Self-Defense Actions

Self-defense techniques may be broken down into five basic actions. Each action builds on the last but not all the actions are required in every situation.

Evading

Simply stated, evasion is not being there when the attack arrives. It is merely moving with or away from an attacking force. It could be something just as stepping out of the way or it could as complicated as the bob and weave of a trained boxer. Evasion may be horizontally (by sidestepping, spinning, or retreating) or vertically (by jumping or dropping).

Evasion is moving oneself out of the range and/or path of an oncoming attack. There are ten directions of evasion. To know which direction use, one must know from which direction the attack is coming, the defensive range, and what type of attack is being used, linear or circular, and what you plan to do after evading, punch, kick, run, etc. The directions of attack or evasion are: north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, up, and down. Up or down may be combined with one of the other directions, such as ducking down and toward the West. When considering evasion, you must consider range. There are two types of range, defense and attack.