The Martialist: The Magazine For Those Who Fight Unfairly

ANGLE 01: DIAGONAL RIGHT

The basic angle one strike is a diagonal chop or slice across the
opponent’s body, starting at the neck/shoulder area and traveling across
the torso from your right to your left.  It doesn’t get much more
instinctive than this.

This strike includes all logical variations on this diagonal,
upper-to-lower motion.

ANGLE 02: DIAGONAL LEFT

Angle two is the backhand return of angle one, traveling diagonally
from your left to your right from the opposite side of the opponent’s
body.  Again you start from the shoulder/neck area and travel down
with your chopping or slicing motion.

This strike includes all logical variations on this diagonal,
upper-to-lower motion.

ANGLE 03: HORIZONTAL RIGHT

Regardless of the level at which this strike travels from your right
to your left, it is essentially horizontal.  (If it becomes too
vertical it becomes an angle one variation.)

The target is some portion of the opponent’s side, rather than
across his or her torso.

ANGLE 04: HORIZONTAL LEFT

Regardless of the level at which this strike travels from your left
to your right, it is essentially horizontal.  (If it becomes too
vertical it becomes an angle one variation.)

The target is the some portion of the opponent’s side, rather than
across his or her torso.

ANGLE 05: STRAIGHT THRUST

Regardless of the angle at which the tip of the stick hits the
opponent’s body, any thrust into the opponent is an angle five strike. 
Follow-up angle fives are withdrawn before each subsequent thrust.

LOADED (LIVE HAND GUARD)

Any cocked-and-ready position of this type is a “loaded” position. 
Whenever the stick is withdrawn from before the body, the live hand
comes forward to guard.  This is very telegraphic – it would be
surprising if this position did not turn into an angle one or angle
three strike, for example – but can be used to announce your willingness
to use force.

FORWARD GUARD

This sensible guard places the weapon between you and the opponent. 
You can, if you wish to try, consciously angle the tip towards the
opponent’s eyes on the theory that this will make your weapon a little
harder to track.  Parries and blocks are easy to perform from this
position, as are dipping thrusts.

LOW (ACROSS LOWER BODY)

Those who favor backhand strikes may employ this low guard, in which
the stick (so low it is out of the shot here) is held across the body to
be brought up in an angle two or angle four attack.

HIGH GUARD

The high guard (sometimes called the “high wing”) is a deflection. 
The supporting hand is used to check.  The attack is generally to
the head or neck.

ANGLE 01 BLOCK & CHECK

Any angle one or angle three attack can be met with an angle one block and
check.  The body drops for lower strikes.

ANGLE 02 BLOCK & CHECK

Any angle two or angle four strike can be met with an angle two block and
check.  The body drops for lower strikes.

PARRY RIGHT

When meeting an angle five attack, a simple scoop or deflection to
the side will neutralize it.  Moving the stick from upright to
pointing downward, and hitting the incoming thrust, can be accomplished
through the whip of the wrist called a witik in FMA.

PARRY LEFT

This is the same motion, but to the opposite side of the body.

PARRY RIGHT VARIATION

Whip your wrist to the opposite side and you’re still accomplishing
the same thing – parrying the incoming strike.