Sometimes strategy can be tailored to a specific opponent or situation. If you are fighting a big powerful striker with little or no martial arts skill, for example, you may choose a strategy of using mainly grappling, trying to stay in close and take them to the ground. Or, if you are fighting multiple opponents, you might choose the strategy of avoiding grappling altogether, so as to keep moving and reduce the risk of being surrounded or attacked from behind.

 

But it is also good to have what you might call a default strategy, which can be easily integrated into your training and even into your techniques themselves. In kung fu there is a very rich variety of different strategies, and many styles have their own unique strategy which fits with the particular characteristics of that style. And there is also one common strategy which, as far as I know, runs through all styles of kung fu., and which is embedded in many of the techniques and training practices of kung fu: the continuous attack strategy.

 

Basically this is about attacking with 100% commitement to ending the fight there and then. Rather than striking with a kick or a punch that might hurt your opponent, or gradually wear them down, and then returning to a 'ready stance' position, the conitnuous attack strategyu dictates that once you attack you should carry on relentlessly until the fight is over.

 

You can see the importance of this strategy reflected in the way kung fu is taught. Whereas in other martial arts, from Karate to Kickboxing, strikes are often learned and practiced on thier own, from the ready stance and then returning immediately to the same position. In kung fu techniques are not usually practiced in isolation this way; instead there is a greater emphasis on forms and combinations, and on learning how to flow smoothly from one technique to the next. Even when learning basic kicks and punches kung fu students are often taught to step forwards following the strike, rather than returning back to their original stance.

 

And there are good reasons for adopting this strategvy. The point at which you have just unleashed an attack is, the majority of the time, the point at which you are in the most dominant position. Obviously if you land your first attack then your opponent may be hurt or momentarily stunned, but even if your first strike fails to connect your opponent is likely to be 'on the back foot', perhaps off-balance from avoiding or blocking it, under greater stress, and perhaps most importantly they are reacting rather than acting, which means that you control the direction, pace and flow of the fight. To relinquish this advantage seems stupid.

 

Of course there are also pitfalls to avoid. Most importantly you should not just go straight in, running at your opponent with your arms flailing at the start of a fight. Pick your moment to attack carefully, as you first attack will do a lot to set the tone of what follows. Begin by moving around, avoiding, and looking for a weakness or opening. You must also be very aware of range, as throwing kicks and punches which go nowhere near your opponent is just a waste of energy. Thirdly you should not force it if it doesn't come. If you fell you have run out of momentum or inspiration, if you don't see an opening, then just throwing yourself at your opponent is pure folly. The more you train and the greater your familiarity with this strategy the longer you will be able to sustain an effective continuous attack.