Step One: Avoidance Pivot one foot, lifting the heel and leaving the pad lightly in contact with the ground for fast changes. Pivot the hip and torso in an effort to remove it from the path of the attack. Practice having your training partner stab at you. Pivot from a face to face position, then return back face to face, then have him stab again and this time pivot the other direction. Repeat and have your partner stab only as quickly as you can follow. The goal is to develop good mechanics and proper movement.
Step Two: Deflection Using the same foot work and body mechanics as before, have your partner stab or slash any line of attack on the Escala. As the attack comes in, pivot away and use the bottom of the opposite arm to deflect the incoming attack. The attacks should come from both sides and should be careful and deliberate. In the beginning a nice stab to the outside with a curving slice towards the midsection allows the trainee to develop a feel for the movement and an awareness for weapon. Later the attacker can mix or repeat attacks, or "tap" the deflecting hand away.