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REALITY OF THE STAB
Author: James LaFond
Mac is a now highly placed law-enforcement official who related the following story concerning his time as an undercover narcotics agent with a big-city police department on the East Coast: “I was sitting in court in front of a witness we brought in—for some reason, the accused had been seated behind the witness—when I heard this popping sound behind me. I turned around and saw the witness. He was seated on the bench. I’ll never forget the look on his face. His eyes were bugged out real wide, and his mouth was opened in an O-shape. All he could do was stare straight ahead and shake like a leaf. Definitely in shock. There was a pencil sticking out of the top of his head! And behind him, jumping up and down on the bench and waving his arms was the accused, screaming, ‘Die, &%#@, die!’ “For a split-second, there was this stunned silence. But there were about 20 of us [police officers], and we were on this guy in a heartbeat. Now, there were these nonviolent people there to take care of the witness, so we concentrated on the accused. The judge, he was a real wimp. He just dove down behind the bench and cowered there until it was all over—didn’t see a thing. A good thing, too.
“We really went to town on this guy: grabbed him, punched him to the ground and stomped him.
“A pencil? You got to love that. Can’t stop that at the metal detector.”
As bizarre as that incident sounds, it represents in many ways a typical use of the reverse grip: • It is almost exclusively used as a means of attacking a victim, as opposed to combating an opponent. It is never used in blade-to-blade encounters and rarely in fights.
• A shank, or improvised stabbing weapon, is commonly used with the reverse grip.
• A reverse-grip attack is usually a come-from-behind attack.
• An overhand stab is five times more likely than other stabs to strike the head or face.
• Approximately 97 percent of reverse- grip stabbing attempts succeed in injuring the victim. Approximately 68 percent of those attempts result in an incapacitated victim.
• Virtually all reverse-grip aggressions occur indoors.
Mac’s story also represents two atypical uses of the reverse grip. First, it was not a multiple stabbing. In reality, between five and 15 wounds are typical in incidents in which the reverse grip is used.
Second, the aggressor used a twohanded grip for a vicious downward stroke. Such a tactic was duplicated in only one other case out of the 41 cases studied.
Three Myths
The purpose of this article is to provide martial artists with information about the parameters of actual blade and shank use from the reverse grip.
Before demonstrating the seven reverse- grip strokes employed by the untrained knifer—98 percent of blade users are untrained in any fighting system, and 99 percent are untrained with the blade—it is necessary to expose the three myths that pertain to reverse-grip blade and shank use:
Lethal Martial Arts Myth No. 1:
The full-commitment, stiff-armed, onehanded, stepping, linear, downward stroke by a zombie aggressor.
There is no record of such an attack.
The only purpose served by it is to make martial arts masters look good in selfdefense demonstrations. Reverse-grip attacks are never stiff-armed, are rarely linear unless delivered two-handed, are rarely full-commitment strokes, and are always employed by highly motivated aggressors with a predatory mind-set.
Purge this scenario from your training regimen.
Lethal Martial Arts Myth No. 2
The one-handed knife-hand grab.
Although grabbing the knife arm has saved more unarmed defenders than any other tactic, only one successful one-handed grab has been documented (by a professional wrestler who crushed the wrist of the knife hand as the knifer attempted to withdraw his stiletto from the wrestler’s left kidney—which was lost). All unsuccessful knife-hand grabs have been one-handed, and most resulted in a maimed right hand for the defender.
It requires two hands to immobilize the knife arm and wrist. This is even more true in a reverse-grip attack because the reverse-grip knifer is the only one who is likely to be stronger than his victim. (The typical knifer is smaller than his prey.) Furthermore, the breakout cut with the reverse grip can threaten the vitals of the defender more quickly than the twirl of the natural-grip knifer.
Breaking out of the one-handed grab with a cross cut is more of a power move than the twirl is. It is appropriate and natural for the more offensive-minded reverse-grip knifer.
Most people can use a wrist twirl to slice the holding hand of even their biggest sparring partner. How could a woman or boy trust a one-handed grab against an adrenaline-primed man?
Purge the one-handed grab from your anti-knife arsenal.
Lethal Martial Arts Myth No. 3:
Slashing from the reverse grip.
A fighting style that is built around the reverse slash is seldom used by the untrained knifer. Therefore, training to deal with a slash attack from the reverse grip should focus on learning how to spot a trained knifer based on subtle visual cues—and then how to run away. Too many self-defense teachers assume their students will know how to flee, and as such they do not teach fleeing tactics.
Unlucky Seven
The First Four
•The Grab and Stab: This attack is usually launched against men seated at a bar and against those who have just turned to walk away from an argument.
It is the most common reverse-grip attack, with strikes usually falling on the right shoulder and neck. These attacks are fatal only when perpetrated by members of a group.
•The Woodpecker: The second most common reverse-grip attack consists of multiple low-commitment stabs (is- sued from the elbow) to the head, neck and shoulders of a fleeing or dodging defender.
•The Ripper: In the study, this rare come-from-behind attack was used twice: by a butcher and a retired Navy SEAL. The blade is held with the edge toward the knifer, and it is plunged into the trapezius muscle. The victim’s back is sliced for 12 inches to 30 inches, with the blade exiting at the armpit or hip.
•The Lung Piercer: This is the rarest stroke (used once in the 41 cases studied) and was instantly decisive. The blade enters under the ribcage with the knife hand severely supinated for an upward stab.
The Frontal Attacks
bull;The Back Hand: This, the most deadly stroke, was used three times, causing three one-strike knockouts (and two instant deaths). It is a fullcommitment stroke delivered on the move with a lateral step or while rising from a chair. It is used against standing or seated victims, and it targets the chest and face.
bull;The Spike: This is a defensive stroke used in the clinch to strike the kidney, chest or thigh of a larger opponent. This stroke is usually the result of an escalation during a brawl and is something larger fighters—especially bouncers— should be wary of.
bull;The Baby Bates: One of the rarest and most bad-intentioned knife strokes is the lateral or slightly diagonal downward stroke to the left side of the defender’s neck. Of the two attempts recorded in this study, one, with a 7- inch blade, missed its mark, resulting in an indecisive grappling match; the other, with a pair of scissors, found its mark repeatedly, resulting in death.
Conclusion
Overall, reverse-grip blade and shank uses were nearly twice as deadly as stealthy uses from the natural grip, and 30 times more lethal than leadhand blade deployments. The weapons employed were usually butcher knifes, other fixed-blade knives or pointed tools. Only a few folding knives were used in this manner.
The higher incidence of injury, knockout and death can be attributed to four factors: • Larger than normal blade and shank users • Higher percentage of fixed blades and screwdrivers • Confined locations • The mechanics of running, which prevents a pursuer from striking effectively with a blade from the natural grip without breaking his stride. It does, however, permit the reverse-grip knifer to pump short-arm strokes on the run.
It is hoped the information presented in this article will help martial artists develop self-defense skills that are better attuned to reality. ...