closing the distance

[Chris05]

guys i am having trouble closing the distance when i spar in class.everytime i get close i fell like i am going to get hit hard. this prevents me from performg the beautiful combos i work earlier on. those combos i yearn to excute. any advice to help me close the distance effectivly.

thank you.

[french fri25]

ok. i have long legs and many people have trouble getting near me. what you need to do is jam up your opponents. you need to circle them, get off their line. you need to use feints in order to get your opponent to throw a kick, then you move in and get as close to him as you can. you need to jam up his kicks and punches.

[The BB of C]

guys i am having trouble closing the distance when i spar in class.everytime i get close i fell like i am going to get hit hard. this prevents me from performg the beautiful combos i work earlier on. those combos i yearn to excute. any advice to help me close the distance effectivly.

thank you.

I suggest forcing yourself to move in.

Once you learn how to force yourself to move in. Try this: Open with a long distance kick. When you come down, you should be within punching range. Keep the punches coming and keep moving in closer. At this point, you can mix it up with low kicks, knees, punches, elbows, forearms, shoulders, and even headbutts if it's legal. Just remember to know how far away from your opponent you are and know how long your limbs (all listed above) are. Don't throw a shoulderbutt if you need a kick to reach your opponent. That's a good way to leave yourself open to get knocked out.

Also, be continuous. If you hit once, keep hitting. They're bound to have at least one open spot. Human's can't protect all their body parts at once. If he's got his whole chest covered, go for the head or legs. If he's got his head covered, go for the chest and stomach. Switch your attacks as much as possible to lose predictability. Losing the set form combos you have will help with this too (if that's what you meant by 'combos' when you said it).

[bushido_man96]

It sounds to me like you have an aversion to getting struck. It is ok, most people do, especially when starting out in the Martial Arts. You will just have to get past it, and then moving in close will come more easily.

What I like to do is block incoming techniques, and move in as I block, to close the distance. Before your opponent knows it, you are on top of them, and they are backpedaling. Try it. However, the problem with this style is that you will take hits from time to time.

[lordtariel]

guys i am having trouble closing the distance when i spar in class.everytime i get close i fell like i am going to get hit hard. this prevents me from performg the beautiful combos i work earlier on. those combos i yearn to excute. any advice to help me close the distance effectivly.

thank you.

You're having the same problem I used to have. About the only thing I can say is you're going to get hit hard sometimes, others, you'll have them back on their heels. The only way you're going to get better is to just go for it. Try to take advantage of their attack to move in. Practice sidestepping and going. If somebody consistently nails you when you go in from distance, stay closer to them. Outrageously take advantage of the time you get when you do "light" sparring when you practice, do all the weird crazy things that you weren't sure would work. Fake, shuffle, and dart. You'll eventually get it. Good luck.

[DWx]

A little tip I picked up was:

If you have an opponent that likes to keep a set distance between you, move back. They should move forward to try and keep you within a certain range. At that point, as they're coming in, you can launch yourself forward with a kick and then follow up with the hands. If you get hit, don't stop, just keep going and wear them down!

[gzk]

Make sure you cover up. If you cover up and move in quickly, you shouldn't eat anything too hard.

[Shorin Ryuu]

Walk straight in to your opponent. If you walk too fast, you will be rushing. If you walk too slow, your opponent can time you. Keep your head and hands up. Your second to the last step will close distance while your last step will be "normal". Make sure you're not leaning forward as you go in. If you truly want to close distance, don't worry about hitting him from long distance or try to reach out for your attacks. Move in calmly without fear of being hit. Striking from outside of range due to fear of being hit is one of the main reasons people can't hit hard or can't close distance. Alternatively, simply trying to just rush in to avoid getting hit is another. Provided that your posture is good and your mind is in the right place, the rest should take care of itself.

[obiwansbane]

It sounds to me like you have an aversion to getting struck. It is ok, most people do, especially when starting out in the Martial Arts. You will just have to get past it, and then moving in close will come more easily.

bushido got it... easiest way to overcome it? have someone hit you, and keep hitting you (not in the face and not till you bleed etc duh) till it starts to just simply not matter if you get hit, you will continue going forward with your attack

once uve been hit a good couple times you wont ever be too scared to move in.. for sparrin at least

[USCMAAI]

Try looking at the angles of approaching your opponent. Using parries and closing from an angle could help you. Don't fight harder, fight smarter! Anoter suggestion could be break the rythm of the fight. Move in and just out of range until you establish a rythm, then at your choosing, break that rythm. It should help you close with the opponent. I don't think just walking in is best, unless you have no other option. It is a very bad habit to get into. In class it is fine ( the worst that can happen is you get knocked out) on the street it could be lethal.