Tai sabaki (体捌き), or "body movement," refers to the positioning of the body to avoid an attack and maneuver oneself into an advantageous position for counter-attack. Sabaki (or ashi-sabaki) itself is usually translated in the martial arts as "footwork." In tai-sabaki, it should be understood that the whole body is moved simultaneously; this involves leading with the hips and trunk, rather than feet-first.
In order to avoid an oncoming punch, strike or other attack, the movement in karate is often in a diagonal direction, in principle towards the "outside" of the opponent's body. The feet are not lifted, but rather slide or glide in suriashi. In other cases, the hips can be rotated backwards to the left or right to avoid an oncoming kick. In any event, all tai sabaki must be done speedily - when the footwork is slow, the technique is slow.
Below are examples of tai sabaki from ninjutsu, but the principles are the same in all the martial arts.
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