Thats exactly what I taught my son about knife fighting when everyone else called me stupid. Finally we see an instructor who knows what hes talking about
Definitely my top 3 of all time. No matter your level he can give you ideas that will work against anyone if you master it enough where it becomes another reflex go to move
I watched this in like 2006 ( was in the Military at the time) and Trained with buddies... I had NO IDEA this would literally save my life one day. Literally got jumped by a group (Gang activity) 2008 and was attacked by someone with a knife, thankfully I had one too. I got stabbed in the ArmPit, but as he retracted I sliced DEEP into his Knife hand/arm. The bleeding and damage was so Severe he couldn't even hold the knife. It really did end the fight!!! Please take this information seriously, It might actually save your life!
In my opinion Vunak is one of the best instructors ever. In the 90s when everyone was putting out worthless self defense moves week to week video to video he had solid well tested techniques that were taught in a great manner.
Paul obviously learned his knife skills from Filipinos, malays and indonesians. But mainly Filipino eskrima. Methodology, style and terms are tagalog and cebuano. Thank you Paul for teaching and spreading our practical martial art to the masses. South East Asians worked the farms and lived with bladed weapons all their life even to this day that is why this martial art developed and was hidden from the western conquerors at first. Migration and peace eventually revealed this to everyone. And now the internet.
Here in the u.s. some people are starting to realize that carrying canes and knives everywhere you go is a great way to get in the kind of weapon familiarity and practice hours that a true southeast Asian agricultural warrior would be able to get simply by going to work! I worked as a dishwasher and believe me.. handling silverware all day has given me awesome gripswitch skills... I am currently in the process of developing an American arnis system that makes use of this daily "work and home" based high volume training style in place of the lower volume higher intensity "mma gym twice a week" training style that has pervaded all arts in america.
You know, this man is a true master. Very rarely do you see someone these days who takes encapsulates the idiom of a fighter practising a single move 10,000 times, but he does. No BS here, just a few simple, to the point, effective techniques, that one can hone to perfection.
Your a great guy paul! Thanks for putting up your videos and giving people a 5 dollar deal per video on your whole library at your website. Thanks for working with all the people so long! Give a hand to paul!
Paul Vunak is a great teacher and I've learned a lot from watching his videos. That being said, 99% of the time you are NOT GOING TO HAVE A KNIFE on you if you get attacked. You are going to have to learn how to defend yourself without one. Like it or not, that means blocking, counterattacking, trapping, and disarming. All the stuff he says doesn't work, DOES work. If you have time to put a checking arm there, then you've proven that you can block a knife attack. If you have time to "counter-cut" the attacking arm, then you've proven that I could counterpunch or kick in that time instead. Where he goes "roof block" (checking arm + knife cut), that would be an outward forearm side block + front snap kick to the groin if I were unarmed. If I'm in close, I just grab you and toss you. If I'm out at range, I can kick your legs, knees, or whatever it takes to keep you at range. It's not an ideal situation to fight someone with a knife, but it's definitely possible if you know what you're doing, and it isn't irresponsible to teach people how to protect themselves when they're unarmed. Giving up is NOT an option.
Moments of Zen like "Grab it the most natural way possible and start moving" are why I Love this guy. Makes perfect sense. Screw placement of your third finger second knuckle. Grab it. You ALREADY -know- how to hold it. Why bother with another way but yours? Thank you, Sir.
I agree with Paul Vunak's explanation. 4 decades ago I studied knife disarming techniques in one school while studying to use bladed weapons in another. I realized later that the innovated techniques of my blades teacher were designed to put to naught most of the disarming techniques of my other teacher. It's nice to see a very nice flow in demos, because the attacker telegraphs his attack & remains passive while he is being disarmed. That does not happen in an actual fight.
Vunak is VERY good! One of the top guys IMHO. He is a great person with awsome tapes to study from. Look fro "empty hand knife technique" or empty hand or unarmed knife defense, and you should find a few more things to your liking. Best of luck and remember! To save your own life, check your ego and realize the realities of street survival!
Vunak is well versed and been taught by some good people....but years ago he got his butt kicked really badly by a few guys and was in the hospital. I believe that was in the early 90's. He completely re-organized and simplified a lot of his methods after that rude awakening. I like his vids that are post - that street encounter. He always trained hard, researched and developed his attributes. He is also a very generous instructor. Like him or not, the man has some valid things to offer.
I think we would all get our butt kicked real bad if it was by a few guys! If it was one on one, it would be a different story! The butt kicking was maybe by God, to teach him to be humble and realize that we are not invincible, and we all have weaknesses. Paul is a great martial artist.
Vunak may be out to lunch sometimes, but he's undoubtedly one of the most skilled martial artists in the world. Inosanto, the Gracies ... he's trained with the best and put together one hell of a practical street system.
After getting this video, I've not left my house again without a knife. I've practiced with dozens of 'belted' martial artists who never heard of defang the snake, and every, single time, they backed off and said dismayed, "wow, well you got the first cut!". Vunak is my inspiration. I don't even own any of my belts or uniforms anymore. I sold them all for 20 bucks and never looked back.
amazing! amazing! bravo! i nearly cried after seeing this video. my thoughts exact! there are so many idiots who think they understand knife fighting or even disarm! i am amazed by mr paul vunak. i am a believer!
@scottla78 Yes, the laws are different than the UKs. Every state has their own laws regarding carrying knives, guns or other weapons. We are allowed by law to carry a pocket folder with up to a 4" blade in my state. Hope this helps. Best regards
I do in fact agree because someone who actually KNOWS tactics is better off with sabre grip. I barely know any real knife fighting so what I was taught was some fast & dirty how to just to give me a chance at winning. You are very correct in that sabre grip & some others are best for offensive stuff. I was told by a black belt that for me, I better use reverse grip defending myself to decrease the chance my attacker could block and take it from me.
Just when you think no-one will say how unreliable SOME knife training is, along comes the man. I've never heard any BS from his mouth. Paul Vunak is an amazing martial artist and the main influence that makes me want to get better in all aspects of the martial arts world. There's not many with his enthusiasm and skill. He is an inspiration to people that don't want these skills to be thought of as something mystical and secret. And you shouldn't need to be secret if yo can adapt, right?
Knife, Machete, Karambit, etc. When you have to fight with a tool (without a guard stuff to protect your hand), not a weapon, his advice is always useful and always works. In particular, the use of other hands regarding distance is necessary for practitioners.
Finally someone telling the truth about how to really DEFENCE YORSELF... Too many "MASTERS" teaching useless skills that will never save one in danger situation. Thanks Paul! You are the MAN..!
Great common sense principles. I've always held this mindset to cut the hand/arm of my attacker vs trying to strike his body. Safest and most effective way to end the fight and not get cut or stabbed in the process.
AGREED !! l believe in part through addiction problems and other personality problems PAUL has had a lot of recovering to do but his is still a very capable fighter and a knowledgeable who shows a lot of reality to the issues of self-defense!!!
Correct, I agree with what you stated. That is why the material presented here is so important. Some people are just too diluted and think empty hands skill is enough. Sometimes the people who practice mma think that ring arts skills (empty hand) will protect them against armed assilants. Sometimes they are right,but when they are wrong, well, they are dead wrong. Operating word "dead".
This guy's hand speed is otherworldly. In videos where they show his technique in slow-mo, his hands are still a blur. I've never seen anything like it.
Great points and a great way to think when it comes to the martial arts! I love Bas, too! He is hilarious and not afraid to teach EVERYTHING he knows! I like his tapes, too, because he actually has experience as a bouncer, and as a guy that pummled some bouncers as well! LOL (good story about Bas and some "security" that thought they would push him around in Holland or Denmark?) I like both of their approaches and they show you the best way they can. Keep training hard and living easy! :-)
I think a knife fight is much safer if you're skilled and your opponent isn't. In a gunfight there's a huge random factor in play-- he can just point and shoot and even if you shoot him first his bullet might still go through your stomach, but with knives it's much easier to control the range. My qualification for this is primarily knife sparring which is obviously different from the "Street" in many ways but then again my opponents are always fairly skilled to one degree or another.
His "checking" is the same as "controlling the hand" in gung fu, so that the other hand wont come at you while you're attacking. You only have one hand to deal with.
seriously...this is most important video i've ever seen about self defense...so many people radically overeastimate themselves and try to block knives and cath them right out of the air and stuff...i've been practising krav maga for a long time and am now practising aikido...but this knive blocking disarming stuff will NEVER work
Also, I know from my own (short as it may be) jujitsu training that these strikes/blocks can hurt like hell (being targeted at nerves). I imagine that, if employed properly, such a move ALONE could make the opponent loose the knife. However it's never meant to BE used alone, but always together with a counter attack and eventual control (or breaking). Having said all this, I of course realize that in an unarmed defense against a weapon the odds are STRONGLY against you - so just AVOID it :D
@somethingman16 He does - the passive hand (or "checking hand" as it is also called) only comes into play AFTER a cut/strike to defang. It acts as a kind of "insurance policy"
ALso, Bas Rutten actually has some great advice, tips and techniques for bar, street fights and what to do when attacked. He did bouncing for a long time, so his stuff is legit as well. Not just MMA style reactions to street defense.
I completely agree with Paul Vunak and this video. The only time someone probably will ever hold a knife with the blade behind is if you dont see the guy coming. But in a fight, the guy will most likely hold it with the blade pointing towards you and swing it at you.
