Are knife defense techniques designed only against 1 attacker?

Question

I see most martial arts instructors teach knife defense techniques only against a single attacker. But as far as I know, I've never seen anyone teaching defense techniques or manouvers against multiple attackers armed with knives.

Answer 1

Kali and eskrima (Filapino martial arts) teach knife defenses against multiple attackers.

Answer 2

The previous suggestions of FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) are excellent. As far as training against multiple attackers, you first train to defend against one attacker at various angles of attack. When you become proficient at that then you can add the extra attackers in your training scenarios. It's really just a matter of situational awareness and footwork to deal with multiple attackers. And as with everything, it gets easier with practice.

The reality is that most schools go thru' the motions with weapons defenses or they throw fanciful complicated techniques together and assume they'll work in a real situation (one big give away of this is if they have an attacker stand frozen while they run thru' a series of pretty moves). If the techniques are not eventually drilled at combat speed and then in sparring with training weapons they are most likely suspect. Also if techniques only work against a telegraphed, overexaggerated attack then what hope do you have against someone who moves in hard and fast?

Answer 3

Try looking into the filipino martial arts of kali, arnis, and eskrima. You may also wish to look into european fencing.