The following is an excerpt from the book entitled Comprehensive Sparring by Donald M. Husband Jr. This sample is not to be copied, transmitted, reproduced, or reprinted in any fashion without the consent of Vision Quest. Click here to see how you can order this book.

Feints

When the athlete begins to learn how to initiate an attack, they are better off knowing some advanced principles in their fighting art. They must previously evaluate attacks and feints as to facilitate a better fight plan.

Objectively feints are used to draw the opponents attention either to the point of feeling threatened, or a sense of over confidence. Feints can be directed to open a specific line or target for an attack. The movements could be anything from a feint to the opponents upper region to open the lower part of their body (or low to open high) or simply faking the opponent out by pretending to do sloppy feints in order for the athlete to open the advantage. Feints can also be used as an evasive maneuver to escape the opponents range of attacks or as an engagement to get inside the opponents range.

The following examples are just a few common feints that are often employed as to give the beginning Martial Artist an idea of their possible uses. (Note: When employing a fake as stated below, the athlete must realized the fake itself can be followed through as a decisive technique should the opponent not block or retreat from the technique.)

• 1. Faking a front jab to the face and follow though with a rear cross (reverse punch) to the solar plexus. This type of feint allows the opponent to block high, so that the athlete can attack low.

• 2. Faking a punch to the stomach with a rear cross (reverse punch) and following it through with a front punch to the opponents face. This is just opposite to the first type of feint, only forcing the opponent to block low while the athlete attacks high.

• 3. The athlete goes with a high fake jab to the face, then a low fake rear cross to the stomach followed by a final attack to the face. This would be done to confuse the opponent's parries and/or blocks.

• 4. Faking a jab to the face (or body) and hooking the final punch (or kick) in to the outside of the opponent's body ( or head). This type of fake attacks the inside or the center line of the opponent (either high or low attacks) to open the outside edge of their body. The opposite is also true and useful in the fighters arsenal.

No matter the type of feinting used, it usually puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the opponent. This pressure can be added simply by changing the rythym or timing of an attack that the athlete is trying to achieve. Grabbing one of the opponents weapons (or immobilizing it) can give the athlete a momentary window for an attack.

have visited this page since 11 June 97.