Stepping Off The Line

There are a lot of effective self-defense moves out there, but almost every one of them starts with the simple movement of stepping off the line of attack. If you start defending yourself with punches, kicks, elbows, pepper spray, or even bullets, you have nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain by first getting off the line of attack.

Last week I witnessed a martial arts demonstration where the instructor explained that in their system, they did not step off the line of attack prior to counter-attacking because they considered it wasted movement. Comments like that should alert you to the fact that they might not know what they are talking about and probably have no real world experience in dealing with human aggression.

From the dojo to the battlefield, practice side stepping (or stepping on diagonals) as you counter-attack and realize that while your hands, feet or bullets are attacking, the important movement of stepping off the line is providing you with invaluable defensive protection.

I can’t imagine engaging in a close range gunfight without cover with my feet glued to the pavement…it’s just not going to happen that way in real life and if it does, where you are standing is probably going to be where they chalk your outline. Move and hit; hit and move. Move and shoot; shoot and move.

Be a professional and get off the line of attack as you defend yourself!