Martial Arts Book Review: Knife Fighting a Practical Course by Michael Janich

Being the author of several books on the martial8. Targets
arts and fighting, I am always looking for books9. Example Techniques
of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I10. Counter Defenses
have a book in my library, it's definitely worth11. Training Methods
owning. One such book is Michael D. Janich's, "KnifeEach one of the chapters in this book is well
Fighting a Practical Course."thought out and offers that which every person
Michael's book is one of those gems that are sointerested in the subject needs to have in order
hard to find in the vast sea of waste that seemsto start practicing with a knife, and that is good
to be so prevalent especially in the self-defensesolid basic information covering all of the above
and martial arts literary field. His easy tolisted subjects. This book does all that and more.
understand and simplistic approach to this veryOne point in this book that Michael stressed, that I
important subject is in and of itself a thing offound very memorable was a point from the
beauty to behold. Michael gets right to the pointchapter on example techniques. This point
on every subject that he coves in this book, andstressed that the examples being shown in that
every subject is a vital piece to learning how toparticular section were just that examples, and
use a knife in combat.were not to be taken as gospel.
This book starts off with an introduction whichNow I am going to give you a spoiler here on
covers the basic principles and concepts that youwhat Michael considers the two most important
need to consider when dealing with knives in athings to remember in a knife fight. They are:
combat situation. These concepts are numerous1. If at all possible, avoid a knife fight.
and include such things as; the moral implications2. If you aren't able to avoid a knife fight, turn
of taking someone's life, or having yours taken,around and run!
the legal implications of the aforementionedVery sound advice indeed. The book then
actions whether someone dies or not, etc.concludes with a really terrific section on knife
The next several chapters go over the basics on:fighting and the real world. Sure to be an
1. Proper Gripeye-opener for those readers who have watched
2. Fighting Stancea few too many movies and have very little or
3. Footwork and Mobilityno practical experience on the subject. Now that
4. Zones of Attack and Defenseyou've taken the time to read this review, don't
5. Basic Cuts and Thrustswait any longer before buying and studying this
6. Defensive Responsesbook. You won't be disappointed. I surely wasn't.
7. Defensive Strategies and Counters