what does "flanking" mean?

[Child]

the combat art "Side Blade" says "Must be Flanking or Behind target" i understand behind (obviously), but what does flanking mean?

[Hikinami]

On the sides

[Tatsou]

Attacking from the side of the target.

[Child]

thanks people <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />i never heard of the word "flanking" meaning side before

[SaintRaev]

Umm.....what else can flanking mean? I've never heard of it being anything BESIDES sides.

[Child]

well, the only definition i heard of was the meat cut called a "flank", which is between the ribs and hip on the belly side of a cow.very good meat for enchiladas btw <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[SpritRaja]

If you translate that part of the cows body to your body wouldn't it be on your side?

[Wilde_Night]

<p><b>Flank</b> may refer to:</p><ul><li>Flank, the side of either a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">horse</a> or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_unit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">military unit</a> </li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanking_maneuver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flanking maneuver</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_tactics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">military tactics</a> </li><li>Flank, a region of the posterior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torso" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">torso</a> (lower back) beneath the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rib" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ribs</a> and above the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilium_%28bone%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ilium</a> </li><li>Flank, a specific position in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rugby union</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Australian rules football</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American football</a> </li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flank_steak" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flank steak</a>, a specific cut of beef </li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flank_speed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flank speed</a>, the maximum possible speed of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ship</a>, faster than full speed </li><li>Flanking path, an indirect path of sound transmission within a building studied in the field of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_acoustics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">architectural acoustics</a>. </li></ul><p>Hehe.  I knew what flanking is being a chick who knows her military terms.  Not all of us grew up with the same definition or same experiances.  It happens.</p>

[Child]

<cite>Saphira@Crushbone wrote:</cite><blockquote>If you translate that part of the cows body to your body wouldn't it be on your side?</blockquote>no, it's actually a fairly large chunk that spans the side and the front. not just the side.