How to Defend Against a Downward Knife Stab Using Basic Kung Fu

It may seem a bit like something that only works in old Alfred Hitchcock films, but a downward stab from a knife is deceptively difficult to defend against. The point of the knife leads the strike so it’s difficult to grab your opponent’s wrist without getting your hand impaled. Also a downward strike has the advantage of momentum and gravity along with the sum total of all the force the attacker’s body can generate in a downward slamming motion. If you’ve ever tried splitting firewood then you know that’s no small amount. However there are ways to defend yourself against such an attack using basic principles taken from Kung Fu which practically anyone with normal motor control can use.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Begin with your opponent holding a knife point down jutting from the bottom of his fist. He will approach, plant his feet, raise his knife and attempt to stab you in the upper chest, side of the neck, or top of the shoulder with a downward swing. The attacker will lead with the tip of the knife at a 45-degree angle pointed forward. If, in a real life situation, you should happen to see your opponent approach and are in no position to run, widen your stance to roughly shoulder width with your left foot forward. Raise your open hands to be level with your lower chest; it provides the best all around reaction time while still inviting your opponent to attack the most obvious and easiest to defend portions of the body (the upper chest, neck and head).

2. Lower your body’s center of gravity and give yourself more room to move as your opponent begins to stab, by taking a deep step forward and past your opponent’s right side with your left foot. Simultaneously turn your left hand inward, palm up, and raise it sharply to catch the underside of your opponent’s descending lower forearm. Lock your elbow to keep the knife as far away from the body as possible.

3. Loosen your grip to slide your hand down toward your opponent’s wrist for better control of his arm. Step past your opponent’s right foot with your right foot, positioning your body behind your opponent’s right shoulder while still facing in the same direction. Bend your opponent’s arm back until his lower arm is horizontal with the ground, beyond the level of his back, while his elbow is pointing skyward.

4. Reach in with your right hand under your opponent’s forearm to grasp the back of his elbow from the opposite side. Use your hold on both the wrist and the elbow to pull straight forward and down, bending forward at the waist as you do so. If done as hard and as fast as you can, bringing your opponent’s hand all the way down to the ground it will force his right shoulder out of joint, disabling the use of his arm and causing his hand to release the knife. This is an incredibly painful injury that requires a general anesthetic and the aid of a doctor to have the joint re-aligned so don’t do it while sparring by accident.

Resources

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