Just Enough Angling.

[arnisador]

Many of us have commented that the professor had an amazing ability to angle his body ever-so-slightly to gain an advantage over his opponent. In Modern Arnis we generally teach our beginners to take BIG 45 degree steps in block-check-counter to begin developing this triangular footwork for positional advantage.

Does anyone have any drills they use to practice and develop the "just enough angling" skill, other than time and experience?

 

[Matt Stone]

Interestingly, the footwork contained in Yiliquan is, in one area of training, identical to the twin triangles in Modern Arnis...

We have our "Eight Shapes," which are eight different methods of dealing with incoming aggression from an opponent. They are eight separate methods of movement to neutralize the opponent's incoming attack, placing us in the best position for striking him.

Anyway.

The footwork in Yiliquan is trained primarily through one-step sparring situations. The attacker and defender are identified, and at first the attacker attacks with a fixed attack to a fixed target location. The defender is told to defend with a specific counter. When this has become simple enough to reproduce effectively (with power, mind you, no sloppy limp wristed strikes here!), the attack becomes more vague... Perhaps instead of a lunging punch with the right hand aiming at the face of the defender, it would be any thrusting type technique, long or short range, aimed at the face. The defense is likewise adapted to allow for adequate responses. Etc., rinse and repeat. Eventually, it amount to two people, neither of whom are aware of who the attacker is going to be, facing the entire gamut of strikes, kicks, etc., in our arsenal.

Eventually, you get it right. In the mean time, you use a lot of tiger balm and band aids... :asian:

Gambarimasu.

 

[Dan Anderson]

Originally posted by arnisador

Many of us have commented that the professor had an amazing ability to angle his body ever-so-slightly to gain an advantage over his opponent. In Modern Arnis we generally teach our beginners to take BIG 45 degree steps in block-check-counter to begin developing this triangular footwork for positional advantage.

Does anyone have any drills they use to practice and develop the "just enough angling" skill, other than time and experience?

Yes. Have your partner strike at you with touch control. Then, turn your body enough to remove the target from the strike. After awhile you get an ability to recognize distancing.

The concept here is that if someone is going to hit at a target, they will hit at the target. So take the target away.

I'll teach angle stepping at a distance where your opponent has to step in at you to reach you. Here you counter a large action (their step) with a large action (your step). You can't counter a small action (them striking already in range) with a large action unless the small action is slow. Hence the body turn to reposition the target.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

Sherlock Anderson

 

[arnisandyz]

Pikiti Tirsia footwork is very good for close in angulation when a slight angle is needed without taking yourself out of position. Be careful with this however as it is a close range footwork and some people fall into the habit of doing it all the time even long range (right Cthulhu).

Tai Chi teaches alot of body mechanics that work very well in this application.
Modified boxing footwork also works well in close range

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by arnisandyz

Pikiti Tirsia footwork is very good for close in angulation when a slight angle is needed without taking yourself out of position. Be careful with this however as it is a close range footwork and some people fall into the habit of doing it all the time even long range (right Cthulhu).

Um...don't know what you're talking about, arnisandyz. Nope. Not a clue

I think I've gotta start doing 64 with male and female triangle footwork so I can 'deprogram' myself.

Cthulhu