Practicing Combinations

[TheDevilAside]

I hope the belongs in here...

 

In our dojo, we always do light-contact (with light gear) "combinations" before we continue on to kata/techniques. These combinations are basically where you pick a partner and do a set of strikes, for instance: jab, cross, front kick.

 

These combinations drive me CRAZY.

 

One of the things that bothers me the most is that if you're not doing the combination, you have to block all of the hits.. without parrying and striking back. I'm a relatively good fighter (not just in the dojo), but I can't seem to perform well at all when I'm in a defensive mindset. I'm used to fighting aggressively, I can block, but I go in at the first opening I see, instead of waiting for the aggressor to strike again. Also, another strange thing is that I can't block anything when I'm thinking about it or when I know that it's supposed to come (not when my opponent just telegraphs it, but when I know that the combination has a punch after that kick). However, when I'm not thinking about it or expecting it.. I block just fine, it comes naturally.

 

Next, when I'm the one doing the combination, I feel incredibly awkward. Either because it feels weird to have to follow certain rules to how you're going to strike.. instead of just punching/kicking when it feels right. It feels especially strange when I have to throw a hook, but then my partner's hand is right up by his face, expecting it to come.. why would I punch him if he already has his hands in the perfect position to block it? Then, it annoys me so much when I do a sidekick or something, and they don't move, and then the combination expects me to do a step-through front kick... but the guy's 3 inches away from me since he didn't move from the first kick. Now, I have full confidence that I could get them to move, it's just that it's light-contact.

 

And finally, stance and movement. I always feel like an idiot when I'm doing these, because I'm pretty much required to stay in a static stance and I'm only supposed to move up and down a straight line. I like to circle around and switch my stance, depending on whatever seems to be a good idea at the time. But if I circle around, my partners stands there with a confused expression on his/her face, "hey, you're supposed to be infront of me so that I can punch you again"

 

Does anyone have any idea why I am this uncomfortable with these drills? I've seen white belts do better on this than I do.

 

Personally, I don't see much use for this drill, I think it develops bad fighting habits. In fact, I hate these drills more than point sparring. Am I wrong? Am I doing something wrong? I seriously need help with this; I can't stand these drills and I have no idea how to get better at them.

[cross]

why would I punch him if he already has his hands in the perfect position to block it?

 

Its called practice.

 

 

Does anyone have any idea why I am this uncomfortable with these drills? I've seen white belts do better on this than I do.

 

Talk to your instructor about it. If he doesnt help, find another school.

[TheDevilAside]

I'm going to ask him tonight if I can get to class. Anyway, I posted it in here to get a wealth of different opinions from various people with various experiences. I'm soliciting advice

[Drunken Monkey]

you have to keep in mind that they are just drills.

 

even though there are fixed things in the drills, there are things that you, as the people practicing, should be adjusting yourself.

 

timing, level of force, receiving force and receiving timing are things that you adjust according to each partner.

 

you don't go in at a constant rhythm because it is that which develops bad habits, not the drill itself.

 

if you alter the entry timing, your partner will not always be ready at the time of entry.

 

also, if he can comfortably receive something at a certain pace, then step it up.

 

adjust the entry speed until you find his limit.

 

same with entry force.

 

find his limit.

 

here are three things that you, as the attacker, can vary.

 

i guess what i am saying is that you seem to be doing the drills wrong.

 

mix up the rhythm.

 

as for stance, stepping, footwork.

 

they are not addressed in these drills because simply, they are not the main focus of the drill.

 

as i have pointed out, there are already three things (on both sides) to worry about.

 

adding extra footwork stances (which would vary anyway because of different distances you take up pre-contact), would begin to make things that little bit more confusing.

 

just out of curiosity, how long have you been training?

[delta1]

... we always do light-contact "combinations" ...where you pick a partner and do a set of strikes, for instance: jab, cross, front kick...These combinations drive me CRAZY.

 

...if you're not doing the combination, you have to block all of the hits.. without parrying and striking back. ...I can't seem to perform well at all when I'm in a defensive mindset. I'm used to fighting aggressively, I can block, but I go in at the first opening I see, instead of waiting for the aggressor to strike again. ...I can't block anything when I'm thinking about it or when I know that it's supposed to come...However, when I'm not thinking about it or expecting it.. I block just fine, it comes naturally.

 

Probably because you are thinking about it instead of just reacting. Also, remember that "Action beats reaction unless the last thing to be hit is the first thing to be moved." If you aren't moving, you'll probably get hit. But this is ok since this is just a drill to improve reaction speed. It isn't competition, and you aren't incompetent if you don't block everything.

...doing the combination, I feel incredibly awkward...it feels weird to have to follow rules to strike... It feels especially strange when I have to throw a hook, but then my partner's hand is right up by his face, expecting it to come.. why would I punch him if he already has his hands in the perfect position to block it? ...when I do a sidekick or something, and they don't move, and then the combination expects me to do a step-through front kick... but the guy's 3 inches away from me since he didn't move from the first kick...

 

You're just practicing combinations, not fighting. Just drill the combos. As for him moving, AK does everything with reaction- at least what I've seen. He shouldn't be just standing there. If he does, change the kick to a knee strike (AK also teaches adjustments). Or, you could do like Mr. Sepulveda allways says when with an uncooperative partner: "React, or I'll MAKE you react!"

...stance and movement. I always feel like an idiot when I'm doing these, because I'm pretty much required to stay in a static stance and I'm only supposed to move up and down a straight line.

 

Again, they are drills. You are learning things like maximum range of motion, distanceing, working stance changes, and all this with combinations. You probably do other drills to work on other things. Like gleaning principles from your techniques, think about what skills you are working with your drills and focus on improving them.

Does anyone have any idea why I am this uncomfortable with these drills?

 

Probably because you are making too much of them. They are just drills, not the Nationals. Relax and work them instead of letting them work you.

Personally, I don't see much use for this drill, I think it develops bad fighting habits.

 

Again, it sounds like you are focusing on competitiveness rather than learning. Everything you do isn't fighting, though it does relate to fighting. Drills, by their nature, focus on a few aspects of fighting. They don't develope bad habbits unless done wrong or taken wrong. If you look at these as increasing reaction speed and developing coordination in your combinations, they will do those things. If you look at them as 'this is what I have to do in a fight', then you have some bad habbits.

 

If you don't see what a drill does, talk to some senior students or your instructor to see what you are supposed to be getting out of it. But don't discount anything's value just because you don't understand it.

 

But, after having said all that, I do prefer to work those kind of drills full force against the Muy Thai pads!

[delta1]

DA, you gonna give us an update, or just leave us wonderin'?

 

Tried any of this advice yet? Talked with your seniors? Changed your mind even a little? Verdict still out? Let us know, 'k?

[Ironberg]

I find it interesting to observe that the mind can be just as a challenge to train as the body. Parrying and counterattacks, especially in that much of a controlled setting, stimulate those nuerons quite a bit.

[TheDevilAside]

DA, you gonna give us an update, or just leave us wonderin'?

 

No, I'm not going to leave you hanging

 

I do believe the points everyone made were right on, and you're probably right.

 

I had a cold, so I haven't been able to train (well, I just didn't want to sprea the cold to everyone else). So, I haven't been able to try out anything yet, that's why I haven't given an update yet. But I'll be able to train again on Monday and I'll tell everyone how it goes.

[Dijita]

To me, I think the drills are there for you to practice combos... so this should be your focus. I believe we do these drills so that we can make a lot of the combos being taught an innate action when you are in a tournement. It'll take years and years before you master them I am sure. For example, we've been doing lots of combo drills for about 2 months. At my tournement on Saturday, I didn't do ANY of them even though I had planned too, because it's not innate yet. We also do seperate drills for footwork as well.

 

Combo drills are also excellent for teaching you to always be "on balance". For example one of our combos we practice:

 

-left punch

 

-right punch

 

-shuffle (that is switch your stance from left foot in front to right foot in front)

 

-roundhouse kick from the back leg. (this would be your left leg)

 

-fall back (that is your back leg now becomes your front leg)

 

-roundhouse kick from the back leg. (this would be your right leg).

 

Now, it's actually preety difficult to do this combo and with each strike always landing on balance in a perfect fighting position. The whole idea is after each kick, or each foot movement your weight is always centred and you're ready to attack or block if you have too without having to shift your weight.

 

I'm only a beginner, but this is what I gather so far the advantages of combo drills. So they are very useful... try not to dwell no the bad things about it and learn what you can from them.

 

Good luck!

[TheDevilAside]

Alright, tonight's the night. I'll take everyone's said into consideration and see how it works. I'm an orange belt, by the way. I've been trainng for apx. 10 months.