Inside Close

The inside close is somewhat more risky than the outside close but it is much more intimidating. To execute it, when the attacker steps toward you and thrusts the knife at you, step to your right and toward the centerline of the attacker's body while holding onto the attacking arm with your left hand. You should end up in front of your partner's chest and face, while holding his or her right arm at your side with your left hand.

This is clearly an intimidating position for the attacker because you have cut the weapon off from his or her line of vision and you have placed your body between him or her and the knife, making it impossible for him or her to attack you with it. You have also exposed key targets on the opponent's body to attack, including the critical targets on the centerline of his or her head and body.

However, you have also presented the attacker with the same opportunities, which makes the inside close a risky move. Once you use the inside close, you must have a specific plan to finish your attacker quickly. You must also be acutely aware of your opponent's actions and be prepared to defend against a counterattack.

Deadly Pass

The final choice for closing the distance against a knife is the most dangerous, both to the attacker and the defender, even in practice. To execute it, when the attacker steps toward you and thrusts the knife at you, step outward to the left, as if performing an outside close, but take two steps so that you are behind the attacker. You have now "passed" the attacker and have several options. You may grab attacker's hair, head, or shoulders and pull backwards. You may apply a choke or lock from behind. You may kick the spine, tailbone, or knee to knock attacker forward, or you may strike the back of the head. To be effective, the pass and follow-up techniques should be performed as a single move. In an instant, you have to move by your attacker and apply a single deadly attack before he or she realizes where you are.

The result of a correctly performed pass is that your attacker never sees it coming and is literally blindsided by your attack. If you choose to pull the attacker backward, he or she will certainly hit his or her head on the ground. If you push the attacker forward, his or her face will likely hit the ground. If you choose to strike from behind, attacker will suffer a full force blow with no warning or defense. All these outcomes may result in death or serious injury to the attacker.

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