Rating:  Summary: Good as far as it goes Review: This book is good as an explanation of traditional hwa rang do techniques against knife attack. The techniques emphasize spinning, locking, and throwing type methods, which is fine as far as it goes, in a situation where the attacker commits himself to one main attack. However, a skilled adversary with a knife will be more likely to "stalk" you and wait for an opening. In that case you need to have finely honed blocking, parrying, trapping, and similar defensive skills, and this takes very fast reflexes. Especially more advanced martial artists need to practice this sort of attack and defense situation, where the opponent tries multiple attacks and feints while you defend. Sometimes the best defense against a knife is just a low side-thrust kick to the knee after the attacker has thrust and is starting to withdraw, but again, this requires exceptional countering abilities. Basically, no matter how skilled you are, you are forced into a defensive stance of waiting for an opening defending bare-handed agaist a knife. This means you need to have lightning quick reflexes and the ability to instantly follow up a succssful block, parry, trap, or dodge with an effective punch, strike or kick or combination. Once you have developed this sort of ability, at that point if you want to incorporate techniques such as these, that's okay.
Rating:  Summary: Very good for advanced students Review: This book is quite good if you already have some knife technique experience. It does what it was designed to do. The book is to be used to accent training and for reference. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is actively involved in martial arts.
Rating:  Summary: Effective counter-knife combtives Review: This great book by Mike Echanis teaches the reader about the harsh realities of going up against a knife wielding opponent as only the late,great Echanis can.The techniques are very similar to the ones my senior hapkido instructor teaches,and he doesn't teach garbage.An excellent source of empty hand counters to knfe attacks. Mitch Jenkins
|