Striking Along Angles

28.09.16   Tonight we focused solely on 45 degree striking. As I have been demonstrating in recent lessons on Muay Thai for martial arts cross-training, edged weapon training is a great method for conveying these particular strikes. Many Southeast Asian weapon arts begin with 45 degree strikes. Eddie Quinn, a Muay Thai kru and creator of the Silat-inspired “The Approach” self-defence system, puts the criss-cross primary angle strikes at the centre of his self-defence methods. These angles and their reverse application provide us with a blueprint for some very effective techniques in the striking arts.   The angle known as “angle one” by many Filipino martial artists is a movement that takes a forehand strike through a downward diagonal path. This can take the form of a percussive strike with a stick, an inside slash or stab with an edged weapon or an empty handed strike using either the inside of the forearm or the hammer fist. In MMA the hammerfist can be delivered effectively across the exact same line as angle one when fighting in the guard. The backhand strike, sometimes known as “angle two”, has even more applications with all the said natural and handheld weapons. The two are often worked effectively in conjunction. By turning the outer forearm out along angle one, we get Muay Thai’s slashing elbow. Doing the same with angle two gives us the chopping elbow. Punching from angle one with an outward forearm gives us the looping jab of Muhammad Ali and Jack Johnson known as the “anchor punch” and the looping cross from Rocky Marciano known as the “overhand punch”. By using a reverse grip on an edged weapon you get a downward slash and downward stab respectively. Reverse both lines with the outward forearm and we get Muay Thai’s diagonal elbow and upward elbow chop. Do the same thing with angle one punches and we get the liver punch and shovel hook.

  We then applied the same principles to kicks. Angle one gives us Royce Gracie’s backheels to the kidneys that he delivered so well from guard in the early UFCs. Angle two gives us the simple back-heel sweep. Angle one with the shin pointed towards the target gives us the Dutch or Brazilian round kick with its distinctive downward striking action, which can be delivered at very close range. Angle two’s version is the twisting kick, which has arguable effectiveness and wasn’t taught in the lesson. Reversing the angle on kicks provides us with the 45 degree round kick that Buakaw Banchamek uses with devastating efficiency.   We then looked at applying these techniques in combination, often sneaking up and around guards.