Martial Arts Disadvantage to Advantage
Attack By Drawing: Turning a Disadvantage into a Benefit
by Keith Pascal
In the most traditional definition of Attack by Drawing, your enemy sees an opening, goes for it, and is faked out. In your mind, you created the opening in order to catch your enemy in your trap (animal trap, not the third way of attack).
I like to think that I am forcing my opponent to respond in a predictable manner, because I left an opening. As he or she responds, I pounce (so to speak).
Bruce Lee’s Way of Attack
The above explanation really had a Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee’s style) flavor. It was a very traditional way to understand Attack by Drawing.
I wonder if Bruce would have given me “points” for a creative use of this attack. I know that he emphasized strength, not weakness. Still, maybe he would have appreciated how I use this 5th attack mode to help plug some holes in one’s system of martial defense.
Ironic … you are going to create holes in order to plug some.
Your Martial-Arts Weaknesses
If you practice martial arts, then there is a chance that you occasionally run up against someone who seems able to get in on you consistently. It seems that every time you _______________, he or she simply does _______________________ and gets you every time.
For example: I had a student who loved the hook punch. He joined our class, and soon found that the hook got him into trouble. Every time, he pulled his shoulder back to start the hit, another student would cut him off with a punch right up his center line.
In other words, he accidentally created an opening every time he punched. His hook punch became a weakness in this situation.
Better Martial Arts Tactic
Now, let’s add Attack By Drawing into the picture: Do you see the connection?
In ABD, you create an opening on purpose. With some of your martial-arts weaknesses, you create openings by accident.
What if you could marry the two concepts?
Any time you notice that someone consistently gets in on you when you do something that creates an opening, you have a potentially new attack. After all, if you knew when and how someone was about to punch, you’d be able to devise an excellent counterattack, right?
Practice Creating Openings
Take those weak spots in how you respond, and figure out in advance the best counters to shut down your opponent, and instantly win the fight. Work through several responses … and settle on the most efficient and most damaging to your enemy.
Then practice creating openings. In other words, continue to practice those techniques that sucker your opponent.
Tags: 5 ways of attack, attack by drawing, bruce, bruce lee, center-line, centerline theory, martial arts, martial arts tactics, martial arts weaknesses, martial-arts practice, strategy, tactics
