in combat. This course begins with learning to deliver true attacks with full intention and then proceeds to develop a natural hierarchy of counters. You will receive more practical fighting tactics in this course than most methods have in their entire curriculum. Suitable for both civilian defenders and professional operators; no experience or prior training is needed to attend this no BS course.

EDGED WEAPON COMBAT (EWC-2)
In EWC-1 you learn strategic approaches and general tactics to manage forward pressure in a generalized way. EWC-2 presents a comprehensive breakdown the problem-solving technology to ensure your counters are compatible with the attacking pressure. The tactics/tools employed against attacks coming at you with significant pressure are given initial emphasis followed by high-priority actions to counter reduced pressure attacks. EWC-2 gives you a deeper understanding, and more complete ability, to operate in knife-to-knife combat.

MANAGING THE KILL-ZONE (MKZ-1)
Most fighters fail to effectively manage the fury and chaos of the mutual-kill zone when the action is far too fast for thinking and untrained reflexes break down. In this course you will learn how to counter any strike from wherever your hands may happen to be. These tactics and tools represent the nucleus of knife-to-knife combat. In MKZ you will learn how to condition and complete your reflexes to embed effective reactions to prevail in mutual exchanges of hard and fast multiple strikes.

MANAGING THE KILL-ZONE (MKZ-2)
In MKZ-2 you will complete geometries and the table of motion introduced in MKZ-1 in static environment and then put them to use in fluid exchanges that task your timing and mental stability. The exchanges become increasingly complex and footwork is tasked as well. This course uses Embedded Command Technology � to anchor these actions into your reflexive apparatus so they operate when you are forced out of an OODA loop into reactionary mode. We strongly recommended first attending MKZ-1.

MANAGING THE KILL-ZONE (MKZ-3)
This course expands into dynamic exchanges and radical practices at the highest technical level of functioning which interweaves reflexive mindset and the OODA loop enhancing one's ability to follow/dictate the shift between acting on demand/command.  This course explores the opportunities created by single and multiple exchanges, both simple and complex in nature. We strongly recommended first attending MKZ-1 and/or MKZ-2.

EDGED WEAPONS TRAPPING (EWT)
If you have developed edged weapon skill, this course provides the technology to take your knifing skills to a higher technical level. You will learn Bladehand Traps, Checkhand Traps, Bridge Traps, and Compound Traps; and then combine, compound, and multi-task tactics/tools from MKZ 1&2.  EWT then continues further introducing higher-end traps, refined disarms, and other not-for-beginner technology. We strongly recommended first attending MKZ-1.

 GRAB 'N STAB ATTACKS (GSA)
This course breaks down how to deliver and counter grabbing attacks whereby your adversary has a hold of either of your wrists, under/over your elbows, or if he has you by the throat and he is pumping them in. These are, typically, prison-style shankings delivered with murderous intent and present perhaps the most serious tactical challenge to overcome. There are no magic bullets here - just the best fought-out solutions we have for these worst-case scenarios. No previous courses are required but MCKA or AWUA are quite helpful.

CLINCHING AND STRUGGLES WITH KNIVES (CSK)
It is not uncommon for two knifers to tie up in various configurations of mutual struggle. This course explores situations where both knifers grab each others' bladehand (wrist) when both are in forward hold, reverse hold, or in a forward vs. reverse configuration, as well as the lefty-righty clinch. From these positions you will learn how to safely inject impact strikes, use your blade, use his blade against him, disengage, disarms, and other energy-based maneuvers.

DISARMING USING EDGED WEAPONS (DUEW)
In this course you will learn to use a pocket folder to disarm attackers armed with knives, sticks, and guns. These edged-weapon-based universal fighting actions (UFAs) set the stage to achieve the same disarms when you happen to be holding a stick, gun, or improvised instrument. Like a knot that gets tighter when you pull harder on the rope, AMOK! disarms expect and utilize your foe's resistance to effect them, which becomes more likely the more they resist. 

EDGED WEAPONS TAKEDOWNS (EWT)
In an edged weapon conflict your adversary is a threat to your life for as long as they remain on their feet and possibly even after you put them down. This course will teach you, once you have neutralized their attack, how to use your blade to take them down by their head, arms, legs, or torso (and not be cut if they are holding a blade), and how to contain or delete them while remaining ready to address additional attackers. Participants should be in good physical condition.

USING TACTICAL FOOTWORK (UTF)
This course initially presents a detailed breakdown of the separate pieces (shuffles, steps, and pivots) and then it becomes necessary to employ them for the higher task of repositioning and reorienting your body. Then you will detail attacking footwork and learn how to combine or compound shuffles and steps to close the gap by various increments. Linear entries are then countered by angular footwork to avoid, evade and (utilizing shifting and circling to achieve a single-step platform) to intercept. You will learn that the most effective counter-footwork tactics employ doubling-up and baiting to set them up. Angulat footwork is effectively countered with lateral footwork using side-steps, zoning, and shifting. You will learn how the key elements of momentum and posture dictate one's action in the moment, how to achieve freedom in repositioning, and how to exploit advantages gained.

REVERSE GRIP KNIFE FIGHTING (RGK)
This course immerses you in the elements specific to using and facing reverse grip. Just as you train fighting both right and left-handed adversaries, you should train in both forward grip (FG) and reverse grip (RG) to become functional no matter how you or your adversary happen to be holding the weapon. Both FG and RG draw from the same set of tactics and tools, but their respective uniqueness' often compel radical differences. Theoretically, FG/RG is the same game but practically, they are not the same apple. This course begins with a breakdown of striking, using the blade with its edge facing in or out, double-edged blades, and employing the pommel to adapt to RG's range of motion. Then based on the previous evolutions of EWC 1&2, you will move directly into full-on tactics where you learn to use the reduced reach of RG to your advantage. Then you will review the "geometries" of EWC-2 in RG, with appropriate emphasis on its prominent "hooking" feature, and reinforce the transition from significant to reduced pressure. We strongly recommended first attending MKZ-1. 

KNIFE ON THE GROUND (KOG)
This course explores struggles involving one or more knives that end up going to the ground. Highly educated groundfighters who studied AMOK! for many years integrated knife configurations into their practices and worked out the tactics/techniques most prevalent and functional in those predicaments. This course presents the underlying groundwork positions, transitions, and maneuvers that provide a context of operating on the ground with and against knives.

CHAOTIC PISTOL COMBAT (CPC)
This course is designed for shooters to safely deploy their firearm and prevail over a variety of knife attacks.  Very few people will attack someone with a gun already in their hand, so it becomes vital to know how to manage a variety of knife attacks when empty-handed so you can quickly and safely get your pistol into the fight. Getting your pistol into the fight is only half the battle because while you are shooting, and before they have fallen, you must avoid having your pistol cut from your hands and you must avoid exchanging shots for stabs...and that assumes your weapon is operational and circumstances permit its discharge. There could be occasions where your pistol is drawn but you cannot fire because of a stoppage, you could be midway through a magazine change, or perhaps a bystander enters the picture. In these instances, and many others, you could be under attack and you cannot discharge your pistol. In this course you will learn how to use universal blade-based actions to counter chaotic knife attacks maximizing your pistol's potential as a blunt instrument (whether it is operational or not) and includes Sotis' Trigger-Guard Disarming� technique: a simple, practical, and effective way to disarm knives and other weapons.

THE MACHETE IN COMBAT (MIC)
In many parts of the world machetes are instruments of everyday life, and death. If you live in or travel to these places, especially as a professional operator, this course is vital to securing your sphere of readiness. MIC is like EWC-1 on steroids. The format and tactics are nearly identical but the length and weight of machetes alter the dynamics of the fight thus dictating its own unique prioritizations and emphases. While most people can learn to apply short knives with little or no familiarization, most people naturally, and consequently inefficiently, rely too heavily on their biceps/triceps/deltoids (as they do with short knives) to engage it, but the usually-helpful reach and weight of a machete also conspire to amplify your mechanical deficiencies and make you vulnerable. This course will teach you how to contain your machete's momentum and to manage its length in close quarters, efficiently and unforced, by adhering to one simple mechanical rule and abandoning it when it serves you to. Also applicable to some civilian profiles, this course emphasizes tactics mainly designed for professional operators.

FLEXIBLE WEAPONS IN COMBAT (FWC)
This course deals with all manners of flexible weapons like rope, cords, belts, ties, T-shirts etc. You will learn different ways to hold and secure your weapon, how to deflect or entangle the arms, and how to strangle and/or takedown your attacker. Four Themes Theory is not a pre-requisite but it immensely helpful in exploring your options.

IMPROVISED ITEMS AND INSTRUMENTS (III)
This course deals with applying virtually any hand-held instrument with positive effect. Based entirely on actions learned in Edged Weapons Combat and Managing the Kill-Zone, one or more of these courses should be taken first so you have base actions to built upon and adapt from.

Please contact Martial Arts Principles, Inc. to host a seminar, try a class or to ask whatever questions you may have.