Four Zones of Defense
It is helpful to keep in mind during a fight that your body has four zones or quadrants of defense. You have forehand and backhand strikes that are separated by your body’s natural center-line, and a high line and low line located above and below the level of our elbows, respectively. This crosshair maps out your four zones, which not only help you to know your own strikes, but they also assist in recognizing the attacker’s strikes. Each quadrant has its own angle for striking, and these angles serve as general blueprints that you should remember for a fight. The fewer things you have to worry about under stress, the quicker you’ll be able to defend yourself effectively.