Hey Subscriber… it’s Jimbo again.

Okay… as we continue to plunge into the abyss of the coronavirus hellscape, I’m doing what any reasonable newsletter editor would do… I’m completely ignoring the subject, (again).

Instead, I’ve emerged from between the cushions of my couch to bring you some deep insights on the gnarly-gnarly realities of knife fighting.

This is an important topic because most street tuffs, (i.e., the guys voted “most likely to have his portrait hanging in a post office”), carry a pocket knife.

Now, personally, I have never been in the position to stab or slice anyone open with a knife (with the exception of that time I carved up my hand during Thanksgiving Day festivities)… so what the hell do I know?

That’s why I called in a friend to help out… W. Hock Hochheim.

Hock (that’s his high-school yearbook photo above) has not only used a blade to slice-n-dice and defend himself from bad guys, but he’s also examined the consequences of knife combat up-close and personal.

He’s served as a police officer and U.S. Army detective for 26 years and then as a private investigator in Texas, (where knife fighting is something of a pastime).

• Hock’s responded to and investigated hundreds of knife-related murders, attempted murders, rapes, robberies, and assaults, (so there’s that).
• He’s run-down and wrestled-away pocket knives, straight razors, switchblades, and even an ax from dangerous thugs, (which officially qualifies him as a badass).
• He’s collected confessions and attended autopsies to gather up evidence (when most of us would just pass-out and hit our head).
• He’s also a martial artist, attaining black belts in Filipino Arnis, Kempo, and Aiki-Jitsu. (Yes, we are talking about one man here).

Of course, his biggest thrill has been to serve as a FightFast instructor for the last 20 years. (Because what’s more thrilling? Chasing down crazed killers… or chatting about knife-fighting with yours truly… hmmm?).

Anyway, his credentials are impressive — which is why I brought him in to help with this edition of Man-Skills.

Today we will begin to cover Hock’s 10 deadly sins, myths, mistakes, and misunderstandings about knife fighting.

I’m breaking this into two parts…

…so you’ll get 5 sins today and 5 more sins next week, (my Catholic grade school teacher is clutching her chest just about now).

1. Looking forward to getting stabbed.
2. Taking your one and only stand.
3. A gripping commitment.
4. The “sword” fight.
5. Hypnotizing yourself with the flow.

Sin #1:

Voluntarily Engaging In A Knife Fight.

With all due respect, most average guys do not have the kind of gritty street-smarts that combat soldiers and cops learn from brutal “on-the-job training”. (I mean, take our local meter-maid cop for example. The lying, begging, and cheating she puts up with just to weasel out of a parking ticket. That job is savage).

So Hock wanted to share some of his own real-world street knowledge on knife combat. This stuff is gold because it comes from an expert who didn’t just learn it inside of a dojo or out of a book.

Hock’s first bit of advice is this: If somehow an unfortunate series of events and bad karma has you facing down the tip of a hostile’s knife, your first move should be to…

… bolt… jam… book… flee… get the hell out of there, (in other words, run).

This is especially true if you have extensive martial arts training in knife disarmament.

I say this because your training may actually teach you to “automatically” stand-your-ground against a knife threat (because I’ve never seen “training” that teaches you to do something as boring as running away).

But no matter, your first thought should be to make a fast and orderly withdrawal if you can. As Hock says:

“Even a chimpanzee with a knife could kill you in seconds, least of all a desperate criminal or angry neighbor”.

Wait a second. Now that I think about it… the sloping forehead… the grunting… the dragging knuckles — I believe my neighbor Ralph IS a chimpanzee.

Sin #2:

The Real-Deal Stance.

There’s a lot of controversy swirling around what kind of stance is “the best” for knife fighting.

Don’t waste a lot of time on this as frankly, there isn’t one.

A knife fight is a fluid activity, like basketball, (only more deadly and with a higher chance of the ball popping). And like knife-fighting, there is no “perfect stance” in basketball. Instead, the idea is to maintain balance and mobility.

Any cross-legged, or low-bending, or goofy wide-legged stances that inhibit you from quickly moving forward or backward, or side-to-side, is a big mistake.

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Sin #3:

The Real-Deal Grip.

Next up in the series of “real-deal” misconceptions is the idea that there is a kind of superior grip out there — and that anyone using this special super-awesome grip must be an expert in knife combat, (“watch out, this chimp really knows what he’s doing!”).

There is no one perfect knife grip, only the perfect grip for the instant. Sometimes the saber grip is appropriate, other times the reverse. In fact, advanced knife fighters practice changing their grips for this reason.

Further, when holding a single-edged knife, often you must become “edge-aware” and rotate the knife in your hand to position the edge where you need it, (and now you understand why most guys drop the knife during combat. Doh).

Sin #4:

Dreaming Of Knife “Fencing”.

A street confrontation between two people armed with knives is very rare.

Even more rare is that they would engage in a kind of dramatic “duel” like an Errol Flynn movie, (although I have always wanted to swing from a chandelier).

Sadly, the cool knife-on-knife “West Side Story” duel is often wrecked by such common-sense tactics as throwing a chair or a lamp… the entanglement of hands… tripping over furniture… falling down… dropping the knife… and other clumsy real-world interruptions that ruin what could be an otherwise awesome Hollywood-style knife duel.

Plus the long-range sword-fencing techniques do not relate well to the shorter blade of a knife, which is why a knife fight usually starts and finishes in the grappling range.

The weapons are typically pulled in close-quarters range and there’s a battle for the knives that end up on the ground.

One solution in this scenario is to back off and use space for defense and to gain a second or two to draw your own weapon. This works well in a dojo where there’s plenty of room.

But after being on the crime scene of many a stabbing, Hock points out that the adding-space-for-defense strategy is often a luxury not available.

“Problem is”, he said (in a low gravely voice that sounds a lot liked Batman), “many times the confrontation takes place in a small kitchen or hallway”.

One solution is to politely ask your knife-wielding attacker to wait until you’ve got more room to operate. Or you could just learn some close-quarters combat skills.

>> Hock’s got some good ones HERE. <<
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Sin #5:

Too Many “Flow Drills”.

If you’ve got some martial arts training, you’re probably well aware of the endless “flow drills”.

Attack. Pass. Attack. Pass. Attack. Pass.

Many Asian flow drills prioritize passing the knife, which could impress unwanted behavior deep into your subconscious — like double-tapping your opponent’s forearm with the back of the hand or making endless passes during an actual fight.

(Kinda like when my brother-in-law saw “The Hip-Hypnotist” on stage. He still stands up and crows like a rooster when anyone utters the word “Eureka”).

In actual combat, however, if you are lucky enough to make such contact with your opponent’s knife-bearing limb, you should GRAB it.

Hock points out that there are thousands of knife attack survivors who did just that and lived to tell the tale.

In fact, he said that when it comes to empty hand versus a knife, grabbing ahold of the weapon-bearing limb and fighting your opponent is probably the best way to survive the fight, (with the exception of running like hell that is).

As Hock says: “Don’t let the pretty flow of the drill infect your muscle memory with things like passing and double-tapping when grabbing and blasting is needed to save your life. A lot less ‘flow-drill’ and a little more ‘quick-kill’ practice might go a long way”.

Train like you fight. Eureka! (Crap. My brother in law just starting his chicken dance again).

If you’re interested in learning skills straight from the man himself, (I’m talking about Hock’s knife combat, not my brother-in-law’s chicken dance), I’ve got an amazing DVD package where he covers a LOT of real-world knife combat tips.

Plus — it comes with a FREE tactical folder too!

You can learn more about it now:

>> Hock’s instruction and the free knife HERE!. <<

It’s intensive material fer-sure, but considering how common it is for goons and thugs to carry a knife, this simple training could save your life.

Okay, there are 5 more sins coming your way next week, (which sounds like the devil handing out candy or something, but it’s nothing like that)… so keep your eyes peeled for those.

See you next time with more ultra-manly “Man-Skills”.

Stay Manly,

Jimbo, Editor
Man Skills

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