TDI Ohio Defensive Knife

[shdwfx]

I've signed up for the Defensive Knife class offered by Tactical Defense Institute of Ohio.

This is my first course from TDI, and want to post a review here afterwards.

Has anyone here taken this before? Any thoughts?

 

[1911 guy]

I've been to TDI.

Been there a few times. Top notch instruction from what I've seen so far. I haven't taken their knife class, but I do use one of their knives and it's very good for its intended purpose

Take a pen and paper with you, John puts lots of useful stuff in his classroom time you'll want to remember later and wish you'd writen down.

I'll be interested to read your review later.

 

[Mtnvalley]

I have taken their knife course, and recommend it. It's a great overview, though I wish time had permitted some work on disarms (I think they may cover that ground in ECQ, which I haven't taken yet.) I also recommend taking notes as possible.

Greg E. and John B. know their stuff. I've taken just over half of their curriculum, and haven't been disappointed yet.

 

[shdwfx]

Thanks for the notebook advice - sounds like a good thing going here.

 

[geophysicishooter]

I have to ask: Are you taking this class on its own or as a continuation of other martial arts training you are currently undertaking or have taken? Maybe you're in LE or some similar line of work where this is additional training.

 

[shdwfx]

No, I'm not LE. With my desk job, I am doing well just to make it to the YMCA twice a week and to the range once a week. And, no time really for martial arts. This is a class my CCW instructor (local LEO) recommended. There are a good half dozen classes I'd like to take from TDI and this is my first.

 

[geophysicishooter]

Well, I applaud your effort to expand your skill set and I encourage it. I would look at it like a golf lesson or something similar. You take the lesson and what you walk off the range with is something to practice. I don't want to sound like I'm saying more than I am but your skillset is only as good as your ability to execute those skills when they count. It's like anything else, I guess. Practice doesn't make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

A knife fight is a serious piece of business. It's hand to hand. Nasty stuff. If you walk away from it, you will, at best, have your adversary's blood and sweat and spit and God only knows what else on you. Anybody that's going to attack you with a knife is likely to be better at knife fighting than you are. If you really want to get good at hand to hand, I'd suggest you find yourself someone who teaches akido, gung fu, san da, or something like that and get to class. Some formal hand-to-hand training beyond what you'll learn in the two or three days at TDI. Chances are someone there knows a good martial arts gym.

 

[shdwfx]

Thanks for the advice.
I know what you say is true which is why I'm committing to weekly range time and starting a regimen of training courses (TDI). I'm hoping my daily schedule changes soon so I can include martial arts in my workouts.

 

[Mtnvalley]

FWIW, I took the knife course prior to CQPC (their empty-hand course). In hindsight, I kinda wish I'd taken CQPC first. Geo speaks truth.

Then again, I had close to 300 hrs of pistol training (not all of it at TDI) along with TDI's knife and impact weapon courses prior to taking my first empty-hand course, and I rather wish I'd started with some form of empty-hand combatives far sooner. I feel like I'm playing catch-up. I've taken their CQPC (taking it again this weekend), and another school's empty-hand course, along with starting up twice a week at a local (softer) MMA dojo.

Like many gun owners (including the subset who understand the value of training), I came in thinking that personal defense begins and ends with a gun, or another weapon if you happen to be without a gun. A weapon only stops a threat if you have the time and distance to deploy it, and if I have little clue how to create that space and/or buy sufficient time, I can't make use of the asset. Also, someone much smarter than me pointed out that, if all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. I like having a few more choices now.

 

[Paul Gomez]

TDI is a top-notch organization. Andy Stanford and I attended the Level 3 and 4 pistol courses there several years ago and I went back and did the second ECQ class that they offered a few years later.

John, Greg and co were some of the early players in developing a truly integrated curriculum. I reccomend them highly.

 

[Jim E]

I've taken the class. It is excellent. My PD hosted the class last May and had Greg Ellifritz in to teach. One of the finest instructors and best classes I've had during my 25 years in law enforcement. Don't miss this. Most of our officers now carry the Ka Bar TDI knife on duty now. It's an approved defensive tool.

 

[geophysicishooter]

Well? How did it go??