Environmental Elements of Self-Protection

Once you have determined the type of opponent you are facing, consider the type of terrain on which you will fight. You may be indoors or out, on a hill or flat land, on stairs or in a confined area, on slippery or wet ground, etc. Every terrain requires special consideration. Some will give you an advantage, some will cause you difficulty. Train in an assortment of places, to improve your adaptability to varying terrain.

Similar to terrain is environment. The combat environment may be confining or treacherous. Fighting can occur any time, anywhere. Training in a cushioned, well-lighted, spacious training hall will not prepare you for fighting
in the dark, the rain, a closet, a car, a stairwell, a steep hill, a river or an icy street. Use environmental simulations to prepare both mentally and physically for disadvantageous environments.

The final factor to prepare for is the availability of weapons to both you and your opponent. One or both of you may enter the fight with a weapon, or there may be environmental weapons available to whoever is wise enough to use them. If one of you has a weapon at the start of the fight, adapt your strategy accordingly. If you see something around you, a heavy or sharp object that you can use to gain an edge over your opponent, grab it and use it before your opponent gets the same idea.

Do not depend on a weapon for your strategy. Use any weapon as an enhancement to your plan. Every weapon can be lost during the fight or can be taken and used by your opponent. Therefore, it is important to know not only how to use your weapon but how to defend against and neutralize it as well.

Becoming a Balanced Fighter

Combat is a series of visible and concealed maneuvers whose goal is to destroy the opponent and bring victory. The visible maneuvers include planning, practice and the physical actions you take to attack the opponent and
defend yourself during combat. The concealed maneuvers are the psychological preparation and the covert strategies and tactics you employ in the fight.

A combination of both concealed and visible maneuvers is necessary to defeat an opponent. If you are physically very strong and well conditioned, but uninformed regarding fighting strategy, you will defeat unskilled opponents easily though brute force, but you will be outwitted by skilled tacticians. Conversely, if you have a brilliant tactical mind, but spend little time for perfecting your physical weapons, you will have trouble implementing your brilliant strategy.

In both cases, unbalanced training leads to defeat. To be successful, combine the tools of combat skills and physical training with a blue print of well-planned and adaptable strategy. Imagine having a blueprint for a beautiful house and not having any tools or lumber with which to build it. All you have is a drawing. It
has no practical function unless you act on it. Or what about having many tools and materials without knowing where to begin building. The chances of ending up with a dream house are small.

The same is true for combat skills and strategy. Know where you are going, how you will get there and what tools you will need along the way.

Fighting a Stronger Opponent

By nature, an opponent will rarely be both extremely strong or extremely quick. Assess which characteristic is predominant in your opponent. If he relies primarily on his strength, counter him with speed and smarts. Avoid his full power attacks by evasion, deflection and intelligence. Frustrate his attack by striking in sudden unexpected ways to soft, weak targets like the eyes, groin, or throat. Make him doubt the effectiveness of his power by avoiding his blows and hurting him with quick, sharp strikes. When he is surprised or confused, use
your best attack and commit to finishing the fight immediately.

Key points against a stronger opponent:
1. Use speed and smarts to avoid power blows
2. Frustrate with sharp, surprise attacks

Transitioning from Offense to Defense

The second segment of the combined response is a transitional movement that connects the primary response to the main technique of the secondary response. The transitional movement capitalizes on the neutral balance of power created by the primary response.

There are several ways of using the transitional movement:
1. To unbalance the opponent: pull, push, grab or strike the opponent to make his stance unstable
2. To confuse the opponent: feint an attack to cause your opponent to commit to a futile defense
3. To intensify your next technique: initiate a line of force (circular, opposing, unified) to set up your main
attack

The goal of the transitional movement is to create a bridge between establishing neutrality and establishing control of the fight. Use it to soften up or weaken the opponent for the main attack.

Offense and Defense as One

There are several types of defense. The best defense is one that does not give the opponent the opportunity to attack, thereby avoiding any chance of being hit. The second best defense is one that can block, evade or cut any attack the opponent launches while incurring little or no damage.

The first case is the ideal goal of your training. In the best type of defense, defense and offense become one. There is no thought about which movements are defensive and which are offensive. Every movement is so well executed that the opponent has no chance to launch an effective attack. You give him neither a vulnerable target nor a chance to attack.

This is an underlying principle of Junsado. Every movement is executed to attack perfectly without providing opportunities to the opponent. For example, imagine an assailant attempts to punch you in the face. The conventional strategy of offense and defense dictates that you first block his punch and then counter attack. While you are blocking, you leave yourself vulnerable to attack.

Punches and Hand Strikes

Hand skills are used most frequently in self-protection because human hands have highly developed capabilities. With the capacity to grab, the hand is superior to any other anatomical weapon for self-protection. Without the ability to grasp the opponent, throwing, choking and locking skills would be virtually impossible.

The hands provide the quickest, shortest route to the opponent’s vital areas, especially those on the head. Hand attacks are used in short and medium range combat. Obviously, the opponent should be located slightly beyond arm’s length when you launch a hand attack. Practice speed and deception in hand skills.

In addition to offense, the hand provides a natural defense due to its position at the end of the arm. If you drop or raise your arms naturally, you will find that they easily extend to cover all your vital points including your groin, internal  organs, throat and head. Easy mobility, maneuverability and natural proportions make the hands and arms unique weapons.

Fighting Stance

The stance is the foundation from which every technique is launched. It creates the firm ground for strong attacks and the agility for speedy attacks. But it is not a fixed foundation.

In free combat, the stances of the combatants are in constant flux. To identify a specific stance in the flurry of action is almost impossible. There appears to be a ceaseless combination of transitional movements as the fighters struggle for the advantage.

Junsado training recognizes both the need for transition and the need for a strong foundation by categorizing stances by type rather than fixed positions. At the most basic level there are two types of stance: half stance and full stance.

Range Fighting: Using Relative Distance

Real distance is determined by the absolute measure of distance from one point to another. However, this objective measure works only in a world where all people are physical and mental equals. Since this is untrue, you cannot rely on real distance alone to determine your combat strategy.

Relative distance is used to account for the many mitigating factors. In addition to considering the actual physical distance consider these elements in terms of both you and your opponent:
1. Skill level
2. Mental toughness
3. Speed
4. Size
5. Types of available weapons (bodily and other)
6. Vulnerability of targets exposed
7. Type of techniques available

Components of Combat Skills

The outcome of any physical confrontation is determined by several interconnected factors. The most important and controllable factors are those qualities that make up your combat skills:

1. Ability
2. Instinct
3. Strategy
4. Determination
5. Physical condition
6. Efficiency
7. Adaptability
8. Experience

Each of these elements can be cultivated through consistent and effective training.

Rhythm vs. Timing in Fighting

Rhythm and timing are often used interchangeably by novice fighters. Timing is a specific action that takes place at a specific point in time. Rhythm, on the other hand, is a sustained pattern of actions over a period of time.

Rhythm is established by creating a pattern of regular and irregular movements through a combination of strong and weak pulses. Normally, the rhythm of attacking is strong and the rhythm of withdrawing is weak. By checking the attacking and withdrawing pattern of your opponent, you can determine his rhythm. He will use a similar method to find your rhythm.

To confuse his perception of your rhythm, practice attacking very aggressively, like a hurricane. Before he realizes your intention to attack, initiate without hesitation. Then withdraw like a squirrel, swiftly with only the goal of retreating in mind. This will prevent him from finding a pattern of weak and strong beats. When you have established a strong/strong pattern, occasionally use a strong/weak sequence to create an irregular pattern in your attacks.

Sensing the opponent’s ability to make or break the weak/strong pattern is very important in establishing the rhythm of the confrontation. When you disrupt your opponent’s weak/strong pattern and make your rhythm the rhythm of the fight, you will dominate. This is sometimes called “ring generalship” in boxing. When you have the dominating rhythm, speed becomes secondary and you can attack at will without hesitation.

Offensive Strategies: Direct Attack

The best method of attacking is to use a direct attack from the beginning of the confrontation. When you see an opening, attack. This is the most basic principle of combat. It is also the most bold and risky type of offense.

A direct attack prevents your opponent from studying you and preparing an attack. Once you initiate a direct attack, do not allow any chance for recovery. Continue attacking until you finish the fight. The direct attack is used to stun the opponent into inaction and create openings to finish him.

The best time for a direct attack is before the opponent has a chance to launch his preferred offense. When he is planning to attack, hesitating, or trying to figure out your style, take action immediately to prevent him from getting the initiative.

Best time for a direct attack
When the opponent is:

1. Hesitating
2. Planning his attack
3. Studying