Martial Arts Geelong · Bujinkan Ninjutsu

Knife
Defence

Training for the weapon you're most likely to face Blades, bottles, needles, screwdrivers — if it cuts or punctures, we train against it. Not theory. Not sport. Real patterns, real pressure, real skill.

The Reality

Why Knife Defence Is Not Optional

Most martial arts schools mention knife defence briefly, or not at all. At Martial Arts Geelong, it is built into every term of training — because we believe the omission is a serious gap in preparation.

The statistics speak plainly. Weapon-related assault in Victoria has risen sharply. Where serious injury occurred, a knife was involved in the majority of incidents. A quick search on YouTube will show you what real-world knife attacks look like — and how fast they happen.

This isn't alarmism. It's the informed context behind why we train the way we train.

"If you're not learning knife defence at your martial arts school, then you're not really learning self-defence." — Shihan Rob Baard, 14th Degree Bujinkan Ninjutsu

My own interest in this area is personal. I've had knives pulled on me — at work, walking to the pool near my home, and back in high school growing up in a rough neighbourhood. These aren't hypothetical situations. I've seen first-hand how real they can be — and how quickly they unfold.

Victoria · Documented Data The knife crime landscape — the numbers behind why we train

33% Rise in knife attacks Victoria — single year

+21.7% Weapon assaults overall 5,004 → 6,092 incidents

+48.4% Bottle & glass attacks Victoria Police data

+46% Firearm assaults Same reporting period

Source: The Age — Larissa Dubecki · Victoria Police Crime Statistics · University of Melbourne Criminology

Curriculum

What You Train In Knife Defence

Knife defence at this school is not a module tacked onto the end of a syllabus. It runs through all of our adult and teen training, and we run dedicated seminars throughout the year open to students from any background.

Creating Distance & Space Immediate responses that create the distance needed to survive the first second of an attack — the most critical moment.

Protecting Vital Areas Priority targets — especially the throat, inner arms, and femoral areas. What to guard first, instinctively and without hesitation.

Grab & Stab Scenarios The most common real attack pattern. Trained repeatedly until the response is automatic under pressure and adrenaline.

Bottles, Needles & Improvised Weapons The same principles applied to broken bottles, syringes, screwdrivers — anything that punctures or slashes. The defence transfers.

Disarming Under Pressure When and how to attempt control of the weapon. Timing, positioning, and commitment — applied with real resistance.

Awareness & Avoidance Reading the situation before the blade is drawn. The skill that makes everything else less necessary.

"Where a serious assault occurred, it was likely to be with a knife." — Stuart Ross, Criminologist, University of Melbourne

See It In Action

Knife Defence Training

A look at how we approach real-world knife defence in training.

The Book

Tactical Knife Fighting & Defence

The knowledge behind this training doesn't stay in the dojo. Tactical Knife Fighting & Defence — written by Shihan Rob Baard — puts it in your hands: the principles, the anatomy, the attack patterns, and the defences that work under real conditions.

Whether you're a student looking to deepen your understanding between sessions, or someone who can't yet make it to class — this book is the companion to the mat work. Available now in print and digital format.

Get the Book All Books

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Get In Touch

Contact Us

Enquiries welcome for classes, seminars, on-location training, and private instruction.

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About Your Instructor

Rob Baard

14th Degree Black Belt Shihan · Japan-licensed Shidoshi

Trained directly under Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi — the last living heir to nine ancient Japanese combat traditions.

Award-winning filmmaker. Directed Danny Glover in a feature film sold across 30+ countries. Robin Williams was once attached to the project.

Winner — LA Film Awards, Best Documentary. The documentary is now a permanent exhibit at the Togakushi Ninja Museum, Japan.

Published author. Licensed Private Investigator. Australian Cinema Pioneer.
Diplomas in Clinical Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy, and NLP Master Practitioner. Kuji-In Master.

Train at the source. Not the imitation.

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