Lateral Movement- is it the best way to move?

[Brian LaMaster]

Lateral movement is a direction that a lot of firearms instructors teach people to move. One reason that lateral movement is taught is because it takes you off the line of danger making you a moving target which is critical in your survival. The question is… is lateral movement “the best way” to move in most situations? Does lateral movement create the most distance and take you off the line of attack (danger)?

I have been training in a combat martial art for many years, and I have been taught that when you move laterally (for the most part) you are not as safe as you are if you move back at 45 degrees. Since most attacks happen within 10 feet, you are at risk when you move laterally because it does not immediately take you out of the quick reach of the attacker. However, by moving back at 45 degrees you create distance immediately away from the attacker.

I am not an expert a calculating angles and distances on paper, however, we did use some cones and could get relatively close when measuring with a tape measure. If an attacker is 10 feet away from you and you move laterally 10 feet you are at approximately 14 feet away from the attacker. You have gained about 4 feet of ground. If you move back at 45 degrees 10 feet you are now at approximately 19 feet away from the attacker. You have gained about 9 feet of ground. When you move laterally you move laterally you create about 40% more distance as opposed to moving back at 45 degrees you create about 90% more distance. Moving back at 45 degrees creates approximately 50% more distance than by moving laterally. Moving back at 45 degrees gets you off the line of attack and it gets you out of the kill zone 50% faster than by moving laterally.

My fear is that people who receive training by instructors may believe that lateral movement is “the way” to move in most situations. Lateral movement is ONE WAY that you can move in a confrontation. In addition, I am not saying that moving back 45 degrees is the best way to move in every situation. I am saying that if I had the two options available to move that I would probably choose moving back 45 degrees because it does create the most distance and it gets you off the line of danger. In most situations creating distance alone will increase your chances of survival MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE INCLUDING WELL PLACED SHOTS!!! If you didn’t have a gun on you and you found yourself in the same situation, wouldn’t you want to create as much distance from the attacker as quickly as possible? WHY would that change if you have a gun in your hands or on you? Of course, if you are close to the attacker, say within 5 feet, you might move in on the attacker, but that is a whole different thread.

I will be discussing other directions of movement in the future, however, NO ONE can tell you what direction you will move in a confrontation because every situation is different!!! We can only provide you with possible directions of movement and the pros and cons of each direction.

____________________________
Brian K. LaMaster
President
Innovative Tactical Concepts, LLC
"High Impact Training"
www.innovativetacticalconcepts.com
www.modernwarriortalk.com

[Mad Duck]

I fully agree with the lateral movement of 45 degrees,.........but.

When we are training students, getting them to move is the first step.
Most want to plant their feet, because that is what they have always done.

I think for Martial Arts, turning & moving come early on in training, but for shooters we learn to build a solid platform as it were, to shoot from.

Of course most students of CCW need to learn the basics of shooting, then I add the lateral movement, & eventually the 45 degree movement.

[sauer800]

where im from we call the lateral movement "getting off the railroad tracks".
once your off the "tracks" you are kinda out of danger. just not if your involved in a gun battle but the stategy is very very good.