self defense
How-To Instantly Defeat a Knife Attack
By Jim Mahan, Killeen Texas’ Self Defense Expert
Uh Oh! What to do???
There is a lot of stuff out there, some good, and some bad. Don’t forget, you are betting your life on your choice… Here are three quick tips on how to instantly defeat the knife.
1. My best way to defeat a knife attack is of course, not be there in the first place.
Barring that, the next best thing is to be able to get as far away from the knife as possible without getting cut while doing it. Put as much distance as possible between you and your attacker’s weapon. Back up from your opponent and utilize any nearby objects to either arm yourself or block the path between you and your attacker.
If the attack is sudden and there is absolutely no way to put a barrier between the knife and our body then we must move away from the blade. The most effective movement to perform is called the “V-step”. Imagine that you are standing at the center point of a giant clock and the knife is in the 12 o’clock position. You should quickly move at an angle towards the 10 o’clock position while keeping your hands in front of you and with your palms towards your face. While moving, think small. Crouch your body and hollow your stomach away from the knife. This will move your body away from the cutting or stabbing line while protecting soft fleshy areas.
2. Grab the weapon hand – secure the blade!
Once you have gotten yourself angled away from the slash or stab, we need to keep our attacker from doing it again. The absolutely best way to secure the blade is to seize the attacker’s weapon hand in what is called a baseball bat style grip. You want to hold the arm or wrist with your palms facing each other, fists very close together and thumbs locked. Just imagine the arm is a baseball bat and you will have it. This grip makes it extremely hard for your attacker to shake off or dislodge your hands and keep trying to gut you. As well, these grips are very secure in that you can move around and fight for space in order to disarm the bad guy or find an escape.
3. Disarm and Escape…
Now that we have the weapon hand and are controlling the very thing intent on killing us, what do we do with it? The Filipino Combat Arts have a saying that is very apt, “Defang the snake”. We are going to do whatever it takes to smash the attacker’s hand on your knee and break it or damage it enough to make the blade fall away. We want to slam it into a wall, smash it repeatedly with one of our fists, whatever you can find or do to make that grip weak. Okay! Now the blade is on the ground; what next?
Our best bet is to follow another good rule of thumb. I call it, “Reducing the vision”. We want to head butt them in the nose, poke our fingers or other sharp object into the attacker’s eyes so that when we run, he or she cannot see to follow.
My last tip on making a good escape is to weaken or prevent our attacker from following us. This tip is called, “Reduce the mobility”. You want to kick the attacker’s leg, stomp their foot, kick a knee or push them into a wall so that they fall while we run away to a safe place.
4. Live, Survive, Thrive.
A knife fight or knife attack is one of the most challenging situations a person trained in self defense can encounter. Especially when we find ourselves unarmed against the blade. There are many, many techniques and procedures that are effective with a great deal of time and practice. You might not have that time. You can use these simple, direct and effective techniques to escape and live to see another day.
Self protection techniques are an investment into your family’s life. Spend the time and learn a few strategies and tactics that could prevent a horrible event.
About the Author:
Self Defense and Knife Fighting Expert, Jim Mahan has helped thousands of individuals just like you learn simple and effective ways to protect themselves. Jim spent 20 years in the US Army and three combat tours teaching US and Allied forces fighting skills used on current battlefields. For more unbeatable, sure-fire ways to defend yourself or your family, join the Self Defense program at Jim’s academy in Killeen, Texas. www.combativesgroup.com
Kissing Gluten Goodbye
For people with celiac disease, this happens every day.
Thought it was good for me???
It has a funny name and is fairly rare. As a result, most people don’t understand Celiac disease. Want to be one of the educated folks who understand this difficult disease? Read on for a crash course.
Something Like an Allergy
When someone has Celiac disease, his or her body has a negative reaction to gluten. This negative reaction causes the small intestine to go crazy. More specifically, millions of villi (tiny hair-like substances that line the intestines and help the body absorb nutrients from foods) get damaged whenever gluten is ingested.
Since gluten is found in all sorts of foods, it is difficult for individuals with celiac to get well-rounded diets. Rye, barley, wheat, and grains that come from these foods all contain gluten. Since these foods have to be avoided by individuals with celiac disease, people living with celiac disease are at high risk for some other dangerous conditions.
More Names, Same Problem. Celiac disease is known by a variety of names: celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, gluten intolerance, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. The end result, however, is the same: an inability to eat foods that contain gluten.
To Complicate Matters
The most obvious complication that can arise as a result of celiac disease is malnutrition. After all, if you can’t eat a variety of important foods, you’re going to have a hard time staying nourished. This leads to dangerous weight loss, fatigue, and growing problems. But celiac disease’s complications don’t end there.
In addition to malnutrition, celiac disease increases your risk for type 1 diabetes, gastrointestinal cancers, and thyroid disease. As each of these conditions come with even more potential complications, recognizing and treating celiac disease properly is your best chance at living a normal, productive, and healthy life.
Find and Fix
Most of the time, individuals with celiac disease will suffer from some embarrassing symptoms. Diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain and bloating are the most common symptoms, and these are often accompanied by depression or frequent bad moods. As these symptoms are often mistaken for indicating other conditions, it is important to undergo proper medical screening to ensure you receive a proper diagnosis. For an accurate diagnosis of celiac disease, you may have to undergo a physical examination, blood tests, and biopsies of the small intestine.
Once the condition is diagnosed, treatment is as simple as beginning a new diet that completely removes all gluten. Unfortunately, as easy as this new diet sounds on paper, it can be difficult in real life, as gluten sneaks its way into foods ranging from breads to sandwich meats. If you have celiac disease, you’ll also have to be on the prowl for foods that may have been contaminated with gluten products. Your favorite kind of ice cream may not contain gluten, but if it was made alongside a bread factory, you may have to find a new dessert of choice.
What to Watch
Wondering what foods you should avoid if celiac disease sneaks up on you? Have a friend with celiac disease coming over for dinner and want to make sure the menu is gluten-free?
The following are some of the items that contain gluten:
- pasta
- certain seasonings
- dips and spreads
- stuffing
- thickening agents
- non-dairy creamer
- marinade
- dry-roasted nuts
- fried chicken
- French fries (they’re often coated in flour)
- modified food starch
- wafers used in communion
- cake flour
- bread and breading used for cooking
- couscous
- sauces and gravies
- yogurts that contain wheat starch
- some wheat-free products
- soy sauce
- certain herbal teas
- certain flavored coffees
- beer
- broths and bouillons
- imitation meats
New Mat Ratz In Killeen’s Best Child Martial Arts!
Matteo James
Zane James
URGENT! Free Child Safety Classes In Killeen!
Attention all parents and clients!
Does Your Child Know What To Do Now?
In light of the recent child abductions and several attempts in the area, the gym will be hosting a FREE 2 part child safety clinic next week. As you know, the gym isn’t that big so I am asking for you to RSVP you and your child(ren).
We will host a expert in child safety as well as local authorities. More information to follow.
- Part One will be conducted Wednesday, November 3rd at 5:30PM.
- Part Two will be conducted Saturday, November 6th at 10:00AM.
Please don’t miss out on this opportunity to arm your family with prevention. Feel free to invite other family members, just include them in your RSVP.
Thank you so much for helping us protect our children.
8 Ways Your Child Can Defeat The Bully Without Violence
Help Me!
Bullying has always been a part of growing up. But how a child deals with it and the repercussions of dealing with bullying have changed dramatically.
Incidences of bullying vary in severity. One thing that’s certain is repeated attacks whether verbal, physical, written, or on the internet erode your child’s fragile self-esteem. The CDC linked bullying to isolation, drug use, violence, and suicide! But your child does not have to be a victim. Follow these tips…
Use The Secret Word to Stop Bullying Before it Starts
The assault can be verbal or physical, either way the first line of defense remains the same. It’s one word… Confidence! Here’s why; Bullies choose their victims much like a criminal would choose a victim.
They go for the easy and obvious target. So if your child looks like a kid who will get bullied, guess what, they’re going to get bullied. On the other hand if your child radiates self-confidence they are less likely to be a victim, it’s almost that simple!
Body Language is Key
Your child needs to walk with their head up; their shoulders square, and make eye contact with people. Just doing so, even if your child needs work on their self-esteem, will keep bullies away from them. This is easier said than done, but it can be learned. So having them change their body language (what they are saying non-verbally) will have a huge impact. Teaching this can serve as a quick fix. However, going to work on their self-confidence will have a greater long-term affect on keeping bullies away.
Embrace Your Role
Children get their first layer of self-confidence from parents. The love you show your child and the time you spend with them gives them their feelings of self-worth. It has been said that the number one role of parenting is to develop a self-confident individual.
Speaking Up
Teach your child how to speak up clearly when they first meet someone. Teach them the importance of making eye-contact when they talk to you. Get them out of their comfort zone and have them explore new things. The more you have them confront fear and discomfort the more confident they will become.
The first few tips are meant to stop bullying before it starts. Now here’s what your child can do if the bully chooses them…
Create A Boundary When Confronted By A Bully
The next layer of defense is to create a boundary. Children can protect themselves with an assertive body posture: Feet apart a little, one foot in front, shoulders square, chin up, eye contact, and most importantly, hands up as if making a “Stop” Gesture! We call this our self-defense stance. Its purpose is to communicate neutrality, awareness and, assertiveness. This stance is designed to get them out of trouble.
Using Words Properly
Finally, your child will have to use their words. Simple phrases and commands said in an assertive voice will tell the bully that they will not be a victim. Simple commands like; “Stop, Back Off, Back Away!” Said in the right tone will stop the bully in his tracks!
Safe Self-Defense
Of course if none of the above works (and the truth is nothing works every time) then your child will have to defend themselves. But only if and when their safety is threatened.
Defeating the Cyber-Bully
Don’t Give Cyber-Bullies Ammunition
Text messaging and social network sites open up a whole new avenue for bullies. Sit down with your child and be sure they understand not to give the bullies any ammunition. Make them aware the minute they text someone or send an email those words can be taken out of context or used against them. Absolutely under no circumstances should your child ever send inappropriate photos of themselves or allow anyone else to take photos that go against good judgment.
Cyber-bullying can be stopped with confidence and respect just like physical bullying.
As you can see dealing with a bully has its challenges. There is no one way that works every time. However, when your child develops high levels of self-esteem and self-confidence a bully’s words or actions will role off them like water off a duck’s back.
Is your child being bullied?
Need help with your child’s self confidence?
Want your child to learn some self defense and life skills?
Call Me at 254-247-4999 for a special offer. Ends October 15, 2010
New Fighter In Killeen’s Best Jiu-Jitsu For Kids!
Welcome Alfonzo Brown!
Welcome Alfonzo Brown!
Please Welcome New Fighters In Kids Jiu-Jitsu!
Please welcome the new following fighters!
Jayden Grigley
Chase Smith
Another New Fighter In Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class!
Welcome Ethan Sills!
Welcome Ethan Sills!
New Fighters In Our Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Class!
We welcome Alejandro, “Chicken” and “Bear” Gomez to our Jiu-Jitsu family! Welcome Guys…
Great Time At The Ladies Self Defense Seminar!
Yeah buddy! Here are some of the pictures. A better description and more photos later…
Welcome New Fighters To Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense!
Matthew Parker
Angela Parker
Rayven Parker
Winter Parker
