Knife Seminar with Vladimir Vasiliev

Interesting points from the knife seminar:

1. The type of knife will generally indicate the type of work the person holding it intends to do. Curved knifes are more likely used for slashing and cutting motions. Straight daggers are more likely used for stabbing motions. Claw shaped knives can be used for raking motions. Some are even made to make messy cuts or to exclusively for stabbing motions (spike bayonets)
   
2. Knives can be made to serve a wide array of functions in addition to stabbing and slashing.
3. Every part of the knife can be used to effectively control an attacker (blade, tip, flat of the blade, butt, hilt)
4. The fear of the knife itself can be used to control an attacker. Vladimir demonstrated a sweeping movement towards a person's abdomen, causing them to bend over to protect it, while he smoothly turned the knife upward into their downward moving neck.
   

Interesting training drills from the knife seminar:

1. Your knife is put in your waistband, sheath, pocket, etc. Your partner places their hands on your shoulders and closes their eyes. You attempt to draw your knife and touch or lightly stab your partner without them picking up on your intent and/or tension. If they do feel your intent and/or tension, they should push you away. The benefit of this drill is being able to draw and handle the knife in such away that it doesn't attract attention.
2. Use the tip of your knife to take your partner to the ground, then bring your partner back up to standing in the same manner. Also have your partner try to stand up on their own while you try to keep them on the ground.

The biggest observation I made about how Vladimir does his work is that he is very discreet, even while you are watching him. In some circumstances, I barely registered his blade making contact with my body (in the part of my brain that says "uhoh better move!"). His movement is very non-aggressive and unassuming. Some of the other drills we tried emphasized this point of making the work with the knife very casual--which can be difficult to do given the psychology of holding a knife. Very cool seminar and as always, very cool to see Vlad work.

Here's a video capturing some of the work we did (Gene even gets a little film time at the end):