Ranges, "the Magic Pill" - let's talk

[delta1]

Maestro, true that if you destroy his knee you win. I stand debunked! My only defense is that I was thinking in general terms. Also, a good shin kick from in close is far more likely to connect and to do the ammount of dammage you need to make your escape possible.

 

As for moving, I don't think it is necessarily more advantageous to move back than forward. My thinking is you need both these directions and more. You need to move to avoid, create distance, and gain position. But you also need to move to close distance. Even as a longer range fighter, you might face a better long range fighter and decide you have a better chance in close.

[White Warlock]

Hehe, a chance to debunk the debunking.

when I'm in a fighting stance, moving backwards is perhaps MORE natural that moving forward and not a 'thinking' process by any means

 

In a ring, where you can look in front of you and subconsciously know where the ropes are, or when you are on a mat, with no obstacles... i might see your point. But, two things interfere with this in a 'normal' setting. One is obstacles and the other is footing.

 

Obstacles in front of you are advantageous to you, as you can lead your character into them. Obstacles behind you are invisible to you, and serve your adversary.

 

Footing is inconsistent. With the structure of our feet and legs, we are able to adjust far more easily to terrain inconsistencies (cracks, etc) when moving forward, than when moving back. Curbs, for example, are non-issues when moving forward, but a quick defeat when moving back.

 

On a similar note, whatever direction you face, obstacles can be a distraction and it is important to understand your battlefield before entering into a conflict, as well as realize any changes made to it during a conflict. The catch here is... you're dealing with an immediate threat, right there in front of you. It is what you see and react to that you incorporate into your subconscious plans, but in an unexpected confrontation... all you'll have time to see, is what surrounds your adversary (which, hopefully, is in front of you), not necessarily what surrounds you (due to line-of-sight and your focus directed at your immediate threat... which is your adversary).

You can move straight back or back on a diagonal without really having a strategy. On the other hand, if you try to move forward on a guy without some sort of plan, chances are you get a jab in the nose.

Hmm... on cursory examination, this would seem so, but what's bothering me about it is that everytime you move back, you do expose yourself to being pressed*, similar to what you see here on the last fight in this video clip (fast forward to the end):

 

Low Quality - http://216.40.244.4/highlights/03-VitorBelfortLQ.zip

 

High Quality - http://216.40.244.4/highlights/03-VitorBelfortHQ.zip

 

Granted, this is an unfair example, but it is nonetheless an example that brutally illustrates my debunk.

 

* When you step back, you have already created momentum, however subtle. Any momentum, whether it be forward, backward, or to the side, can be exploited. It is a window of opportunity. Only experience will decrease the threat posed by such actions (returning to the old line i push every once in awhile, which is that expertise can never fully remove windows of opportunity, but they can always make them smaller and/or harder to open).

[SevenStar]

Standing

 

- punching

 

-kicking

 

-mobility

 

---stance

 

---rhythm

 

-clinch/trapping

 

---throws/sweeps

 

---hip control

 

-infighting

 

---knees/elbows

 

Ground

 

positional dominance

 

control

 

submissions/breaks/chokes

 

standing back up

 

---standing up efficiently, reducing your chance of taking damage

 

the guard

 

---multiple attack situations

[SevenStar]

The clinch

 

IMO this is the area of real fighting. we are in eachother's faces and control can go either way. This is the area I like to operate in, as I can throw, takedown, knee, elbow and punch from the clinch.

 

One thing to consider is position. While in the clinch, I want to completely control you, allowing myself the ability to launch whatever attack I wish. I like the plomb that we use in MT, and I also like the good ole collar and elbow. By maintaining control of the head, I can determine where your body goes.

 

I want to keep my hands behind the crown of your head, and my elbows in as close to your neck as possible. This makes it harder for an opponent to lift his head and easier for me to control him. clinch training is essential practice as that's how you will learn how to regain good position and keep things in your favor. In judo, this is referred to as kumikata, or grip fighting.

 

When I have a gi to grap onto, I like to hold both lapels, as I can launch most of my main attacks from there. your grip can establish dominance here also, so I want to control your grip when possible. let's say, you are grabbing my lapel and I don't like it - I break the grip. But, instead of just letting the arm free, I hold onto it - now, I control your arm and I have my other arm on your lapel/other elbow, etc. I now have an advantage because I have more control of you than you do of me. When I am ready to attack, I will throw the arm out of my way, hopefully giving me the space and time I need to attack.

 

While you are getting jerked around in the clinch, it can be easy to lose track of your base, making it easier for you to be swept. hiza guruma, de ashi barai, sasae tsuri komi ashi, etc. are all very usable techniques here can be a quick way to get your opponent down, giving you a chance to run, face the next attacker, etc.

[delta1]

SevenStar, good to hear from you! And thanks for the @#^*'s viewpoint!

 

Personally, I like to keep the 'real fight' in the free movement phase, adjusting range as necessary to accomplish that. I don't like getting too close to you guys until I can get to your side and check your base, and even then I won't stay long unless things are really going my way.

 

As for getting your hands behind my head, there are ways to deal with that, but I'd rather not have to. And, leave my lapels alone! I'm getting tired of re-stitching ties when I forget who I'm fighting!

While you are getting jerked around in the clinch, it can be easy to lose track of your base, making it easier for you to be swept. hiza guruma, de ashi barai, sasae tsuri komi ashi, etc. are all very usable techniques here can be a quick way to get your opponent down, giving you a chance to run, face the next attacker, etc.

 

It can be easy to loose track of which end is up. How about a description of some of those terms?

[SevenStar]

Personally, I like to keep the 'real fight' in the free movement phase, adjusting range as necessary to accomplish that. I don't like getting too close to you guys until I can get to your side and check your base, and even then I won't stay long unless things are really going my way.

 

I like being in close, but that's not why I said that - when I have free movement, I may also have room to run away. Once we are in eachother's face, I can't run anywhere - I have to fight. Also, that's where the more dangerous techniques - throws, knees, elbows, etc. come into play.

 

And, leave my lapels alone! I'm getting tired of re-stitching ties when I forget who I'm fighting!

 

 

How about a description of some of those terms?

 

hiza guruma - knee wheel

 

de ashi barai - advancing foot sweep

 

sasae tsuri komi ashi - lifting, propping, pulling ankle

 

they are three of the judo ashi waza (foot techniques) that I really like.

[delta1]

Thanks. That's another thing I like about American Kenpo- we speak English.

[SevenStar]

 

yeah, but you guys still have names that nobody can understand! If I see "knee wheel" or "one arm shoulder throw", I have some inkling of what the throw is. But if I see a technique called "seven swords" I'm like wtf is that?

[delta1]

... if I see a technique called "seven swords" I'm like wtf is that?

 

Actually, so am I!

 

Five Swords, i/s defense against a right roundhouse punch

 

Right foot steps forward into a right neutrall bow, right knee checks his right knee, with a right double right inward and left outward block.

 

Right outward handsword to his right mastoid, left hand checks his right arm.

 

Pivot into a right forward bow with a left horizontal finger thrust to his eyes, right hand circles to waist.

 

Pivot into a right neutral bow with a right uppercut to his stomache, left hand checks near his left bicep.

 

Slide your left foot to 4:30 into a right forward bow with a left outward handsword to his left mastoid.

 

Pivot into a right neutral bow as your left hand cranes the back of his neck, forcing his head down.

 

Left hand checks low as you deliver a right inward handsword to the back of his neck.

 

Right front crossover, cover out to 4:30.

 

This is an orange belt technique in most AK carriculums. Teaches a lot of things. Think of the opponents reactions to the strikes- you are leading him into the next strike,setting him up. Timeing is important, but variable. You can play with timeing to change the effects somewhat. But, if you rush it, he doesn't have time to react, while you don't want to give him time to recover before the next strike either. Change ups and what ifs- this one can be re-arranged, or altered to deal with variables in his attack or response; like if he throws a left after the initial right- that first handsword to the mastoid is changed to a block as you pivot into the finger technique to the eyes. The double block can go to the forearm, or strike the radial nerve in two places, or the right could jam his shoulder while the left blocks, or that right could strike the mastoid with the block instead of the block then strike. But then, with each variation, you have to consider and deal with the different deapth of penetration and the relative angles you create. There are a lot of principles and concepts taught and worked here, but if you really want to learn it, you'll have to sign up. By the way, variations of this will work against some @#^* attacks also! Nothing says you can only use this against a street fighters roundhouse! It teaches you to move, not to pull up an appropriate response from your list.

 

And, have you figured out why it is called "Five Swords" yet? (Hint: do the double block as a double knife hand block, and count the handswords).

 

Edit: I should say that there used to be a variant of Five Swords called "Seven Swords", which I never learned. So you weren't incorrect, just as ignorant as I am. Also, Five Swords was originally called "Five Count" and taught for three different attacks. I didn't learn it that way either, but I remember seeing the write ups on the older method. Might be worth asking around to see if I can get these and play around with them.

[SevenStar]

Yeah, I know what the "swords" are - A friend of mine knows seven swords and showed it to me a while back. Also, we share our MT, bjj and judo school with a kenpo instructor. That was a good explanation of 5 swords.