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Writer's pictureJohan Skålberg

Kali Knife Defence Strategies and Tactics in Kali Sikaran

Updated: May 22, 2022

To learn how to minimize the risk and damage at an edged weapon encounter you first have to understand how the knife might come at you. And even though we would love to tell you that "it will be like this" there is no such prediction to give. But there is a big difference between a non committed attacker and a committed attacker! Most techniques taught as defense against the knife are versus non committed attacks. A non committed attacker doesn't have a plan and might just launch some slash or stab in pure rage and then stop. That's still very dangerous and bad things can happen but when "a technique is applied properly" it's most likely over one way or another.


Against a committed attacker it's a completely different game. Now there's a plan together with intention and commitment. If they don't succeed with the first launch they keep on trying and that is different situation in many ways. To further understand that we also have to practice from the attacker perspective and learn how the knife can be used. That's the main reason (there other reasons as well) why we have exercises like that in our Kali Sikaran teaching programs.




Out of the defensive perspective we work a lot with covers, positioning and distance to the blade. In the beginning that might just look like a couple of techniques against a couple of angles (normally 6) but it's not. It's based on principles that is designed to function in many different situations and later on also against a committed attacker. These principals and tactics are taught in the regular Kali Sikaran Schools as well as on special Knife Defence Seminars. Check out the Kali Sikaran School directory and the Kali Sikaran Event page to get in touch.


But more important then the actual tactics in the event of a edged weapons' encounter are these three strategies (depending on circumstances and possibilities):

  1. If possible leave the situation in a safe way!

  2. Even out the odds with some kind of object or equalizer!

  3. If #1 or #2 isn't possible you have to defend yourself with empty hand tactics.

The above might sound obvious but most people don't practice like that, they just focus on this or that technique against this or that kind of attack. And that wont be enough against a committed attacker, it's not just a trick or a technique unfortunately.


This post might not bring you to your comfortable zoon but hopefully it encourages you to practice and learn more to get some experience to deal and minimize the risk. Remember that the main objective is not to look cool but to go home in the safest possible way!


Check out this video to get an overview of the knife defence training in Kali Sikaran.











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