Defending straight-line attacks...

[bushido_man96]

As has been stated, going to the inside gives you a few more "targets", but also makes you more vulnerable to your opponents weapons also, so the outside is generally encouraged.

I have found this to be true as well. In our Combat Hapkido training, both my partner and I prefer to get to the outside if at all possible, and we find ourselves heading that way all the time. On drills that do go to the inside, we have discussed our discomfort with actually being there, but it is good to learn some inside defenses, because in all likelyhood, you will find yourself inside like that in a self-defense situation.

[JusticeZero]

Outside; this is to a large part because we value targets along the outside more as a rule. Much of the focus is on the floating rib, shoulder, head, or anywhere that we can get underneath a leg; those targets are generally more accessible on the outside of an attacking limb. Mind, a lot of counters slip and come directly up under the attacking limb (Cruz), and i'm not sure if that would be considered "outside" or "inside".

[algernon]

I find myself moving predominantly to the outside, for all of the aforementioned reasons, but I do find that taking the inside makes it easier to maintain contact. When moving to the outside, I've noticed a tendency for the other party to either turn away and slightly cower, or disengage entirely, which robs me of the advantage that I had just gained.

[tonydee]

All other things being equal, I prefer to deflect to achieve blind side advantage (to be outside). Still, I don't like all things to be equal, and there are some specific things I do to tip the balance, such as tugging the limb they attempt to strike with in a way that prevents them rotating their back hip forward, so I can attack their inside with impunity for long enough to strike decisively. Similarly, I may take the inside of a striking arm but move towards the outside of their leg, bringing a shoulder alongside one of their's, facing opposite directions, striking as I do so.

Cheers,

Tony

[rogue2257]

Myself, I always TRY to get to the outside, as many of you have mentioned. We practice a lot of tai sabaki actions that involve avoiding the incoming technique and moving to a more opportune position.

Of course, it isn't always the easiest thing to do in sparring.....

[bushido_man96]

I find myself moving predominantly to the outside, for all of the aforementioned reasons...When moving to the outside, I've noticed a tendency for the other party to either turn away and slightly cower, or disengage entirely, which robs me of the advantage that I had just gained.

I think that this is only natural, as much as we want to attack from the outside, it is natural to move away and defend those revealed targets.

[JusticeZero]

Hey, if they disengage because I slipped their attack, then i've won, it seems.. this is a bad thing why?

[algernon]

Hey, if they disengage because I slipped their attack, then i've won, it seems.. this is a bad thing why?

If they begin to cower, then I agree that you have the upper hand, but not if they break away from you entirely. You have not won; they have escaped the injury that you were about to inflict. If they manage to pull away before you have caused enough pain or damage to subdue them, then they are free (and, at least from my experience, quite likely) to come at you again. You have managed to "slip" their attack, but there is no certainty of such a favorable outcome the second time. Yes, by taking their outside and forcing them to disengage you have demonstrated your superior skill, but unless you are in a ring with judges keeping score, you have still not "won."

[bushido_man96]

No, you may not have won, but it beats the alternative of being inside and worrying about an exchange as opposed to being outside, where you should be able to nullify exchanges. If this was the case, I'd take my chances with re-engagement (if necessary) and getting to the outside again. From there, you might try to hook an arm or something to keep them from retreating.

[JusticeZero]

I may not have "won", but I have taken the space that they used to hold. Since an attacker probably isn't going to corner themself before attacking, this likely means that I have access to directions to flee in that I might not have had before. Any tactical advantage that might have been there is now mine.

In any case, I don't have to just move. I often hook the attack vector on my way, so that I can use it for part of a throw.