In this week’s tutorial video we’re focusing on using a very simple and natural motion of pushing your hands forward, covering your head and either closing the gap between you and the attacker or gaining distance and getting away, aka stabbing defense (krav maga). As explained in the video, training any hand defenses is training your natural response to an imminent danger. By repetitions we enhance the natural reaction to get a bit of a better form. In many krav maga styles, the stabbing defense is known as “defense against stick-type of an attack” but actually, it is very versatile hand defense as it is actually based on one of the most primal movements “pushing away the danger” (Kudos to Coach Tony Blauer).
There is quite a lot of research done in startle – flinch reaction and one of the pioneers in this area of hands-on research is coach Tony Blauer. Tony has done a lot of work in “weaponizing the flinch” and every martial arts – and self -defense instructor should take a deeper look into this as it really helps in training. The stabbing defense in krav maga is a great example of “weaponizing the flinch”.
Training tips:
- Start with your hands on your chest
- Drive your hands forward so that your arms cover your ears
- Try to keep your hands in a blade-like form (pinkies downwards)
- Think of diving into water (your head first)
- Let your body follow the movement
- When training with partner, be very close
- Try this against a punch towards your head and/or being hit by bottle or stick
- Let your forearm to hit the attacker to the side of his/her neck
- Thrive your knee to the attacker’s groin
- Continue your movement and don’t stop until the threat is cleared
Common pitfalls:
- Your head is high, and hands are low -> you will get hit
- You’re trying to move forward even though your body is telling you to go backwards -> you will get hit
- You try to do the defense from too far away e.g jumping in when the attacker wouldn’t even hit you -> if you can slip away, always do that
- If you are moving away naturally, use the defense the give you time to do that -> let yourself be startled so that you will duck down and go with the flow
Repetitions and deliberate practice, failure is needed
According to numerous studies in skill training, failing is very important, but you’ll have to understand the reason behind the failure. Just like a child learning to walk. If you fail more than 50% of the time, the exercise might be a bit too demanding, so back up a bit and aim for 70-80% success -rate. Then again if you succeed 100% of the time, you are giving yourself a bit too much slack.
To get something working for you naturally takes a lot of repetitions and feedback. When learning a movement such as stabbing defense, you must train the movement deliberately. This can be done on your own. By using video-analytics or machine -view AI like we have in kravmagacoach.com online platform, will help immensely since in solo training we might miss some crucial points while when training with a partner, the mark of failure is getting hit. The best situation of course is that you combine all types of training:
- Learning movement on your own by using kravmagacoach.com platform
- Training the movement with partner in block-like training
- Scenario-type of training where the attack comes from different angles and uses different sort of weapons or objects within it
We have the technology to help, let’s use it
Practicing the right things and practicing them right is the key to faster learning. This is why we created the kravmagacoach.com online platform utilizing the machine-view AI. When you train by the tutorials and take video footage of your own performance you will be able to visualize the learning and the automated feedback will help you to become better.
Check it out and start your free trial! https://www.kravmagacoach.com/