The Importance of transitions

[James Bullock]

Most of you probably watched the Pride match between Fedor and Kevin Randleman; in which Kevin suplexed Fedor on his neck; then moments later Fedor submitted him with a kimura.

Frank Trigg was one of the commentators and stated: "I can pick holes in Fedors' boxing, clinch work, throws and submissions... But he is the absolute best in the world at the transitions. Nobody transitions cleaner or more unexpectedly than Fedor."

This is the only time I completely agree with Frank Trigg.

To me the ability to seamlessly transition from skill set to skill set and in and out of the various ranges is one of the most important abilities one can possess.

At one time BJJ was the most dominant art in the MMA world. Over the course of MMA's evolution it has been relegated to just a skill set. Many fighters get "caught" in the middle of transitioning. Often times it is the one who initiates the transition in the midst of the engagement that decides the outcome of the fight. By initiating the transition you cause the opponent to re-orient himself which lengthens his response time.

I personally treat transitioning as a specific skill set as well. It in my opinion is the vital component to integrating all other tactics.

[joesteph]

Often times it is the one who initiates the transition in the midst of the engagement that decides the outcome of the fight. By initiating the transition you cause the opponent to re-orient himself which lengthens his response time.

Very true. Once it's pointed out, as you did, James, we likely think of when we "switched gears" and it worked, or that we kick ourselves for making a mistake--which may actually have been that the opponent executed a transition and we got tripped up.

Would you consider a move such as stance change, a switch of, say, from front left leg stance to front right leg stance, transition as you see it, or too simple a move to call it transition? My instructor has been having us doing this with some sparring combinations.

[bushido_man96]

I think that training transitions like that is a great way to get a fighter to think ahead, and get the upper hand in that chess match that is professional fighting.

[tallgeese]

I agree, very important.

As to joe's question about the stance switching, I'd classify it as a tactic for stand up fighting. Transitions would be from one range to another. I think though, that the name you giveit is rather unimportant. The more important thing is proficiency.

[ShoriKid]

Switching gears from range to range is one of the things that catches more people than anything else. I work with people who are way better than I am on the ground, or better standing up. However, when the ranges are mixed, I can come out on top. Not saying I'm great in the transition, I'm not, but I seem to find openings as I go from one range to the other.

Switching stances doesn't really constitute a transitional change. That's just a shift in tactics to force a change in motion or targets. Useful, but not the same.

[bushido_man96]

Now, if you can use the stance switch as part of the transition in a range, then you're getting into that territory.

[Treebranch]

The transition itself should be an attack. Never waste movement.

[joesteph]

Treebranch:

When I read your posting, I noticed the signature:

"It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who

are willing to endure pain with patience."

It's perceptive. I put it into a search engine, and it came up as quoted from Julius Caesar.

I don't know where you came across it, but it's a good one, especially for martial arts.

[mizu]

I used to view transitions as moving from a "standing" fight to a "ground" fight, but James is right - it's about a change in "range" - I hear kickboxing commentators talk about transitioning from kicks to elbows as the one fighter "closes" in on the other.

It's very interesting to consider this - within karate there is ma-ai or "fighting distance", and knowing how to change this effectively is key to coming out on top in an engagement.

It's certainly something I need to work on!

[joesteph]

I used to view transitions as moving from a "standing" fight to a "ground" fight . . .

I'd thought it meant kicking changing to punching. Your guess sounds more "transitional" than mine, Mizu.

James is right - it's about a change in "range" - I hear kickboxing commentators talk about transitioning from kicks to elbows as the one fighter "closes" in on the other.

And even kicking not with the feet but with the knees.

It's very interesting to consider this - within karate there is ma-ai or "fighting distance", and knowing how to change this effectively is key to coming out on top in an engagement.

Good point.