Creating angles of attack against your opponent.

[Leopard claw]

Being 6' and 150 lbs I am fast on my feet and moves, so I'm looking for ways to attack from angles (sides, back, ect) instead of going head to head with my opponent. Any ideas? Thanks!

[parkerlineage]

I try to think catlike - light on my feet, able to hop quickly to find a new angle whenever I feel necessary, whether it be for attack or defense.

[alsey]

you have to be light on your feet as parkerlineage said. in and out, circle around, keep changing direction. when your opponent attacks, try to step to his side and evade instead of defending linearly. or learn leopard kung fu.

[bushido_man96]

Try to draw out the opponent's attacks. Lower a hand to fake an opening, or throw a lazy kick and see how they react. One thing you can do is give a lead foot stomp, real quick, to see if they throw a kick or something. Then, you dive in at a 45 degree angle, and then switch foot round kick, or side kick, or drive in with a blast of punches to drive them back.

Creating angles can be very fun in fighting. It really starts to draw on the strategies.

[DancingSteve]

There are several ways you can 'create' or 'find' different lines of attack.

You can be a circle fighter...who circles and circles and circles...moving laterally around the opponent, changing direction quickly, until an opening is found or created.

You can be a line fighter, driving directly at your opponent relentlessly across the mat finding openings as you throw him off guard.

You can also be a combination of both.

You can also be a strictly lateral fighter. As your opponent moves in, move your back leg to the side...either to the outside or inside of his guard. Moving in quickly to attack. This requires dead-on timing or else they will adjust to your movement quickly. You have to wait until they have committed fully to their line of movement..Then quickly move to an angle either inside or outside of their guard and begin your attack. They will be too fully committed to change and it will give you all the time in the world to execute your attack.

Just a few thoughts.

[Belasko]

Two of my favorites are to step to the side and fire a sidekick to the midsection or occasionally the head if it is open. The other is when you and your opponent are chest to chest stances use a lead arm jab followed immediately by a reverse punch (both to the face). Do them almost as one move, they don't have to connect, just occupy your opponent. Without drawing back the reverse punch continue that movement w/ the rest of your body into a roundhouse kick to the back of your oponent. When done correctly it works great. I even got it in on my master once before he learned to watch out for it from me. Just make sure attacks to the back are allowed in your style.

[Jiffy]

There are a couple of things to dancing around your partner. Both will need practise.

1) Relax - dancing around your partner requires speed of movement. Speed requires relaxation. So, make sure you are relaxed. Tension is most evident in the shoulders and neck, so practise making your shoulders loose and comfortable when in your fighting stance.

2) Footwork - Good footwork is the key to "Ashi-Sebaki". If you have good footwork, you can move. To start off with, try a near side shuffle. That is, assume you are in a left leg forward position. To move left, you will shift your front (left) leg then shuffle the right. To move back, you will move the back (right) leg then shuffle the left. Then to do the opposite side, you just reverse it.

Try this and see how you go

[parkerlineage]

While I agree with your methods of identification, DancingSteve, I think that limiting one's self to say, "I am a linear fighter," will have negative results. The best fighter is one that can transition easily between all different categories, not just one.

[DancingSteve]

I've seen plenty of effective fighters use the linear attack method to their extreme advantage.

I'm not worried about categorizing 'best' 'worst' 'least effective' 'most effective'...Im just throwing out options.

As I said..you CAN be a combination of both. What you MUST be is good at ONE or the OTHER, or BOTH...if you suck at them all...then you have some options to work with, and work on.

[parkerlineage]

I've seen plenty of effective fighters use the linear attack method to their extreme advantage.

Yeah, me, too. I hate fighting those people, because they jam up my long arms.

I'm not worried about categorizing 'best' 'worst' 'least effective' 'most effective'...Im just throwing out options.

Understood.

As I said..you CAN be a combination of both. What you MUST be is good at ONE or the OTHER, or BOTH...if you suck at them all...then you have some options to work with, and work on.

Yeah, ain't that the truth!