Weapons Defense Workshop · Cedar Knolls, NJ
Stick & Knife Defense
Workshop
3 hours. Real drilling under resistance. Open to total beginners. Held quarterly at SD4ALL Cedar Knolls — 5 minutes from Morristown.
Reserve My SpotWhy This Workshop Exists
Most people who care about self-defense never get any weapons training. They drill empty-hand techniques for years and then freeze the first time a stick or knife shows up — because the response to a weapon is different. Distance is different. Timing is different. The instinct to back up is exactly wrong, and you only un-learn that under drilling.
The workshop runs every quarter. It's open to non-members. Three hours of focused drilling on the two weapons most commonly seen in civilian violence in the US — a long impact weapon (stick, bat, pipe) and an edged weapon (knife). You leave with a response built into your body, not just a few moves you saw once.
The 3-Hour Format
0:00 — Frame & Fundamentals (45 min)
Distance management. Why backing up is wrong against weapons. Burst entry drilling against a static partner. Building the body's default response.
0:45 — Knife Defense (75 min)
Frontal attack — redirect plus counter. Rear approach. Pinned against a wall. Each scenario drilled with progressive resistance. Training knives only.
2:00 — Stick & Long Weapon (60 min)
Closing distance against a swing. Jamming the strike. Taking the centerline. Multiple-attacker awareness. Padded sticks.
3:00 — Q&A + Take-Home
Direct questions to Gonçalo. Cheat sheet of core principles. Next workshop date and how regular Krav Maga training builds on what you learned today.
Workshop — Common Questions
- Do I need prior martial arts experience for the stick and knife workshop?
- No. The workshop is built so a complete beginner can show up and learn the core defenses. We pair beginners with experienced partners. About half of every workshop has never trained before.
- What will I actually learn?
- Burst entry against a frontal knife attack, redirect-and-counter, weapon-hand control, exit strategy. For the stick segment: closing distance against a long weapon, jamming the swing, taking the centerline. We drill each piece with a partner under increasing resistance, not just demonstrations.
- Is this safe? Real weapons?
- Training knives (rubber) and padded sticks only. No live blades on the mat. The workshop runs 3 hours with breaks. Sweat, not blood.
- How much is it and what's included?
- Workshop fee, equipment (training weapons provided), 3 hours of instruction with Gonçalo and his lead instructors, a take-home cheat sheet of the core principles. Register through the link below — pricing and exact date are listed on the registration page.
- Where is the workshop held?
- SD4ALL studio, 210 Malapardis Rd, Cedar Knolls NJ 07927. Free parking on site. 5 minutes from Morristown, easy reach from anywhere in Morris County.
- Is this just for men?
- No. About 35–40% of our workshop attendees are women. The defenses don't require size or strength — they require timing and drilled response. Women train and coach across our program.