The Big Strong Attack

Offense needs room, defense prefers tight space.  To close in on offenders is to at once deny the offense advantage and enhance your defense advantage.

ma ai - the proper distance, safe distance, between opponents.

Defensive stance is not assume a position and wait for violation,  it is to put out an arm in expression of your own seriousness and measure the distance.  From the offender's point of view you are emphasising your intent.  From your point of view you are measuring at what distance to intervene.

From this position, you work the aikido (kendo) half steps to maintain the offender off balance.

If and when he falls within the ma ai, that is to say he has violated your space, give him the hand and arm to deal with.  “Grab my wrist” defense is ludicrous, to be static, and expect the attacker to do as you say, grab your wrist.  No, no...  you are moving at this point. With a dynamic extension, it does not matter if he does grab or not, or swing, in any case, you will do an art, probably tenkan, or irimi.

If there is no attack, you are merely in a position of unlikely attack.

if there is an attack you are in a good defensive position.

Another problem rarely addressed is the overwhelmingly powerful attack.  A large powerful person coming at you with the advantage of time and space.  In this instance avoid contact if possible, in any event, do at best a tenkan.  if you survive the onslaught, then the next wave will necessarily be half of the previous attack, since the sapped mass and surprise is now gone.  In that first pass by you made the measure of the attacker.

If still too powerful, escape again, like a bull fight.  If you get caught, well, your number was up.  If not you slowed the attacker down, with a better chance.  The more time he takes, the more you are learning, the more likely he makes a mistake, which you can exploit.

Keep moving. Always practice these in a dojo, not from a book.  Find a club.

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