0114 – Tools of Unarmed Self-Defense: Your Knees

The premier striking tool we posses as unarmed combatants is without a doubt our knees.

Advantages of the knee

• Built of bone
• Surrounded by powerful muscles
• Can be deployed when we are tied up up top

Disadvantages of the knee

• Range
• Stability
• Patella

Technique

• Strike with the knee of the leg that is to the rear of our fighting stance
• Lift the foot and drive the knee straight into your target
• If the opportunity arises to strike upward
  • Strike with the knee of the leg that is to the rear of our fighting stance
  • Lift the foot and drive the knee up and forward into your target

Targets

• With an attacker directly in front of us any part of the body from just above the height of our knee to just below our belt is a reasonable target
• Targets of opportunity

Comments about hands, elbows and knees

• My comments have often directed to situations where you and your attacker are both standing
• These unarmed defensive skills are applicable in a wide variety of situations
  • Attacker and Defender on ground
  • Attacker on top
  • Defender on top
  • Attacker on ground Defender standing
  • Attacker standing Defender on the ground
• Our target of choice is the head but we must be ready and willing to strike any target of opportunity that presents itself.
• There is not one strike that is better than any other strike in every situation
  • We must consider the fact that we will need to work in combinations
  • When the focus is up strike down
  • When the focus is down strike up
  • Same is true for left and right