The Art of Defense (Combat Style 1)

by Galib al Marhan

A southerner uses less physical strength than a northerner, instead relying on agility. In the hot climate of his home he prefers light armor which permits him to move more freely. The southerner has therefore developed a style of fighting that is fundamentally different from what we are used to. This is a great advantage when fighting in locations that are not used to such fluid movements.

Probably the most famous maneuver a southerner uses is the one-armed block and backstep. The backstep enables the fighter to weaken the blow from his assailant's attack, at the same time taking up a superb stance from which to counterattack. The southerner can either choose to put focus on evading the blow or parrying it with his weapon, both defensive actions opening up great opportunities to hamper your opponent and to start to end a fight. Not getting hit is what gets one ahead.

There are some southerners as of late that have grown to enjoy fighting with a two-handed blade. Some might say this is counter-intuitive to the agility of the fighting style, and this two-handed technique is indeed very difficult, yet is nonetheless popular with southerners trained to disrupt cavalry formations. Blocking the enemy's blade with a two-handed weapon is a method used by strong fighters to stop the impetus of attacks and force their assailants to abruptly end their assault combinations. When it comes to fighting, both strength and dexterity can be used to defend yourself.

The usually resulting halt of the opponent's movement is an opportunity to take the initiative and defeat the enemy with skilled strokes.