All good info but being elderly female in wheelchair awareness usually means looking straight ahead. Would like to see articles on "differently" abled folks, Just getting in a non automatic door keeps focus off surroundings, being in LEO family greatly increased awareness of attacks on w/c & older-disabled folks. Also would love an article on using a knife for self-defense. Amazing magazine but need women,mom's,holster reviews for pregnant-nursing mom's. Women also carry and need to be included. FYI, 77, in w/c from hanggliding mishap, just got 1st gun-Hellcat Pro 2 months ago. Former police medic, medics don't "carry". All new to me. Thanks.
Knife for self-defense by an older disabled person?
Fixed blade that you can reach with either hand and is small enough to not draw attention.
If you don't like carrying a fixed blade a Gerber Remix is a nice option. The ring in the handle makes it easier to retain and also use to strike. Fixed blade or folding Karambit knives are another option as long the blade is not too curved. Sometimes a hooking type blade will catch on clothing or bone and the attacker will be pulled toward you which could knock you off balance if you're not trained in Karambit techniques.
I'm also a big fan of Kershaw-Emerson folding knives because of the "wave feature"(again there's videos on youtube about Kershaw-Emersons. I usually have one of those knives on my person. I like how solid these knives feel and they are not expensive($30 - $50 from Amazon). They make several models in different blade lengths. The one in the attached picture is one of the shorter models. I also have the 4XL model that's pretty big and heavy but I like it.
Learn and practice basic striking techniques to the Carotid artery, brachial arteries in the arms, femural arteries in the upper thighs.
Learn to use both hands working together. If one of your strikes is blocked use your non-weapon hand to hit the blocking hand and allow you to continue striking/cutting as long as you feel like your life is in danger. There's good trapping technique videos on youtube.
When using a knife everything on your attacker is a target (the hand that grabs you, the leg nearby, etc. etc). A safe way to practice these techniques is to get a piece of foam and put tape on each end turning it into a pocket stick(again there's videos on youtube on how to make a training pocket stick).
With a foam pocket stick learn to hit with either end. Jabbing, thrusting, and slashing motions and continuous movements. You don't stop striking/cutting until you can escape or the threat has been neutralized or the bad guy is screaming in pain because they picked on the wrong old person...
You can also practice striking motions with a pen.
Don't forget to breathe as you are striking and it won't hurt to say "Please leave alone. You are being aggressive, please go away. You are making me uncomfortable.". Which tells the people around you that you are being attacked. Plus if the bad guy sues you these phrases show you were not the aggressor.
When you have a closed knife or pen in your hand you are able to hit harder and create more pain to your attacker than many people can do with an empty hand. Open hand slaps can be used but unless you've trained in the proper application of an open hand strikes you could damage your fingers. Another consideration is that sometimes a slap makes the aggressor more aggressive.
You don't have to know a lot of different types of strikes. I only teach/practice 5 basic striking angles but I practice them with each hand.
Remember that your goal is to survive and your mindset is survival.
My qualifications -
I've trained in martial arts since 1984(Kenpo karate, Escrima, Kuntao-Silat, JKD - Jeet Kune Do). I'm a former Marine. I was also a licensed bodyguard in the state of Texas. I have worked as a armed and unarmed security officer and as a Mental Health Associate(MHA) in mental hospitals in Texas and Arkansas.
I had neck micro-fracture surgery in 2015 from a motorcycle accident (distracted driver ran me over) and have 12 titanium screws in my neck and 2 in my left ankle as permanent souvenirs. I also had Quadruple Bypass heart surgery in 2018.
I went through Advanced EMT school (Collin County Community College, McKinney, Texas) in 2005 and that allowed me to give the paramedics who treated me at the motorcycle accident information to help get the treatment I needed. The surgery on my neck took about 5 hours and on my ankle for another 2. I also had internal injuries that required another 2 hours of surgery to repair.
I'm 65 years old. With also those surgeries and hardware I try to train each day. Pain is not my enemy it motivates me to keep moving...
Where there is a will there is a way...
A knife is a great equalizer and in my view, sometimes easier to deploy than a firearm when someone is trying to assault us. Older folks have to be aware and use awareness because a fall (or being struck) during a fight can be life changing in a bad way (broken hip, concussion, etc.).
Consistent training doesn't take much time or have to be very painful. I train several times a day and the training sessions last between 5 to 20 minutes depending on how I'm feeling. I break the training sessions into basics (footwork, body movement including sprawling, striking, etc, etc.).
I enjoy teaching adult students because training with a partner is much more productive than working out without one. If you are able to find a friend to train with or hang out with there is strength in numbers...
I hope this information helped. Feel free to ask any more questions.
Frank Garza
