The Roof/Top Of The Box
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The Top or Roof of the Box is usually the first defence taught in Escrima Concepts training. Combined with correct application of footwork, balance, power & timing, it is initially the standard defence against a No.1 Strike (i.e. an attack to Zone 1), however as our student progresses through the system they discover many other facets to this deceptively simple idea.
A common mistake is to consider the Roof as either a passive or a defensive concept. Although deployed to defend against an incoming strike, the Roof is forward-moving and aggressive in nature, and should be aimed as to attack the opponent, rather than to meet their incoming weapon.
The Roof of the Box may be performed with either right or left handed weapons, or even with both weapons simultaneously, a situation known as the Double-Roof. It can also adapt to tricky, ambiguous angles of attack via the Floating Box concept, and thus covers multiple striking zones. When using a single weapon, the Roof may be reinforced or backed-up by an empty live-hand, or augmented with a shorter weapon (blade, palm-stick) in the secondary hand. A skilled student can use the Roof extremely tactically, placing their power at different angles & points of their own weapon so as to disrupt the attackers balance or interfere with further attacks. These concepts are explored in later student programmes within the system.
Learn more about the other components of the Basic Box below;
- More about the right side of the box
- More about the left side of the box
- More about the base/bottom of the box
- More about the corners of the box, also known as the Areas Of Doubt
The Roof/Top of the Box is used in conjunction with the other components and the five striking zones as part of the entire Basic Box Theory. You can read more about this in other areas of this site.
