In a previous article we talked about knives and young people, how rife knife attacks seem to have become in recent years. There seems to have be so many incidents that the names of the victims barely register, unlike Ben Kinsella, whose name has become synonymous with knife crime, and still resonates strongly 15 years after his death.

Of course, knife crime is not exclusively about street attacks on young people. Other incidents, such as the very recent  stabbing of a teacher in a Tewkesbury school  and, back in 2019, the fatal stabbing of two people attending a  conference in Fishmongers’ Hall  near London Bridge, that highlight just how random knife attacks can be.

Nobody goes to work expecting to be attacked. Nobody goes to a public event thinking that they may have to make a split decision about how to react in a sudden and violent situation. The attack in Fishmongers’ Hall highlighted just how courageously some people will respond in the face of danger. From one-on-one combat to grabbing chairs, fire extinguishers, even a narwhal tusk that was displayed on a wall, a number of people were utterly determined to bring down the attacker and prevent further injury. Equally – and I make no judgement here, everyone is different – others caught up in the situation may have frozen out of fear or immediately looked for escape in order to protect themselves. Ever wondered how you might react in such a situation?

How can Krav Maga help? 

Krav Maga is a self-defence system that is both defensive and offensive. Unlike other martial arts or boxing, it’s not about competitive or about scoring points, it’s about being equipped with the knowledge and skills to defend yourself or others. Krav Maga is a practical system that teaches effective techniques to defend against a wide variety of attacks. From striking, kicking and grappling to escaping choke holds, learning how to deal with multiple attackers and being able to disarm an opponent of their weapons, Krav Maga is designed to keep people safe.

Training for knife attacks

Krav Maga teaches effective defence against knife attacks through scenario-based training, simulating what would most likely happen and how fast a situation can escalate. The training is designed to make the situation as real as possible but, naturally, the knives are fake. We use training knives that leave a red mark when there is bodily contact, so students quickly become aware of how unpredictable a violent attack can be. 

Krav Maga is renowned for being brutal and physically demanding, but it also teaches a type of discipline that is invaluable. In our training scenarios students are asked to take on both roles, taking their turn as attacker and victim, which gives insight into different situations. The ultimate aim is to get students to a level where they have effective defensive skills that will kick in, almost instinctively, in the event of finding themselves in a dangerous situation. This includes the use of items they may have to hand – that takeaway coffee they’ve just bought, the bag they’re carrying, a chair in the room – that can change the situation, even momentarily, and provide better defence.

I hope that none of my students ever need to use Krav Maga in their lives. However, it is better to know Krav Maga and not need it than to need it and not know what to do.

If you’d like to find out more about learning self-defence, why not join us for a  free trial session!