5 Ways of Attack

Martial arts such as Jeet Kune Do and Eskrima delineate 5 ways of attack. Learn what they are.

In martial arts there are various ways to land a strike. The more sophisticated the attack, the more likely it will successfully land; being smart about your attack is particularly important when fighting a sophisticated fighter. It is necessary to capitalize on openings, create openings, and use such deceptive tactics as feints.

Here we will examine five ways of attacking. From the beginning it should be noted that Bruce Lee delineated these kinds of attack in the art of Jeet Kune Do, and it is also used in certain Filipino martial arts as they are practiced.

Having said that, let us examine the five ways of attack.

Single Direct

This is simply a direct hit, launched when there is an opening to a target and the opponent is vulnerable; he might have moved the wrong way, made a switch in stance, and even momentarily left himself open or off-balance; you capitalize on his lapse and hit your mark.

Progressive Indirect Attack

This move starts towards a target on the opponent, making him believe the attack is going there and then the attack changes mid-stream and hits a different target. As an example, you strike towards the face, your opponent covers high, and you, without stopping, continue the motion to a lower target and hit it.

Here you see Glenn start his attack toward Jamie's face, as Jamie reaches up to cover.

Nathan Bernardo (Author)

Glenn then re-directs the strike low where Jamie is open.

Attack By Immobilization

In Jeet Kune Do, this is referred to as "trapping". In Kenpo Karate, we refer to it as "checking". You immobilize one or more of your opponent's limbs and strike one of his vital targets.

Attack By Immobilization

Checking and striking.

Attack By Combination

This is one common to boxers: Jab, hook, upper-cut, cross. Boxers fight effectively through the use of combinations of punches. Simply put, your odds are better when you throw more than one or two attacks: One or all are liable to hit their mark.

Jamie delivers a jab to Glenn's face.

Jamie then delivers an upper-cut

Jamie then finishes with a hook

Attack By Drawing or Baiting

One of the more sophisticated tactics, this is a move of deception: The opponent believes you are open or vulnerable and goes for it, but it's a set up and you hit him instead because you have turned the tables and have made him vulnerable. It's the old switch-a-roo.

The hand is held low and out, inviting Jamie to strike it

As he moves to strike the hand, it is removed.

Jamie's hand is struck instead

And then there is a follow up strike to the head.

So, it is wise to become aware of the ways to attack because, depending on the opponent, you may need to sophisticate your tactics in order to land a strike: He simply won't just let you hit him. You will need to use feints to get his cover up high so you can hit an opening which is low, for example. When the opportunity comes to immobilize his weapons, you can trap them, leaving you safe and him at a disadvantage. You will have to sophisticate how you move, not to limit yourself to b-lines as usual, you might need to change movement in mid-stream, as a way to make your opponent fumble his response so you can hit a target to more quickly end the struggle. As is the point: The quicker the battle ends the better.