Using deception to attack

We channeled the wisdom of military strategist Sun Tzu in last night's boxing class. Sun Tzu stresses the use of deception when attacking an enemy. If  the main target of your attack is the enemy's water supply, first attack his ammunition supply with a diversionary force. Once the enemy's forces are busy protecting the ammunition supply, then you attack the water supply. In boxing class we practiced jabs to the body. It's not a great punch, but it is a great diversion. Our main target was the head, so following Sun Tzu's advice we first attacked the body, drawing the enemy's attention low and then attacked the head with a straight right.

Born around 544 BC, the knowledge
found in Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"
is still used today by modern military powers.

I say the jab to the body isn't a great punch because it leaves you wide open for a counter. When throwing the jab to the body it's important to keep your chin tucked in and for the right hand to cover your face. Now, that said, the fact that jabbing to the body leaves you wide open for a counter is also one of its strengths. The counter is predictably going to be a straight right from your opponent, so by throwing the jab to the body your setting up your opponent for two things: your straight right to the head if they drop their guard to protect their body, or, if he counters with  a  right, you're countering his  right by using a shoulder roll and pivoting right which places you in a position where you've now outflanked your opponent and are facing the side of his body where you can deliver blows to his kidneys and head.

This idea of setting up your opponent for your future moves is like, as Mr. Stuart says, "playing chess." This is entering a realm of advanced strategy and it will take me a while before I can fully incorporate it. For the foreseeable future I'll be sticking to the game of checkers.