The Ghost Techniques cover a wide range of evasion studies. Several of my friends have requested a more detailed explanation so I would like to discuss one way to avoid an attack. This will be focused on the use of the lower body during the evasion, the first layer of training. One method of evading a striking attacker.
I suggest using a standard attack for basic training, in this case an attacker step into you with their right foot and throws a right lead hand strike to your solar plexus. This creates a nice linear attack to use for basic training.
The evasion pattern would be as follows:
1. As the attacker starts their attack towards you, you step forward with your left foot and place it slightly past their in stepping right foot.
2. As you’ve done that you start shifting your head and body 90 degrees to the right.
3. Conclude that movement parallel to their striking arm, as tight to their arm as you can get it.
4. Then turn your head 90 degrees clockwise to face the same direction their arm is striking.
5. As you perform step 4, take your right foot and step back. This is 180 degrees from your starting position and your right foot faces the same direction as their striking arm.
6. As this is being done your torso turns 90 degrees to the right so it lines forward with your face.
7. Shift your weight back on your right foot and then draw your left foot back, behind you as you continue to face to the direction they’re striking.
8. You then commence to step backwards, one foot after another, somewhat akin to a moonwalk.
At this point you’re several steps behind your attacker moving from them.
The timing involved is as they’re striking you’ve shifted alongside their arm, and as their strike concludes you’ve begun stepping back. You have ‘vanished’ from their vision to the front, and each subsequent rearward step moves you further away from them.
Defensively if they are capable of turning and attacking you, you have the option of dropping your weight and exploding into their direction without having to turn as they’re then doing.
The motion must be practiced till it is natural and you can flow into it.
The key points are:
First, regarding being able to shift parallel to their striking arm. In my experience even experienced karate-ka often find that when they step out and turn in they’re not comfortable by being parallel to their arm and so their left foot stays away from the attacker’s line of attack. You need that closeness in order to shift most quickly and not be as obvious to the attacker.
Second, the right foot stepping back is a crucial movement to master. The swifter you can do so the quicker you vanish.
Third, the moon walk, an amusing description, really shifts you behind and away from your attacker. The smother you move the greater the distance.
Only after you can perform this movement correctly, should you begin to consider the use of the upper body to assist the evasion.
Frequently I will use a ‘Kamae’, such as from Isshirnyu’s Wansu or Chinto kata as I step in, not to strike their arm (and trigger a response from them) but to meet their arm with your arms as they rise to form the ‘Kamae’ as their arm passes towards your original position. This rising movement will softly redirect them away from you as you then begin your retreat. In similar fashion the opening of an Aikido Irimi-Nage can be used or a basic Siliat Tjimande similar to a movement in Isshinryu Chinto Kata.
The next step is to examine a wider ranges of attacks to determine which ones this works with. Examples would be the ‘boxer’ shuffle, roundhouse attacks, etc. Other angles of execution can be explored too.
May you become skilled and learn to disappear.
Remember what you don't practice you cannot do!
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