isshinryuronin
Master of Arts
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2019
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A few points to address here.When doing basic FMA partner drills with knives, it was insisted that I focus on cutting. My background is primarily contemporary street-focused systems, and so I know that in most situations, an average knife is not hefty or sharp enough to preform a fight-ending slice.
The average cheap fighting knife is capable of cutting the opponent, especially on body parts backed by bone or tendon.
It is difficult to stab a slender moving arm. Stabs are best against the body.
The body is protected by the arms, at the end of which is a weapon. Accordingly, this would be the primary target.
Cutting the arms reduces their ability to wield the weapon.
The cut is seldom fight-ending (except for the neck). A fluid series of cuts (and accompanying hand checks to the arm) allow one to work their way in for a fight-ending stab. It's all set up by the cuts.
IMO the instructor is completely correct on insisting to focus on cutting.