MBC Instructional Column #2

#1

Following the positive response to my "Personal Habits and Self-Defense" thread and my query concerning instructional "columns" on the forum, I'm back. If interest continues, I'll try to make regular contributions of this type.

Today's topic, the tactic of "Defanging the Snake."

Defanging the Snake: The Fundamental Principle of Edged Weapon Self-Defense

“Defanging the snake” is a term that is often used in discussions regarding edged weapon tactics. This symbolism comes from the Filipino martial arts, which regard an attacker’s hand and arm as a snake and a hand-held weapon such as a stick or a knife as the fangs of that snake. According to this tactic, a defender’s primary target in a close-combat situation should always be the attacker’s weapon-bearing hand. By striking or cutting the hand, one can cause the attacker to drop his weapon, thus taking the fang from the snake and rendering it harmless.

Although this may seem to be an overly simplistic approach to self-defense tactics and edged weapon use, the concept of defanging the snake actually provides a number of very important tactical advantages. It is also the foundation for a sound and legally defensible edged weapons program.

First of all, if you are forced to employ a knife in self-defense, it will most likely be because your attacker is also armed in some way. Since his weapon is the primary threat to your safety, removing that weapon from the conflict should be the focus of your defense. Although you might be able to accomplish this through the use of wrist locks and disarming techniques, the easiest way to eliminate the threat of the weapon is to make the attacker physically incapable of wielding that weapon. And the easiest way to do that is to cause structural damage and pain to his weapon-bearing hand.

By inflicting intense pain or by cutting the tendons and muscles that enable the hand to grasp a weapon, you can effectively defang an attacker’s snake and force him to drop his weapon. The realization that he is now the unarmed one facing an armed opponent, combined with the fact that you drew “first blood” is often enough to end a conflict without further action.

Another advantage of this tactic is that, if you are truly defending yourself, the attacker’s weapon-bearing hand is actually your easiest and most accessible target. The reason for this is that with any contact-distance weapon such as a stick or a knife, the hand and arm must act as the delivery system for the weapon. In order to strike you with the weapon an attacker must extend it and his hand toward you, essentially “giving” you a target. Striking or cutting the hand, wrist, or forearm is therefore much easier than trying to block or evade the strike while countering to the attacker’s body. It is also a much safer tactic since it allows you stay out of the reach of your opponent’s weapon while still being close enough to cut him. This preferred range, called "largo mano" (long hand) range in the Filipino arts, is defined as the distance at which you can touch your opponent’s extended weapon hand with your weapon.

In addition to being an effective and tactically sound maneuver, defanging the snake is also the foundation of a legally defensible edged weapons program. In today’s confused and often misguided legal system, legitimate acts of self-defense are often interpreted as wrongful incidents of violence. It is not at all uncommon for “defenders” to end up as “defendants” or at least for the actions they took in self-defense to come under extreme scrutiny. A sound self-defense program, especially one that incorporates the use of weapons, must therefore be structured to operate within the legal guidelines of self-defense.

The advantage of defanging the snake in this context is that, by striking an assailant’s limb rather than a vital target on his head, neck, or torso you are automatically exercising restraint. Since a knife is by definition a deadly weapon, making a conscious choice to employ it in a less-than-lethal manner clearly demonstrates that you applied a controlled level of force.

If an attacker continues an assault after sustaining a “defanging” cut and you are forced to use your knife against more vital targets to stop the attack, the presence of defanging cuts can be critical to your claim of self-defense. These cuts can establish that your initial defense was targeted at a non-vital area and that you escalated your defense only after these cuts failed to disarm or stop your attacker.

It should be noted, however, that the police, coroners and the courts often misinterpret the meaning of cuts on an attacker’s arms and hands. Many of the cases they deal with involve knife attacks on unarmed individuals. Invariably, the “defender” in these cases is the person with cuts on his or her arms and hands. Because the authorities habitually associate “defensive wounds” of this nature with the victim of an assault, when evaluating a violent encounter, they will often automatically determine that the person bearing these wounds is the victim and the person with the knife (you) the attacker. I have acted as an expert witness in a number of cases involving the use of knives. I have also conducted detailed wound analysis to reconstruct the events of violent encounters involving knives. In each case, the presence of defensive wounds was a key element in the outcome of the trial.

In the system of knife fighting I teach a defanging cut or strike is always the primary tactic. Only then are follow up cuts and thrusts to more vital targets delivered. This forms the basis of a “double tap” approach, in which a minor target (the hand) is cut to bridge the distance and clear the way for a strike to a major target. Although the delay between the two strikes may only be a fraction of a second, making a conscious effort to cut a non-vital target first and evaluate the results of that cut before delivering a second strike demonstrates restraint and forms the foundation of a legally defensible edged weapons program. This identifiable tactical pattern also makes it easier for you to accurately recall or recreate the events of a violent encounter when the time comes to do so. Like any self-defense situation, bear in mind that the singular goal of your actions was to STOP your attacker.

In addition to making this a central principle of my system of knife fighting, one of my goals in teaching and supporting the MBC program is to formally establish "defanging" as a responsible and legally defensible tactic in the eyes of the public and the authorities. By documenting this approach in public forums such as this, in my public teaching, and in books and videos, I hope to provide documentation that would help support responsible knife users in their claims to self-defense.

Should you ever be forced to defend yourself with a knife, you must also be prepared to defend your actions in a court of law. By practicing the concept of defanging the snake and making it an integral part of your edged weapons program, you’ll be in a good position to do both.

Stay safe,

mike j

argyll · #2

Mike,

Great column, please keep writing them. I note that most Filipino Martial Arts start students on sticks, as opposed to blades. Do the stick skills provide a useful foundation for MBC?

Best regards,
Argyll

Edited by - argyll on 12/31/2001 10:43:49 AM

#3

Dear Argyll and KenN:

Thanks very much for your feedback.

With regard to stick training, it's usually the first phase in the Filipino arts because it allows the practitioners to work at a greater distance, allowing more reaction time. As you get better, you work with shorter weapons and move closer. The techniques stay pretty much the same and vary only slightly according to the attributes of the weapon. For example, a strike with a stick would work best as a chopping action, while a strike with a blade works best with a slicing action. The movement looks very much the same, but differs in subtle details. By understanding how a weapon works best, stick technqiues can be adapted very effectively to blade techniques. In fact, that's how I obtained much of my "knife" training.

Ken, thanks for your insightful comments. I've always respected pekiti tirsia's approach to knifework and feel it is one of the best sources of Filipino knife technique. I'm sometimes very surprised to work with seasoned Filipino stick players who have never even considered the blade applications of what they do. It's great to know that some styles are still in touch with their roots and have the guts to address all aspects of weapon use.

Thanks again for your positive feedback.

Stay safe,

mike j

yog · #4

An interesting post and concept.

One of the reasons for my interest is the parrallel phylsophy with my last (and most influencial) unarmed Matial Arts instructor. The form was Ju Jitsu, but due to a tough upbringing the intructor biased most lessons to Ju Jitsu in street fighting rather than the "art".
One of the instructors pet hates was the term "block", as he believed it had too many passive conutations, instead it was strikes against strikes, keeping your distance where able and counterstriking to an attacking arm where possible before closing in for the finish.
I can atest that a well placed counterpuch to the inner forearm has a very deadening effect.

"Walk softly, but carry a big stick."

Mr Blonde · #5

Great post mr Janich. I would love to read more of your "columns". Your comments regarding the legal foundation of defanging the snake (re: defensive cuts on the 'victim') contained some new information for me. Thank you,

Wouter

hy · #6

Mike, I found that these columns really complement your Knife Fighting book. For anyone who's interested in MBC, I would highly recommend the above book. Keep up with the great columns!!!

Todd Brubaker · #7

As always, Mike, your material is top-notch. Please keep up the columns! I am trying to get my department to see the light on some edged weapons training, and you're helping tremendously!

Thanks!

Todd

judge · #8

As always, sound advice from Michael Janich (Mike, I regard your book as the best overall introduction to the topic of knife fighting, and often recommended it to others in the past).
What I wanted to add is that although "Defanging the Snake" is a very good concept and tactic, both legally and physically, a cut to the inner part of the forearm can be as lethal as a cut to the arteria carotis (neck) or any other target commonly considered "lethal", if the wrist artery is opened. Time is the key factor here. Wait long enough with an opened wrist without medical attention, and you´ll bleed to death.
But overall, still better and more easily considered "reasonable force" than immediately counterattacking to the neck, heart, other vital organs or thigh artery.

judge · #9

What I forgot: Please keep the instructional columns coming, great idea.
On the topic of stick as the beginner´s FMA weapon: This has practical reasons as well as historical ones. But whatever weapon/tool you use, try to see the underlying concepts, and try to apply them to other contexts. That´s the beauty of the Filipino systems: Fighting concepts that are (nearly) universally applicable.

#10

Dear Judge:

Thanks for your post and your comments.

You are correct that cutting the inside of the wrist and/or forearm carries with it the risk of cutting the radial artery. If this artery is cut and first aid is not applied, a person could certainly bleed to death. However, as you pointed out, compared to wounds inflicted to larger arteries and blood vessels that cannot be readily treated with first aid, the danger of bleeding to death is significantly lower. This fact is supported by the high number of unsuccessful suicides that involve cutting the wrist and/or radial artery. At the very least, a cut to the wrist gives the attacker a much better chance of survival, if he ceases and desists and tends to his wounds. In my mind, that qualifies as both humane and an effective “stop.”

Thanks for your excellent post and for your kind words about my book.

Stay safe,

mike j