Search: “Defensive counters”

The Check Hook Counter is a defensive-offensive technique where the fighter pivots on the lead foot while simultaneously delivering a lead hook punch to an advancing opponent, using the opponent's own...

The Knee-Strike Counter subfamily covers the defensive technique of delivering a knee strike to an opponent who is level-changing for a takedown, using the downward trajectory of the attacker's head t...

The Epee Counter-Attack subfamily covers defensive-offensive actions in epee where the fencer responds to an opponent's attack by striking first or simultaneously, exploiting the absence of right-of-w...

The Standard Epee Counter-Attack executes the basic stop hit or time-hit by extending the arm into the path of the attacker, aiming to land the point on the attacker's closest target (typically the ha...

The Whizzer subfamily covers the active overhook variant where the attacker combines the arm wrap with aggressive hip pressure, driving the hip into the opponent's body on the overhook side to create ...

The Overhook-Whizzer family covers clinch positions where the attacker hooks their arm over the opponent's arm from the outside, wrapping around the upper arm or shoulder to control or redirect the op...

The HEMA Counter family encompasses the defensive-offensive techniques of the German longsword tradition — actions that simultaneously defend against an incoming attack and deliver a counter-attack. [...

Sok Fan Nah (the Elbow Chop) is the most fundamental elbow strike in Muay Thai, delivered in a diagonal downward arc from high to low, mimicking the swift motion of a sickle clearing a field — a motio...

The Single Stick (Solo Baston) family covers all techniques using a single rattan stick, which is the core weapon and primary training tool of Filipino martial arts. [1] Solo baston is the foundation ...

The Standard Retreating Step moves the rear foot backward first, followed by the lead foot, maintaining the fighter's stance width and balance throughout the backward movement. [1] The step must be lo...

The Fencing Parry family covers the system of blade deflections used in fencing to redirect an opponent's attacking blade away from the valid target area — the sword-fighting equivalent of blocking in...

The Counter-Attack Takedown Defence family covers defensive techniques that defend against takedowns by attacking the opponent during their takedown attempt, using the takedown entry's vulnerabilities...

The Boxing Counter family covers counter-punching techniques specific to Western boxing — the highest expression of pugilistic skill, where the defender exploits the openings created by an opponent's ...

The Counter-Disengage deceives the opponent's change of engagement or circular parry by making a full circular movement of the blade, returning to the original line of attack. [1] It anticipates and d...

The Pull Back subfamily covers the defensive technique where the fighter leans the upper body backward, pulling the head out of range of an incoming strike by shifting the weight to the rear foot. [1]...

The Riposte is the offensive action delivered immediately after a successful parry, completing the defensive-offensive cycle that is the foundation of fencing tactics — the defender parries the incomi...

The Reverse Elbow family covers elbow strikes directed rearward, where the striker drives the elbow backward into an opponent positioned behind or to the side. [1] The reverse elbow is a close-quarter...

The Outside Defense is a Krav Maga defensive technique where the defender uses the forearm or open hand to deflect an incoming straight attack (punch, knife thrust) by sweeping the arm from inside to ...

The Block group encompasses all defensive techniques that use the arms, hands, legs, or body to physically intercept and absorb incoming strikes — the most fundamental form of defence across every str...

The Guillotine Counter subfamily covers the defensive technique of applying a guillotine choke as a counter to the opponent's takedown attempt, using the attacker's forward head position during the sh...

The Whizzer Defence family covers defensive techniques that use the overhook with hip pressure (whizzer) to counter takedown attempts, particularly single-leg takedowns and underhook drives. [1] The w...

The Boxing Defence family covers the blocking and guard techniques specific to Western boxing — the most refined system of hand-based defence in combat sports, developed through over 150 years of prof...

The Standard Heel Hook Escape executes the primary defence by counter-rotating the body in the direction of the heel hook's rotation to relieve the twisting force on the knee, then clearing the knee p...

The Inside Defense is a Krav Maga technique where the defender deflects an incoming straight attack by sweeping the hand or forearm from outside to inside across the body's centerline. [1] The open pa...

Schrankhut (Barrier Guard) is a HEMA longsword guard where the sword is held low with the blade crossed in front of the body, creating a barrier between the fighter and the opponent. [1] The sword is ...

Counter striking is the art of using the opponent's attack as an opportunity to land your own strike — exploiting the openings created when an opponent commits to an offensive action, using timing rat...

The Kick Catch Parry subfamily covers defensive techniques where the fighter catches an incoming kick by grabbing the kicking leg, simultaneously defending against the strike and trapping the opponent...

The High Guard Cover subfamily positions both hands high beside the head with the elbows tucked tight, creating a protective frame around the head and face that absorbs and deflects incoming strikes. ...

The Standard Cross Parry uses the rear hand to tap or push the incoming cross punch to the inside (toward the defender's centreline), deflecting the straight punch so it slides past the defender's hea...

Ōji Waza (counter techniques) are defensive-offensive tactics in kendō where the defender responds to the opponent's attack with a parry, block, or evasion followed by an immediate counter-strike, inc...

Footwork Defence covers all defensive techniques that use movement, angles, and distance management to avoid or mitigate attacks — the most sophisticated form of defence, relying on not being where th...

The Krav Maga 360 Defence is a comprehensive blocking system that uses six forearm blocking positions arranged around the body to intercept strikes coming from any angle — above, below, left, right, f...

The Standard Defensa executes the fundamental blocking technique by meeting the incoming strike with the stick held in a position corresponding to the angle of attack: a roof block (stick held horizon...

The Bob And Weave subfamily covers the defensive technique where the fighter bends at the knees and waist to drop below an incoming horizontal strike (the bob), then moves laterally while rising back ...

The Hanging Guard (Hangetort) is a HEMA longsword guard position where the sword is held with the point hanging downward, typically with the hands above the head or at shoulder height and the blade an...

The Defence class encompasses all techniques designed to prevent, neutralise, or mitigate an opponent's offensive actions across all ranges and phases of combat. [1] Defence is the complementary pilla...

The Guillotine Escape subfamily covers techniques for escaping the guillotine choke (mae-hadaka-jime), a front headlock strangulation applied from standing or guard position. [1] Guillotine escapes mu...

The Inside Slip moves the head to the inside of the incoming punch (toward the opponent's centre), rotating the upper body so the punch passes over the outside shoulder. [1] The inside slip is more ag...

The Head Movement family covers defensive techniques where the fighter moves the head and upper body to evade strikes while the feet remain relatively stationary, using trunk flexion, rotation, and la...

The Foil Riposte subfamily covers all counter-attacking actions executed immediately after a successful parry, which under right-of-way rules gives the defender priority to score. [1] The riposte is t...

The Dempsey Roll is an aggressive bob-and-weave variation named after heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, characterised by a continuous figure-eight head movement pattern combined with alternating hook...

The Standard Military Sabre Guard positions the sabre with the blade raised and angled to protect the head and dominant side, the arm slightly bent, and the point threatening the opponent's face — a b...

The Military Sabre Guard subfamily covers the defensive positions and parrying stances used with the military sabre, typically numbering between three and seven guards depending on the national tradit...

Absetzen (Setting Aside) is a HEMA longsword counter-technique where the fighter simultaneously parries an incoming cut and delivers a thrust in a single motion. [1] Rather than blocking first and the...

The Heel Hook Escape subfamily covers techniques for escaping the heel hook, one of the most dangerous submissions in grappling due to its ability to cause catastrophic knee ligament damage with minim...

Sabaki is a family of evasive footwork patterns from Japanese martial arts (especially Aikido, Kyokushin karate, and the Ashihara/Enshin lineage) that move the defender off the opponent's attack line ...

Gedan-no-kamae (low guard) positions the sword with the tip pointed downward toward the opponent's knees, the tsuka held at hip level. [1] Gedan is a defensive and inviting guard that conceals the wie...

The Evasion-Distance Management group encompasses all defensive techniques that avoid offensive attacks by moving the body or head out of the attack's path, or by controlling the distance between figh...

The Single Arm Block is a defensive technique using one forearm to deflect or stop an incoming strike. [1] In Korean martial arts, it is called han palmok makgi (one forearm block) and serves as the f...

The Slip subfamily covers the defensive technique where the fighter rotates the upper body laterally to move the head off the centreline, allowing a straight punch to pass over the shoulder. [1] Slipp...