anti-knife solutions
Armed or unarmed anti-knife confrontations in Armed Combat & Tactics
Confronting a knife while unarmed is one of the most dangerous and complex situations in real combat. It demands not only technical ability, but also tactical judgment, psychological composure, and a clear understanding of what a knife can and will do in the hands of a committed attacker.
At ACT, we do not treat anti-knife training as a separate category of defense. It is the natural extension of two core capabilities: proficiency in knife fighting and functional empty-hand skill. Without both, responses to a blade become speculative at best and reckless at worst.
Many unarmed systems attempt to address knife threats using techniques developed for fighting unarmed opponents. These movements, while effective in empty-hand contexts, often collapse under the speed, reach, and lethality of a real blade. The timing is wrong. The assumptions are unsafe. The body mechanics don’t account for the unique behavior of a weapon in motion.
Being a weapon-fighting system first and foremost, ACT approaches anti-knife work from the inside out. We start by understanding how the knife is used in ‘street scenarios’. We train these scenarios through full-contact drills with realistic simulators, across all ranges, from long distance to the clinch.
While anti-knife scenarios often imply defending against a knife with bare hands, unarmed responses are not our preferred solution. In a real-world setting, the environment often provides tools: objects that can serve as improvised weapons or force multipliers. These objects might be a part of your EDC (especially in countries with restrictions on carrying weapons). Our curriculum includes the tactical use of items such as kubotans, tactical pens, flashlights, broken bottles, and umbrellas. These are not theoretical additions. They are trained as part of full scenarios, with context-specific considerations for draw timing, positioning, and use under pressure.
Anti-knife scenarios in ACT are not about confidence; they are about competence and maximizing the effectiveness of your ACTions. The training acknowledges uncertainty and danger, and equips practitioners with tools: physical, mental, and tactical, to navigate them with realism, restraint, and structure.