Self defence using the five principles of Stav

[Shepherdd]

I really don't like criticizing art of any kind, martial included, but those last two take downs were just non functional. In the second to last the defender ends with having the attacker holding his knife behind his head and neck, then in the last how would anyone expect to grab what little portion of a knife handle is left out of a guy's grip without cutting their fingers to sushi.

Also in the second demo, using an open hand as a shield against steel, it's just a bad idea.

[christlicker]

@Shepherdd Obviously you didn't see that these techniques were demonstrated in front of a rice paddy, thus making them unbeatable!

[Shalashskia]

Im learning this and Glima,

[8520rah]

you know. if the world went to shit, and there was no more ammo, and it was down to melee weapons and improvised bows and slings. this is was you would want to know.

[TwistToy]

well. i'm a scandinavian canadian. i'm upset with this demonstration. i'm going through court right now cuz i stabbed a guy in self defence. him and his five buddy's jumped me and my one buddy. i stabbed one of them twice. theres not much you can do honestly when a knifes coming at you. fuck all. mayby unless your against a complete really slow idiot with horrible dexterity, and must be a amputee stabbing with the plastic arm that can't bend or something.lol get a knife tool threaded in.

[NewZealfighter]

good stuff

nice concepts

we do have to remember these concepts work on commented attacked only

non commented attacks we need to stay away from.However non commented attacks give us time to pick up something,stand behind something or get out of the situation

[PeakOfAwesome]

I'm right into Scandinavian stuff and all that, and Stav sounds cool, being an old Norse martial art. It'd be cool to know and all that, but to be honest it's not gonna be a practical Martial Art.

I'll stick to Asian martial arts for now :p

[TheCaneArtist]

I would like to learn more

[MrProLiberty]

These are moves that have been mad eover complicated because they base on some strange martial art. I'd pretty much recommend krav maga's techniques to disarm a person with knife.

[Djedefra]

@MrProLiberty

Indeed, from al Martiar Arts, Krav Maga has the best (easiest) disarming techniques

[jollybird66]

this is a load of hogshit

[Schwertgosch]

Just a load of marketing crap! There is no NONONONONONO original source for that type of "ye olde art of fighting"; they use a couple of techniques that are absolutely basic knowledge in each and every bloody fighting system ever developed and give it some pompous names. And even worse, some of the moves are performed crappy!!!

[uwheerser]

@Schwertgosch Indeed!! performed crappy!! No body movement or body turning (tai sabaki) at all, badly executed grips, lock that don't lock at all...

And I am convinced that those two started training two weeks ago at a schedule of 2 times 30 minutes per week...

[lordfridge2]

At 1:49 the fucker farts before getting up. Fucking great!!!!

[witchcerridwen]

yet if im a woman i would not make a chance if someone would come at me with a knife or stick.

[RIGKON]

Stav practitioners have even mixed medieval european weaponry into their system, to get a true idea of european medieval martial arts read the Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe by Sydney Anglo and search the bibliography again for further books. Read Terry Browns 'English martial Arts' and see Nova Scrima for starters. There are lots of western martial arts, Savate, Canne le Baton, Glima, Jogo du Pau, Ringen, etc, (even boxing, fencing and wrestling..originaly one art). Don't be conned.

[RIGKON]

To learn authentic viking/anglo-saxon traditions, an example see Regia-Anglorum and see Glima Wrestling. Read books: the sagas of the Icelanders (penguin classics), Introduction to english runes by R I Page; The viking age rune stones by Birgit Sawyer;Viking weapons and warfare by Kim Siddorn; The english warrior by Stephen Pollington; The vikings recreated in colour photographsby Nurman, Schulze & Werhulsdonk; for starters, search their bibilographies to find more authentic books.

[RIGKON]

He has organised stav into festivals (blots, similar to the modern religious expressions of viking/germanic religions such as Asatru and Odinism) that stav practitioners celebrate six times a year (based on the six rayed norse rune 'hagal;hail).

[RIGKON]

Hafskjold has studied Jo-jitsu (short staff combat) in Japan for 14 years before comming to live in the UK and teaching stav. He wrote articles in some UK martial arts magazines where he called the 'axe' they now use, a Huscarl', which is actualy a kings retainer. He claimed Egill Skallgrimsson wore a coloured headband that is the ranking system of stav (like asian belt ranking systems) and was himself a stav practitioner.

[RIGKON]

The Vikings did not practice Stav. The authentic viking martial art is called Glima and is the Icelandic national sport. Stav uses rune postures to fight in; The Vikings never had rune postures, these were invented by German occult rune magicians just before the second world war and stavs nine fold 'web of wyrd' they use as lines of combat was invented in an occult runic society during the 20th century (see the occult book Helrunar by Jan Fries).

[lopezdecastilla]

Thanks guys! If anyone tries to attack me with a knife, i know the move - step away, or step aside, or try to catch their hand and power them to the ground with a stern stare.

[Owdbum289]

hoorah! welcome to the idiots guide to getting killed with a knife.

[EtherRex]

I pray to god that anyone who attacks me with a knife, starts from 6 feet away!

[armo4life77]

this rely isnt anythin interestin

[toreswe]

as i understood it "stav" was extracted from old nordic runes found on runestones. So no wonder it's not very good ^^

[pricklead]

Vikings bow?

[Emilo777]

Is this the new Monty Phyton?

[Okaruwazashi]

This isn't good knife defence.

It'd be better to show the techniques from a neutral position, or an unnarmed attack at least.

Techniques look fine, but tactics and strategy are far more important in combat and self-defence. The tactics (e.g., body positioning) in this video are terrible, but then, it is just a technique demo.

[DrossProwler]

I don't know what's wrong with you guys, but this vid really helped me. Get a life.

[mastervoodoo123]

you guys are retards

[DeusSiveNatura1]

Ne-ver try it in a real knife fight, unless you want to die (or unless you're in love with a surgeon)

[airwatching]

nice sci-fi video!

[jogvlen]

oops, that was supposed to be a reply to Caliburnis..

[sirius711]

Look I'm no martial artist, but I have been attacked with a knife (and once witha broked pint glass wielded kind of like a knife) and this stuff really doesn't look like it'd help in reallity. Sorry! =/

[fussions65]

These are actual Martial Art techniques againstknife attacks????? I actually thought this was a comedy video

[032125]

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with making up your own fighting style, but Stav is pretty clearly a weak imitation of EMA, mixed with some nationalist fervor and spiritual mumbo-jumbo.

[032125]

His defense against the knife thrust is dishonest and suicidal. The attack itself is over commited and unreaistic, and the response is pure fantasy. to catch an incoming thrust with open hands, and then transition into a wristlock? The most naturally agile person MIGHT have a 10% chance of pulling that off without losing fingers. Maybe. Not very good odds.

[ShadowSeax]

looool their bow after the exersices.

I think Stav is a new fighting system with Asian influences and North European Phisolophy

[aronboylloyd123]

it looks good, but kind of obvious and at the same time more like a military form of fighting rather than a martial art.

Does look handy though! ..hehe..

[Caliburnis]

The problem I have with Stav is that it teaches the use of a Two Handed sword, when, to my knowledge, there's no archaeological evidence to suggest Vikings or Nordic people even had such things until they were developed during the High middle Ages. I find it kind of strange also, that it doesn't look like Stav has much in relation with the German Ringen. Perhaps someone could provide me with an answer?

[jogvlen]

If the system is as old as it claims to be, then over time it was probably tweaked to meet the needs of the period. It's possible they could have added new techniques for new weapons. Just a thought..

[Caliburnis]

I'd assume then that the style of Longsword would be related to the German and Italian schools of swordsmanship. I don't really see too many similarities, though there are definite parallels to Kenjutsu. However, the problem I also find with the swords is that the wooden practice swords they're using seem to suggest they're a viking styled two hander. For instance, the guards seem to be resembling those of svard. I'm not aware of any historical longswords with guards that small.

[burtyboy21]

Leave the martial aspect of stav to Dave Watkinson Mick Burton & Dave Gilchrist,who i have seen at demonstrations,they are the real deal.EXCELLENT in fact,

[frostyweather]

Stav may not look so pretty and therefore seems to get bad press. However if you understand it, it makes good sense. Maybe investigate more before making accusations about different self defense systems you do not understand.

[burtyboy21]

This is not good practice teaching this to students.Its not for real, it looks silly and it has not been taught to you by an expert i know.I am a black belt instructor so i do know,you are giving your students false hope, you need to stop this game of pretending to be a martial artist, because ive seen one of your demonstrations,its laughable.Sorry for being so critical but i dont like bad instructors.Graham you need to seriously stop teaching your bad ways.

[GDButcher]

This is a demonstration of the five principles of Stav. Working with the principles teaches five different responses according to circumstances. We do plenty of realistic training with the emphasis on knowing what is the appropriate response in any situation. I hope no one watching this short clip thought they were then equipped for self-defence. It should be obvious that attending a workshop is the only way to begin to appreciate the potential of serious Stav training.

[tacedgeinc]

You guys are a bouch of kooks. Try this crap for real and you'll get cut or killed.

[LtBn]

agreed. very rehearsed and set up. Most impractical

[chrisperry88]

The moves are "basic" self defense and will work against the common thug. Since the individual trained in a knife fighting system comprises approximately.0000000000000000­000000000000001% of the population, one's odds are good with STAV. Also, each move represents a PRINCIPLE.

[chrisperry88]

By the way, thinking things through before acting on them is one of the principles covered in the silly system of STAV. Refer to the Havamal for further direction. And one last thing, lighten up.

[wilarz89]

this might work with a sword but with a surprise knife attack your dead. In real life a guy with a knife will keep it hidden until he can have a sure stab.the defender wont know he has a knife until its in his stomach

[losNinja]

That´s not WMA, that´s aikido... no wonder people have complaints, aikido sucks. Also, afaict, "Stav" is as much WMA as a very low-quality McDojo is EMA.

[Heathenhellion]

Man, it amazes me to see how judgemental you guys are about something you've never studied before.

[AngloSaxon1]

All the instructor is doing by teaching this stuff to his students is murdering them.

[seenthephoenix]

I agree with you AngloSaxon1 and humanweaponvideo; This stuff is dangerous nonsense but then, IMO, Stav itself is dangerous nonsense, dangerous that is to the practitioner not the attacker.

[sephsotiroth]

People don't know much about the history of Stav it seems. It was the viking family Hafskjold from Norway who made the style, but if they where influenced by Asian Kung fu or not i don't know. they DID travel a lot around. But if they made it up them self, it was a pretty darn good job they did. And Stav focuses most of staff techniques if you didn't know.

[sephsotiroth]

Now, if the five principals for knife defense is practical in a real fight, might be discussed. I think it all depends on the user. Maybe this worked very good for the persons developing it.

And the fact that they used runes for healing and breath techniques, it was a pretty deep developed martial arts. But i shouldn't say too much, since i really haven't seen much of Stav.

[ahumanweaponvideo]

100% these guys have never been in a fight and should stay on the downs chewing grass

[chrisperry88]

I have trained with Graham and I can say that he HAS been in a fight before. I can also add that because he practices STAV, he has also knew when to avoid fights.

[seenthephoenix]

Did you see this/these fight(s) or did Graham or someone else tell you abou them? Because it is clear from watching this video that he hasn't got the faintest understanding about knife defences. Let him try those against someone that trains in a knife fighting system or against the scum that get in really close before launching a surprise attack. Instructors have a responsibility to 'keep it real' otherwise their students will get hurt. This stuff belongs in a Buster Keaton movie.

[chrisperry88]

Seenthephoenix, are you flowing? Jesus you are judgemental and draw conclusions too quickly. The kind of conclusions that block one from "seein' it real" and wind up on the cutting room floor of a Buster Keaton movie.

[seenthephoenix]

I've seen this rubbish up close, by which I mean I've sparred against stav practitioners. Heard their frankly mind-boggling attempts to convince me that runic energy will protect them from attacks. But it's not the practitioners my beef is with, they were great people who trained hard and believed in what they were doing. But that's the problem, believing in a bad system doesn't make it a good system. There are many that would classify stav as a cult and members of cults are the ones 'flowing'.

[invictus14]

It'll work, assuming the "attacker" will stand still for you.

Anyone who's read a history book knows Vikings used lots of complex "principles", weird poses and magic to fight. All that stuff you've been hearing about western MA being all about practicality is a myth. :P

[seenthephoenix]

Wow invictus14, you've really bought the farm haven't you! I love history and I would love to read about authentic viking principles, poses, and magic, so please quote the book(s) so I can read them. Oh oh! It's not a stav book is it?

[seenthephoenix]

sorry invictus, a bit slow coming in on the satire:(