Attack Angles:
Published: 6/15/2012
By Spencer Sensei
Chotoku Kyan was a small man. In most every fight his opponent was larger, so he learned to fight smarter and not harder. Tatsuo Shimabuku was a student of Kyan Sensei. He too was small in stature by American standards. Shimabuku Sensei was a little over five feet tall and weighed between 115 and 120 pounds, but according to firsthand accounts he could hurt you. These great martial artists took what God gave them and turned a liability into an advantage. Okinawan karate uses speed, power, deception, and body movement to create what I call attack angles. Attack angles are more than taisabaki or body movement. Utilizing attack angles stands in opposition to the American head-to-head man-to-man fighting philosophy of I hit you and you hit me. Redirecting an attack is the real spirit of karate if you believe that karate is for defense only. Kyan sensei could fluidly move outside his attacker’s forward advance, and by over emphasizing his leg position coupled with quick hip rotation he could generate extraordinary power. There are karate styles that teach a head-to-head method of attack like Kyokushin. It was created by a powerfully built Korean man known in Japan as Mas Oyama. Perfection of Kyokushin requires a tremendous amount of body conditioning and a high tolerance of pain. In a head on collision the object with the grater mass and speed wins. For powerful men this maybe what they’re looking for. I can no longer pound with the youngsters, so attack angles have become my best defense. I’m not saying that a head-to-head fighting philosophy is wrong; I’m simply stating that I prefer attack angles. Angular deflection is part of attack angles. The deflection of a powerful blow can cause a strike to miss its intended target. A butterfly or raindrop impact can redirect the flight of an arrow. This also applies to the strongest and fasted karate strike. An attack angle does not simply mean stepping out an opponent’s path it also refers to blocking or redirecting the path of an attack. The macro view of this concept deals with footwork, but the micro focus is on redirection of attack by moving yourself, your opponent, or your opponent’s thoughts. There is no correct method of combat there are only philosophies of how to fight. What works for a large powerfully built fighter may not work for a smaller one but understanding attack angles can even make the larger more powerful fighter better.
Footwork is the foundation of every system of weaponless combat. It is the rock-solid base that the house is built upon. Without good footwork there is no reason to work on attack angles. If a karateka’s footwork is weak, then their karate is weak. Empty hand combat at a high level must be fluid like water. A flowing stream moves left and right. Sometimes it backs up and then charges ahead. A river can flow fast or slow. It can be fierce or still. The karateka’s foot work must be like a flowing stream. When the fighter’s movement becomes stagnant, he becomes predictable and can easily be set-up for an attack. Some martial arts schools teach their students to always charge forward quickly to overwhelm their opponent. Contrary to that notion most beginning fighters have a tendency to move backwards when attacked, and an overly aggressive charge will work on them because you can run faster forwards than they can backwards. Today it seems like everyone has trained at some point in karate, so finding that novice whose impulse is to retreat may be difficult. Fighters with training will hold their ground and slip the attack to one side while counter attacking as the charging fighter moves past like a bull attacking a bullfighter. One the key elements of footwork to remember, is that while you’re moving, do not cross your legs as you step. If an opponent crosses his/her legs, that is your signal to charge and break the opponent’s balance. It’s had to punch and kick as you’re tripping over your own feet. Good footwork means maintaining a balanced stance. Be wary of stepping forward because you can run into an opponent’s attack. Lateral movement is always a better alternative. Try not to move backwards. It is always preferable to move in a circular motion, but if you must move forward do it on an angel and not straight ahead. A move forward should be the beginning of an attack. Shuffle the feet do not lift them. Stay on your toes for a quicker response. Animals that run the fastest have a higher heel position. This is why the fighter should stay on the balls of the feet. Traditional karate unintentionally teaches students that the feet should remain flat. This is a misunderstanding of how we step in kata because the focus is on the end result which we call a stance and not on the process of moving into the stance. The feet flatten and the toes grip the floor only when delivering a power blow. This allows for weight transfer with proper hip and shoulder rotation. Fighting flat footed reduces the fighter’s mobility. A good fighter must have quick feet. Footwork is your first and best line of defense. It allows you to flow like water which translated means you can freely neutralize and counter your adversary’s attack simply by moving.
Most karateka’s initial footwork is developed by kata practice. Once the karateka moves past the Pinon or Heian katas to more advanced forms the feet begin to change position and are not always pressed firmly against the floor. Yet even in the basic forms the feet are constantly moving and changing position. In kata, as in fighting, the feet are rooted when the final blow is dealt. Students are trained to stop their hip and shoulder rotation as the blow reaches its target, in what karateka refer to as a stance. The stance is taught as a static position, but seldom is it static in a real fight. Karate stances teach us how to recognize the proper feel of a perfectly delivered blow. In kata, feet firmly planted on the ground are mainly associated with delivering a blow, but they can also be rooted when administering a jujitsu lock or throwing technique. It is important to remember that once the heel is raised off the floor mobility and quickness increase. Next time you watch a boxing match on television watch the fighter’s feet. When they become flat in relationship to the canvas, this is a good indication the fighter is about to deliver a blow. If they’re flat and he/she is not punching it indicates the fighter is tired. If he is constantly coming up on his toes and moving, he still has gas in his tank. Some fighters fight flat-footed, and these fighters simply wade into their opponent while taking a pounding until they are close enough to release their own attack. This is a slow and painful way to gain the advantage and can cut a fighter’s career short. Most karateka do not have the ability to take a pounding, so like Kyan sensei we must fight by using different angels of attack. The first thing to learn when developing attack angles is to be mobile, and this mobility can first be taught through kata.
Know the terrain. This is a little off the subject of footwork, but It is unlikely that you’ll be attacked on a smooth dojo floor or on a canvas covered boxing ring. The terrain of areas where life preservation skills will be needed normally have undulating surfaces. These surfaces can be used to your advantage. Choose a place that gives you a perceived advantage. On the street you can hide behind objects. In karate competition you are not allowed to run because these are sporting events, but in a life preservation situation you have no limits. You can run in circles to frustrate your attacker. Press your opponent backwards until their feet are pushed up against an obstacle. Then quickly knock them backwards causing him/her to trip over what is behind them. Do not let your angles of attack become limited because of your sport training. Do not let your angles of attack simply become one dimensional. In a life preservation moment, think outside the box and move the attacker around so that the terrain can be used against them.
To counterattack and exploit the attack angles we need to cover the mechanics of delivering a punch. As mentioned before, stances are not fixed positions they are simply glimpses of transitional movement brought into focus. Let us examine one stance in the context of delivering a punch. Zenkutsu dachi is the final result of a forward attack and it is not a fixed statue like pose. An example of this can be seen when a student steps from a ready stance into the elongated forward stance known as Zenkutsu dachi while delivering a punch. Zenkutsu dachi is the last body position as the punch is delivered. Power increases when the centerline of the body is lowered, and your body weight is transferred from the rear leg to the front leg. As the stance begins to stop the hips are rotated into position and the shoulders turn as the punch is delivered. The punch and the stance stop simultaneously because they have a symbiotic relationship that, when executed in concert, delivers maximum power. Some schools believe that the punch should lag slightly behind the hip rotation for maximum power generation while others teach it should lead slightly. Again, this is only philosophy and not a case of right or wrong. A student spends hours walking up and down the dojo floor in this long stance, so that thier muscle memory can be developed. When the student has trained long enough, their body will automatically lock into this choreographed motion any time they punch. Now you know why your instructor constantly harps on foot position, hip rotation, and timing while the student seems to move mindlessly up and down the dojo floor. You cannot fight effectively out of Zenkutsu dachi because it was never developed to be used as a fighting stance. Again, it is a transitional position only or a simple training tool. To fight out of this stance eliminates the ability to move on angles. Fighting stances are taller and utilize a hip forward posture, so all weapons can be brought into action more quickly. Most karate stances are not fixed. They are transitory. They only teach the student what the posture’s look and feel will be like at certain times during the delivery of a technique. When you punch it must be done with your whole body, mind, and spirit. It is more than striking with your arm or proper hip rotation. You must deliver the blow with everything that makes up your being. Then and only then will your punch be powerful. Once your punching mechanics are in place it is time to move onto mastering attack angles.
The fist real attack angle we will discuss is sometimes referred to as slipping. Slipping is the simplest method of changing the angle of attack. To slip a punch means to move the head or body to one side slightly as a blow is being delivered. To explain this is simple, yet it is hard to perfect. As you’re facing the opponent, which ever side they punch with, you simply move in the opposite direction. In other words, if they punch with the arm on you right-side tilt the head or move your body to the left. Your left hand covers your face while the right-hand automatically shoots forward to strike the opponent. Punch over, under, or strike the arm with a blow. Follow immediately with a second punch like a straight left cross or left reverse punch. Be sure you have good punching mechanics in place. Once your weight has been transferred to the front leg, watch out for a shin-kick to the lead leg. When your weight is placed on the lead leg, it is like a tree rooted in the ground. This means that you must get reset and move to the side as quickly as possible after delivering your strike. In kata body evasion or slipping is demonstrated by turning the body 45˚ prior to striking. Slipping consists of turning the shoulder, moving the head, or pivoting at the waist to avoid a blow. Slipping is the simplest form of changing body position to manipulate the angle of attack. To use a line from one of the original The Karate Kid movies, “The best way not to get hit, is to not be there.” Not being there is the essence of slipping.
The hoppo-giri or eight directional strike pattern can be used to demonstrate the angles in which any weapon can be wielded. It is also creating a pattern, when placed on a horizontal plane, that can be used to describe basic attack angles. Strikes can be made vertically up or down, horizontally side to side, or on a forty-five-degree angle both upwards as-well-as downwards. The forty-five-degree strikes can be executed on the right side or left side. These are the basic directions in which any weapon can be wielded. On the horizontal plane these become the angles one can attack or counterattack an opponent. One can attack straight ahead moving forwards or backwards. You can allow the opponent to move forwards until you’re at a perpendicular angle to them. Lastly you can step onto a forty-five-degree angle outside the opponent’s centerline and attack while moving forwards or backwards. Angles can be applied to either side of the attacker right or left. There are eight angular strikes plus the forward thrusts of a weapon. This can be contrasted with the eight attack angles plus up and down movement. The hoppo-giri was designed for teaching how a weapon could be deployed, but it also becomes a tool to teach the limitations of empty hand strategy as well.
Obviously, most attack angles are made on a forty-five degree line moving either forwards or backwards, but sometimes you end up where you end up, so you must have strategy in place to compensate for this new position. Try not attack forward, in a straight line, like two mountain goats butting heads. Always move outside the attacker’s hip line and turn back in on him/her. Stay to the side of the opponent’s lead hand when ever possible, so their reserved hand is forced to cross their body to deliver a blow. When I say stay outside the hip line, I’m not talking about moving around in a circle ten feet apart. This is close in fighting, and movement must be timed with theirs. Recognize when an opponent is about to charge forward, so you can move to the forty-five-degree position. They’ll always tell you first. A fighter must become adept at reading the slight movements that precede an attack. You may find yourself at a ninety-degree angle to the attacker if they’re overly aggressive with their forward charge. Shotokan stylists are masters at the quick hard charge. As you move outside to avoid their charge, many times you will find yourself standing perpendicular to the adversary. This is a good position for you and a bad position for them. The side of their head along with the back of their neck, spine, kidneys, and ribs are vulnerable. Remember the back is a major target area when one is in a life preservation situation, so drive a round kick to their spine. Karate tournaments are the only place where the back is not a target. Drive a round kick to an adversary’s spine or kidneys and their aggressive forward charges will diminish. They will become timid and doubt their training. If you find yourself behind an attacker, after they charge and you’ve moved forward, drive a back-kick or side-blade-kick to their spine. This is the real purpose of a back-kick. It is a kick to the attacker’s back. Most schools teach that it is a defense against a rear attack as an aggressor runs up to attack you from behind on the street, but that understanding limits the potential of this kick. Once you begin to master attack angles, the close contact footwork can place you behind an aggressive adversary. You must understand your weapons before you can apply strategy that employs them. Mastering getting to this forty-five-degree angle is the first step, but sometime the forty-five can become a ninety degree or one-hundred-eighty degree angle in an instance, so you must prepare strategy for these angles too, or the adversary will turn unscathed and charge you again.
Moving backwards is the least skillful attack angle, but it is better than standing in one place like a punching bag. A backwards movement can lessen the initial force of a blow. Getting outside the opponent’s reach is a good thing unfortunately trained fighters will continue to move forward while delivering more blows until they overrun you. Remember they can move forward faster than you can move backwards. Moving backwards and to the side however is a different fish altogether. A first move backwards followed by as step to the side in an effort to get the opponent to launch a forward assault can put you in the perpendicular position we wrote about in the previous paragraph. This is a deceptive move and should be part of your overall strategy when fighting an overly aggressive opponent. Backwards movement alone is not good, but backwards and lateral movement to set-up an attack angle is becomes strategy. It takes a perceived weakness and exploits an adversary’s over confidence and aggressiveness.
Up and down are attack angles too. Don’t be locked into one level of combat. Many kata have the karateka dropping to one knee while simultaneously delivering a low punch. In general, the movement appears to be dropping below an adversary’s attack while simultaneously punching to the attacker’s groin. Some of the bunkai (situational self-defense) indicate this move relates to dropping your body weight to facilitate a shoulder throw, but regardless of the interpretation of the technique taught by a given system, dropping downward still becomes something out of the ordinary. Something out of the ordinary can overwhelm and defeat an opponent. Dropping your body weight while blocking, can solidify the power behind the block. Dropping your body weight, on a joint, while administering a joint-lock, increases pressure thus increasing the pain, and pain leads to submission. Korean martial artists are famous for their high-flying kicks. Kicking above your waist reduces the power contained in the technique and increase the time needed to deliver the technique. Jumping up and raising your hip line allows the same kick to be delivered with more power and speed. According to legend, Matsumura sensei could not apprehend the Chinese sailor Chinto because he could jump from rock to rock while simultaneously delivering kicks and punches. Chinto taught Bushi Matsumura sensei his method of fighting in return for food and lodging. Matsumura would later incorporate these jumping kicks into the kata named Chinto. If you’re fighting a much taller opponent, jump up on a table and kick them in the face. Chances are they’ll never see it coming. High and low does not only apply to your body movement it also applies to strategy. If the fighter utilizes upper body techniques (boxing) then attack his/her legs with kicks. A Thai kick-boxer’s main weapon is their legs. Block their leg kicks with your knee and shin and then target their jaw with a punch. Next get your hands on the Thai fighter and take them to the ground, or they will kick your legs until you cannot stand nor move, but on the ground they’re vulnerable. If you want to punch, to the face, deliver a leg kick first. Move your opponent’s thoughts down to attack them high. If you want to leg kick throw a punch to the face and reverse the process. The ancient developers of karate were not limited to standing in one place. They understood that you must attack an enemy from every angle including high and low. Learn from them and do not limit your attack angles.
Side stepping is not a great attack angle, but it is better than retreating backwards. Ideally you step on a forty-five-degree angle and move forward, but sideways still moves the opponent’s target. In Isshin-ryu karate the round kick is delivered by stepping sideways and rotating the hips around to kick the aggressor as he/she dashes forward. There are better angles, but stepping sideways is better than moving backwards or not moving at all.
One of the more difficult aspects of attack angles to be mastered is the ability to move or control your opponent. Controlling your opponent is not grabbing him/her and slinging them about. It is nullifying their attack by moving all or part of your or their body. Redirection of an attack is as powerful as stopping it. A Palm-Parry-Block down, up, or sideways is as good as a miss. A slight tap of the fastest and most powerful blow can send it flying past its’ intended target. This is the butterfly and the arrow principle already mentioned. How far do you take your block past your side, and how hard must the blow be made for it to be effective? These are philosophical issues that must be answered by the style, but a slight tap or redirection and the blow will miss. The faster the attack the more easily it can be redirected. As the old saying goes, “A miss is as good as a mile.” Move your fighting location, when ever possible, until the opponent is facing the sun. The second they blink, you attack. As mentioned earlier in this text move around and attack forward to get them to react and move backwards until they’re up against an object. If your adversary is a grappler do not get close because when you’re close, they control the fight. Fight them utilizing your long-distance weapons, and do not let him/her get their hands on you. Get in close to fight a distance fighter like a karateka of kickboxer. As mentioned earlier move the opponent’s thoughts. Attack one place to set-up another attack. Make the adversary think one thing and do another. Control is an illusion, so make the opponent feel they’re in control while you control them.
Deception is a piece of attack angles. It is the icing on the cake. Attack angles are attacks normally delivered on a forty-five-degree angle, but straight ahead is still considered an attack angle. Forward attacks must be coupled with deception. These deceptive tactics can vary. The speed of an attack as-well-as the direction can also be altered. Timing must be not constant. In beginning kata, we do not vary the speed of the form, but in advanced kata parts are executed fast while others are slow. Punch at one slightly slower speed until the opponent can comfortably defend your blows, then when you see an opening strike as fast as you can. The increased speed will overwhelm his/her defense. Fake a forward attack by stomping your lead foot and moving your shoulders forward slightly. Check the opponent’s response. If he/she withdraws, do this until they do not respond, and then blitz them. Widening your eyes and flaring your nostrils can make a seasoned fighter move. Dipping a shoulder can cause an opponent to move in the direction you desire. Deception or misdirection has a symbiotic relationship with attack angles. One needs the other.
Attack angles are not stagnant. Once you step on an angle you must move forwards or backwards. If the opponent rushes past you, kick them in the back as they slip by. Your attack must come from any direction. When you attack, get in and get out to set-up another attack. This is a game of hit-and-run. Do not stand in one place and go blow-to-blow with the opponent, or you have defeated the purposes of attack angles, and you’ve substituted fighting harder for fighting smarter.
There are only a few times when the karateka abandons attack angles and simply charges forward. When you land a punch or kick and see the opponent’s knees buckle you must respond. When the knees buckle charge without hesitation and finish off the opponent. Too many fights have been lost because the opponent’s knees buckled, and a fighter hesitated and allowed the opponent to regain his/her composure. Remember our water analogy; there is a time to become a raging river. There is a time to run headlong into the fray. If you can end the fight, abandon attack angles and charge forward. Another aspect of recognizing when to attack is noting the opponent’s feet. If he/she is flat-footed and breathing heavy, this could be sign that they’re tired, and that gives you an advantage. An opponent’s fatigue allows you to charge when you ordinarily would not. Charge them as they suck in a large breath and end the combat. Know when to abandon and when to fortify your strategy.
Chotoku Kyan was a small man with poor eyesight. In most every fight his opponent was larger, so he learned to fight smarter and not harder. In one famous fight he defeated a Judo player named Shinzo Ishida. The first thing he did was to remove his shirt, so the grappler could not grasp him easily for a throw. As the large man charged, Kyan sensei stepped outside the aggressor’s forward movement and fish-hooked his cheek and jaw. Next, he delivered a leg kick driving the Judo player to the ground. Once on the ground the Judo player admitted defeat, as Kyan sensei was poised to strike again. This is an example of attack angles and knowing your weapons. As you get older, you need to learn how to fight smarter. Attack angles are difficult to master, but they can make you better able to defend yourself.