The Anatomy of a Fight: A Timeline

Before I get into the nitty gritty, I'd like to touch on a point about first part of the article.  It's a strange way to think about it, but different configurations of aspect strength levels create "builds".  Some fighters excel at a few categories, or even just a single one.  Different category combinations lend themselves to certain fighting styles, and create much of the wonderful variety that we enjoy.  Utilizing your "build" or strengths to their fullest extent will help you unlock your potential by making you a more efficient fighter.  A fighter whose top skill is foot speed, could better used as a quick flanker, where a fighter who excels at range and hand-eye speed might do well slaying on a line.

Now, on to the timeline.

Most fights can be broken down into four potential segments.  When a fight plays out, until a complete cessation, the combat will adhere to one of these stages.  The sole reason for breaking it down this way is to make training easier.  Training the individual stages will better prepare you for unpredictable battlefield changes and being prepared means staying alive.

Engage:  This is from the moment you make eye contact until the moment any kind of combat contact happens.  Often superior engage technique can result in an instant kill, whereas sloppy engage technique can guarantee death.

Fight:  What we spend most of our time practicing; any time you're standing within kill range swinging/stabbing objects at one another.

Lock:  When one or both of the combatants is forced within their minimum striking range.  Grappling is often initiated when combatants enter this zone.  Use of sword-locks and leverage can yield both satisfying and successful results.

Disengage:  One or both of the fighters has exited their maximum kill range.  If the range differential is high, they will have to commit to either completely disengaging out of range or recommitting.  Tactics like purposefully entering disengage phase and immediately re-engaging with a premeditated kill shot are hard to anticipate.

It is important to understand how these stages interact and intertwine.  Conscious awareness of the transitions means that common mistakes, like drifting guard positions or lapses in attention, can be avoided.  A complete fighter is a confident fighter.

-The Golden Lion