Defending against the Straight Blast

[EarthElement]

First off by straight blast, i mean an opponent coming straight at you throwing a flurry of punchs. (JKD thing) However, i use this as sort of a loose term, in this thread, lets say it means any sort of attack that has many follow ups and speed can vary, (basically from very fast to a more moderate speed) with attacker following you vigorously.

I notice this is pretty much the most famous tactic employed by street fighters. It is very difficult if not impossible to counter, as it leave no opening to do so. I know many MA's say to step out of the way, or try to out manuver, but its usually coming in too fast (to out manuver) and for the most part, the guy is not gunna be an idiot and go completely straight and lose balance so you can just circle step out of the way and do your counter: if he has his balance he will just move the 30 or 45 degrees and be facing you again.

I apologize if this has been discussed before. Remeber: even bruce lee found it to be very effective. (Probably against untrained opponents though, as well trained ones know something that i don't)

Thanks for your replies.

[JusticeZero]

Um, go off the line. It really is that simple. Sure, he can turn 100 degrees to face you, and when he does, he no longer has any momentum and he's lost the initiative, and you're already attacking his legs and side.

[JusticeZero]

OK, I realized something from an SCA class I went to that was said that explains this.

In a fight, people often think that they can do one thing and only one thing at a time. These include any one of: Attack, Defend, or Move. If they are moving, they aren't attacking or defending. If they are defending, they aren't attacking or moving. And so on. In the "straight blast", all you're doing is to attack, thus triggering their response to "defend", but refusing to "end your action" and let them decide to do something other than defend. They're basically waiting for the attacker to stop attacking so they can fight back, and that never happens.

It is very difficult to counter, as it leave no opening...

many MA's say to step out of the way, or try to out manuver, but its usually coming in too fast

In your first statement there, you basically said "I can't get a chance to attack". and in your second, "I don't get a chance to move before I have to defend".

These are false. You can move while defending, you can attack while defending, you can attack on the run. Anything you do other than sit there and turtle is going to dismantle that tactic.

I watched a couple videos of NHB fights with a friend once where one fighter was this monstrous huge guy with no technique who just walked in throwing a continuous string of punches. His opponents would just turtle, and be destroyed by attrition alone.

I noted the fact, and the next video I saw of him was against a fighter who used some mobility and refused to turtle, chosing instead to attack right back through the attacks, using a bit of angling to soften the blows. The fight was short, and decisive, and within seconds, the huge guy was curled up on trhe floor, literally crying as the ref counted him out.

[EarthElement]

Hey i never thought of it that way, thanks for the advice. I can imagine how that could work, especially with a strong shin kick or something to interupt the attack and force him to recover.

I guess Bruce Lee needed to take some SCA classes.

[Sohan]

I have used a front pushing kick to the abs quite effectively. It'll knock the wind out of an approaching attacker who is flailing furiously. (Bruce Lee used this very well). Won't work well on an experienced grappler, though, but most grapplers don't attack this way.

You can also smother his attack, clinch, and knee, headbutt, and elbow the bejezus out of him.

Respectfully,

Sohan

[UseoForce]

shoot

[EarthElement]

shoot

Shoot him? Well of course that would work quite well but I think it would be frowned upon by the instructor.

You mean shoot like tackle him or something? (Sorry my MMA vocab=bad)

[MizuRyu]

a stepping front/side kick to the general torso area.. ideally the diaphragm.. of the stomach if you don't want to risk killing them. If it fails to connect for whatever reason, drop down and attack the knees, take him to the ground, and lock the leg.

[elbows_and_knees]

there are a lot of things you can do. One thing you can do is realize that you are in a fight and accept the fact that you WILL get hit. Once you are comfortable with that fact, as he is throwing punches, return some of your own. If you just wait for a break in his punches, you will get KOed first. Let it become a slug fest - trade punches with him. That gives you just as much of a chance as him of winning.

another thing you can do, as has been mentioned, is use a front kick to the gut as he comes in. This will stop his forward momentum.

or you can step back. shuffle backward a couple steps to get some distance on him. Then sidestep or use the front kick.

another option (one that I use a lot) and has been said already, is to shoot. This wouldn't be a good option for you right now though, as you didn't know what a shot was. It's lowering your level under his punches and moving in on him for a takedown. in the best case scenario, you can take him down. Worst case, you are right up on him, too close for him to throw the flurry of punches. From here, use clinch work, elbows_and_knees, etc. either way, you are much better off than before.

[zerosl]

ive read most of this, but what happens when instinctively all you do is retreat backward? not turning, but you know, you go slower running backwards, than the person running at you forward, yes, he maybe highly vulnerable, but i really have trouble finding a weak spot. i have tried such things as step the the side and roundhouse to the side, but most of the time i dont have enough force due to the awkwardness of the previous movement.

also, what happens if the person rushing in is not flurrying? instead is just coming at you ready to attack?

it is hard to anticipate movement, and it is hard to attack well while his guard is up. Maybe i just to react more quickly?