At Ironcrane Dojo every student masters the essential concepts of balance. We present them here for your own research and exploration:
 

Relativity
 

Balance is relative. You don't have to be balanced to attack or defeat someone else's balance. To offbalance someone else, you simply create a situation where their balance is inferior to your own.
 

Relative to them, you are balanced, relative to you, they are off balanced.
 

When Does Offbalancing Occur?
 

Imagine a two sided scale. On each pad of the scale, there are two weights, each weight weighing 100 pounds, a total of two hundred pounds. Since the weight is split evenly, there is perfect balance, the pads will remain balanced and level.
 

Now suppose you take another 100 pound weight and place it on the right side. That side immediately drops down, and the scale is out of equilibrium.
 

The same will happen if you put a 50 pound weight, a 25 pound weight, a shoe, a feather, or a postage stamp. Relative to the state of balance, the weight of a feather is the same as the 100 pound weight. Thanks to Gallileo, we know that the downward drop will even be at the same rate.
 

Feather or Anvil?
 

For self defense, off balancing with a feather's touch is the preferred course.
 

When in contact with an opponent, any overt force is immediately perceived and countermeasures initiated. When you move hard, the opponent reads and reacts. It is the feather's touch that slips in unnoticed. Once the feather has tilted the balance, the trigger is set for the opponent's defeat.
 

This must be given considerable thought. The feather's touch is so slight it barely requires energy, and in some instances can be accomplished with a stare, a sound, or a shifting glance. Relative to you (the defender), the attacker's balance has become inferior, and the fight can be turned in an instant.
 

Offbalancing as a Defense Application
 

Somewhere in every move, there should be at attempt at offbalancing. This is the hidden science. When done properly, the opponent stumbles and struggles to recover, but will have no idea why he is so clumsy, never realizing you are pile driving him with off balancing feathers.
 

Offbalancing As a Counter Measure
 

Your opponent is attempting to off balance you. As you are losing your balance, instead of struggling to regain your balance (which is the expected reaction, and hence will be sensed/neutralized by the attacker) find a place of leverage where you can off balance your opponent. Again, balance is relative. If you opponent's balance is a feather's weight off (less) from your own, relative to your oppenent, you are in balance, and they will fall.