Zone 4
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Zone Four covers the right side of your own body from around the hip down to below the knee. It has exactly the same characteristics as Zone Three but on the opposite side. Just like Z3 the region does not extend down to the ground, for exactly the same reasons.
For the right-handed fighter, an attack to Zone Four usually means a backhanded strike. It is perhaps the most difficult area for the orthodox fighter to generate power to at first, although with practice a good No.4 strike is a great addition to the arsenal. Care must be taken when striking to this zone as (with a right-handed weapon) the closed backhand pre-strike position often causes beginners to be at the wrong range or easily jammed. Left-handed weapons have no such problems, and indeed are treated like Zone Three.
When using a weapon in each hand, a common, effective ploy is to strike to opposite sides of the body in turn, i.e. Z3-Z4, or Z1-Z4. Although easily defended in theory, when such attacks come with speed, power & intention the defender is often caught flat-footed and unable to move. With experience, a good attack to Zone Four at the right time can create all manner of problems for your opponent.
Read more about the characteristics of other Striking Zones below;
- More about zone one
- More about zone two
- More about zone three
- More about zone five
- More about how the five zones overlap each other
Zone Four forms part of the Basic Box Theory which you can learn more about in other parts of this site.
