| When we begin taking martial arts instruction,we | | | | Some arts use only circular motion to redirect |
| are taking for granted that the person teaching us | | | | their opponents energy and use that to their |
| is showing everything we need to know about | | | | advantage. This redirection of energy allows |
| the art we are studying. In most cases that is not | | | | someone much smaller to throw or take down |
| true. Your instructor will tell you stand this way | | | | someone much bigger in size. Boxing uses circling |
| step that way act. What he is not telling you is | | | | footwork with straight or round motion strikes. |
| the actual basis of what you are doing.The basic | | | | No matter what your martial art of choice is you |
| lines of movement of most martial arts are the | | | | are using some if not all of these principles. |
| same. The lines of movement that are basic to | | | | There are many books out there,but not many |
| most martial arts are: | | | | go into detail about why you step here or move |
| Straight Lines | | | | this way or that way.The next time your |
| Angles | | | | instructor shows you a technique,ask about the |
| Circles | | | | lines of movement involved see if he/she can |
| Straight line arts like Karate deal with aggression | | | | explain it to you. If they can't, don't worry most |
| head on,moving from center ,right,leftor forward | | | | of us were trained to just step this way ,step |
| or backward. | | | | that way while learning techniques. |
| Arts like Kung Fu use all three principles ,using | | | | Start studying the techniques you are learning and |
| straight lines,angles and circles in | | | | see if you can tell if you are stepping on a |
| combinationdepending on whats happening.There | | | | straight line,angle or moving in a circular |
| are some straight line Chinese martial arts such as | | | | motion.Once you can recognize these basics,your |
| Wing Chunthat stay in front of an opponent to | | | | techniques will improve very much. |
| trap and strike in straight lines. | | | | |