Vertical and Horizontal Rings

Think of the sight on a gun. Generally speaking it is based on a circle with a cross at it’s center. It’s a very efficient framework that has been used to help humans make sense of chaos. It’s how we find our sense of direction with a compass along the four directions. This framework is found in every culture on Earth. For upper body defense you can use this same concept to simplify combat. The circle your arms make in front of you is the general circle. If you are holding a weapon, the circle is still there. If you turn the weapon you are alternating your arm circle along a horizontal or vertical axis. This is how you get a sense for where your space is and how to divide the chaos of combat along horizontal or vertical planes. Keep these concepts to get a sense for range and how to divide off attacks. Avoid training fancy preset techniques. Everything valuable in real life combat is found within this circle and the x and y axis. If you learn a technique, put it into this frame of reference so that you will be able to realistically use it under combat stress. You want to limit variables and reduce decision making to speed your response time. This applies Hick’s Law which states that increasing the number of choices will increase the decision making time logarithmically. The more choices you have the slower you will respond.

When clearing a room using a firearm you want to inch along seeing into the room frame by frame rather than all at once. This is serving to control the variable of the horizontal plane so that you only have to consider the vertical plane. You can apply this same concept to unarmed combat by using footwork to get past the outside of their knees and elbows. Once at their side you can keep your attention on the vertical plane. With one less variable you can use your attention span for greater situational awareness.