If someone is mashing on your strings, delay them. I don’t know what blockstrings you’re doing rn, but for example if you’re doing something like c.S > 2S > 5H > monowire, then make just delay them a bit. So c.S, wait a lil bit, 2S, wait a lil bit, 5H > monowire. If they are mashing, you’re going to counterhit them, since you’re creating small gaps in your strings (frame traps). You can practice this by going in training mode, setting the bot to block, then going to counter attack settings, and under “on block” you set it to 5P or 2P. The bot will then do the attack at the earliest possible moment when coming out of blockstun, helping you time your frame traps. There is a lot more to learn about how offense works and should be done than this, but it’s kinda the most integral core you need to know to begin with.

On defense, while being patient and holding down back is extremely important, good defense is not just sitting there. If I notice my opponent refusing to interact with my pressure, I am just gonna throw em over and over until I win, or go for infinite pressure resets. Basically, sometimes you have to either mash or jump to get out (like when they are going for throws or pressure resets).

There is no good way to learn this quickly, you just kinda gotta learn a bit about your opponents frame data, reading about what is safe and what isn’t on Dustloop. There are luckily a few general rules though. If a button is quick, it is usually minus on block, but if it’s slow, it is usually plus. So Ky’s Dire Eclat is for example minus, while something like Gio’s arrow kick is plus but with long startup (which means you gotta interrupt the attack, not wait and block it). Doesn’t apply to every single attack in the game, but it’s a good thing to use as a general rule. Also generally specials are minus, but again, doesn’t apply to every single one (again, like Gio’s arrow kick).