Directional influence

How to DI
You probably DI all the time; DIing is when you tilt the control stick a certain direction to alter the knockback when suffering from an attack.

Examples
If a Fox Up-smashes you, you can tilt the control stick left or right to travel mainly to either of the directions. If you DI to the right when Up-smashed, your character will travel more to the right than usual, making the probability of your survival much higher.

DI is essential for escaping many combos, especially chain grabs. A good DIer can also survive at higher percentages.