Weapon Defence

The Fencing Parry family covers the system of blade deflections used in fencing to redirect an opponent's attacking blade away from the valid target area — the sword-fighting equivalent of blocking in unarmed combat, but executed with the blade itself. [1] Modern fencing recognises eight primary parries (prime through octave), each protecting a specific sector of the body by positioning the blade to intercept attacks from different directions. [1,2] Parries are the foundation of defensive fencing and are always followed by an immediate riposte (return attack) — the parry-riposte sequence is fencing's fundamental defensive-offensive unit, conceptually identical to the block-counter in boxing. [2,3] The parry system was formalised in the French and Italian fencing schools of the 17th–18th centuries and remains the standard teaching methodology in modern Olympic fencing across all three weapons (foil, épée, sabre). [3]

The Gun Defence family covers defensive techniques against firearm threats, including disarms and redirections at close range. [1] Gun defence is the most extreme self-defence scenario and should only be attempted when escape is impossible and the threat of harm is imminent — compliance is generally the safest response when avoidance is not possible. [1,2] Gun defence techniques focus on redirecting the muzzle away from the body, controlling the weapon hand, and executing a disarm before the attacker can fire or recover control. [2,3]

The Knife Defence family covers defensive techniques against edged weapon attacks, including slashing and stabbing attacks with knives, blades, and other edged weapons. [1] Knife defence is extremely challenging because edged weapons require minimal skill to inflict serious injury, the attacker can change angles rapidly, and the defender is likely to sustain cuts even in a successful defence. [1,2] Knife defence techniques focus on controlling the weapon hand, redirecting the blade, and creating distance or executing a disarm when escape is not possible. [2,3]

The Krav Maga Weapon Defence family covers techniques for defending against armed attacks — knife threats, gun threats, stick attacks, and other weapons — designed for life-or-death self-defence scenarios where disengagement is not possible. [1] Krav Maga weapon defences follow a strict protocol: (1) redirect the weapon away from the body, (2) control the weapon arm, (3) deliver aggressive counter-strikes to neutralise the attacker, and (4) disarm if possible. [1,2] Unlike martial arts that teach weapon 'sparring' or 'matching' (fighting weapon vs weapon), Krav Maga assumes the defender is unarmed against an armed attacker — the worst-case scenario — and provides techniques designed to survive this encounter. [2,3] These techniques are the most dangerous to train and the most critical to know, as armed attacks are among the most lethal threats civilians and military personnel face. [3]

The Stick Defence family covers defensive techniques against impact weapon attacks, including sticks, batons, clubs, and similar blunt instruments. [1] Stick defence addresses the challenge of defending against a weapon that extends the attacker's range and can deliver bone-breaking force on impact. [1,2] Defensive strategies focus on closing distance to reduce the weapon's effectiveness (impact weapons lose power at very close range), blocking or deflecting at the weapon hand rather than the weapon itself, and executing disarms or controls that neutralise the threat. [2,3]