How to get small - Strategic Solutions

Start in a stance that addresses the corner, the tips of your toes just back of the imaginary line that travels along the floor to the edge of the corner. The only thing that should be visible to any potential adversary is a small portion of your outboard arm, your outboard eye and the weapon hinged just slightly below the sight plane. You are anticipating contact, but you need to see, so do not cover critical areas of the forward space with your arms and weapon until you have to initiate.

Displace vertically by replacing your outboard foot with the outboard knee, letting gravity naturally pull you down. This is not as easy as it sounds. Most people use some type of pushing, internal pulling, or contracting to go down.

Your back should be straight, head up. The top of your outboard foot should be contacting the ground. This foot position offers excellent stability and prevents a partner from breaking your ankle.

To move to what I term "low kneeling," allow gravity to do its magic again. In one seamless movement, slide the outboard foot underneath your hip girdle while simultaneously sliding the lead foot as far forward as possible. Drop your upper body into the space created between your feet. You will find that you can float the weapon just millimeters over the ground.

To get back up to kneeling, reverse the previous sequence. To re-establish a standing position, an additional concept needs to be brought forth. Instead of pushing off the back foot, slide your hips forward and draw yourself up with the lead leg. You do not lift your upper body by pulling with your back muscles; you align your hips underneath and rise. There is no weight or pressure placed on the back foot.

This is a critical differentiator from your instinctual mechanic. I teach this movement by having students imagine that a set of strings from the ceiling are pulling them straight up from the top of their shoulders and forehead. It takes practice to master; don't give up easily.

This methodology will ultimately keep you amazingly balanced once inculcated. It is much more efficient in terms of time and effort. You will have much more control of your body and weapon during more of the total time you are in the environment. If you wear body armor, helmet and other kit, it really pays dividends.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Publishers' Development Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group