# reaction drills



## denmyos (Dec 19, 2009)

Im 43 and have a slow reaction time.
I have a hard time blocking low kicks, i see them coming but im not responding to them.
I guess it has something to with the signal from the brain down to the leg, not going fast enough.:whip1:

So i need some good drill i can do, to improve my reaction time.

The one i use myself is sparring at slow speed. One is attacking and one is defending, but at slow speed so the defender has time to react the right way.


----------



## seasoned (Dec 19, 2009)

denmyos said:


> Im 43 and have a slow reaction time.
> I have a hard time blocking low kicks, i see them coming but im not responding to them.
> I guess it has something to with the signal from the brain down to the leg, not going fast enough.:whip1:
> 
> ...


You see the kicks coming, but you see them too late. Reaction time is related to our mental capacity to clear our minds, and don't focus our eyes on any one thing. I always did better when I gazed center line, center mass, where I could see the whole picture. With all that said, your slow training seems like a good idea. As you spar slow look for any preparatory moves from your opponent just before he starts his attack. Sometimes you can see a weight change, or a shoulder drop, also be aware of their head movements. Distancing is also very important, when sparring. If you allow them to get to close it is harder to respond in time. I hope it helps, good luck.


----------



## jarrod (Dec 19, 2009)

i've found that certain responses are more natural to me & therefore quicker.  instead of checking the kick on your shin, try throwing a right cross (assuming it's a right leg kick) as soon as you see the kick coming.  it will still hit you, but your punch should knock them off balance & take most of the heat off it.  plus you get to punch someone.  

jf


----------



## jks9199 (Dec 19, 2009)

You're also probably doing something that goes kind of like this:
"Oh, he's moving; what's he doing?  Is he kicking?  He is!  What do I do?  I'll use a shin block!  Go, leg, shin block!"  And you get hit somewhere around "Is he kicking..."

In other words, you're thinking to much and questioning what's happening instead of simply reacting.  There's no easy fix; you can work with a partner who will throw a leg kick, you'll block, and repeat.  This'll help program the reaction so you don't have to think so much, and less time is needed to recognize it.


----------



## Rob2109 (Dec 19, 2009)

I'm six months into training and i usually spar with a friend of mine who is nearly Black Sash. I found that i couldn't block quick enough and so started training at home with ankle weights. I do 200 knees on each leg and 200 of each block with 2.5lbs on each leg, i've done that every day and have seen a big improvement. Hopefully any mental lag can be made up with faster physical movements. Hope this helps.


----------



## jarrod (Dec 19, 2009)

Rob2109 said:


> I'm six months into training and i usually spar with a friend of mine who is nearly Black Sash. I found that i couldn't block quick enough and so started training at home with ankle weights. I do 200 knees on each leg and 200 of each block with 2.5lbs on each leg, i've done that every day and have seen a big improvement. Hopefully any mental lag can be made up with faster physical movements. Hope this helps.



that's good that it helped, but if you keep it up this will most likely mess up your knees or hips.  now that the problem is fixed, it might be a good ideal to cut the reps down.  just my input,

jf


----------



## dosk3n (Dec 20, 2009)

Hi, I am just wondering where you are focusing when sparing? Like said above I would recomend a central point such as chest or solar plexus as you will respond faster through peripheral vision. Seeing everything by looking at nothing  

Also I respond to joint actions such as the movment of the elbow or the knee as you will see these move before the fist or the foot. Its also easier to have the knee in your peripheral vision compared to the foot depending on your distance.

Hope that helps a little and good luck.


----------



## denmyos (Dec 20, 2009)

dosk3n said:


> Hi, I am just wondering where you are focusing when sparing? Like said above I would recomend a central point such as chest or solar plexus as you will respond faster through peripheral vision. Seeing everything by looking at nothing
> 
> Also I respond to joint actions such as the movment of the elbow or the knee as you will see these move before the fist or the foot. Its also easier to have the knee in your peripheral vision compared to the foot depending on your distance.
> 
> Hope that helps a little and good luck.


Im looking at his eyes or shoulder.

sometimes i can get lucky and block a kick, when he throws a left, right, left and finish with a right kick. But that could be because i expect a right kick to come after a left punch. 
When he kicks out of the blue, im not even close to blocking.
But i will try to be less focus on blocking the kick, and just let my mind take over.


----------



## xfighter88 (Dec 21, 2009)

I tend to watch the chest or hips. This lets you see How the rest of the body is about to move. Don't stress too much though because you aren't 
going to be able to block or dodge every single one. I am a fan of making sure to hit with 2 strikes everytime I get hit. Then when I do get hit my opponent still gets some heat back at him. The other solution is to put him on the defensive. See how much he wants to leg kick you when you are being the aggressor.


----------



## Omar B (Dec 21, 2009)

Wonderful points made by Seasoned.  It's a thing you've gotta learn to do with your eyes.  Learn to look at the whole person and the surroundings all at once.  If you focus on one area then the others are out of focus, it's one of the weird things with the eyes working like lenses but you've got to try to work on it.  Try looking at movies/TV shows shot on digital video rather than film where both foreground and background are always in focus, then work on something similar.  It's a very western thing to focus on a person's face and upper body in a conflict, where you should be taking in the whole picture.  The person, the surroundings, and whoever else might jump in.


----------



## dosk3n (Dec 21, 2009)

Omar B said:


> It's a very western thing to focus on a person's face and upper body in a conflict, where you should be taking in the whole picture.



I agree its a Westurn thing. I remember TV shows and Movies where people were training to fight and you would alwways here things like "Always watch the eyes", as if that was a MA secret.



> But i will try to be less focus on blocking the kick, and just let my mind take over.



Thats a good attitude to have where you willing to try different things, as a Wing Chun student I have seen a a fair few people in other schools that were very stuck in a one way only mentality. Try keeping you eyes around lower chest area as I said and see how that goes.

Sifu would tell me to watch his hand and try to block from neutral and I would get hit, He would then say to have my eyes at chest level not looking at his hand, he would strike and I would block.

Do you ever watch Bear Grylls survival shows? One episode was set at night and he went on to explain that when he was in the military they were taught that to see better in the dark to use peripheral vision as the eyes take in more light that way. And its right next time you need to go the toilet in the middle of the night try it!

I know that wasnt really MA focused but it shows some of the ability peripheral vision actually has.


----------



## denmyos (Feb 5, 2010)

I took all your idears into consideration and startet glazing insted of focussing. I now find a spot near his line of shoulder/chest/solar pleczus and glaze at that instead.

It seems to help a little bit.

One thing it truly help with is when i looked at his eyes i would see the punch coming and i would blink and flench.
Now i don't see them coming I "feel" them coming, and i dont blink any more.

"feel"  is maybe the wrong word, it sound like something mystical.
Anyways, it has help me.


----------



## dosk3n (Feb 5, 2010)

Im glad it helped at least a little. I never really thought about it but now you mention it I stopped flinching around the time I stoped concentrating one spot and just glazing. I guess you arnt caught off guard in the same way.


----------



## Slihn (Feb 5, 2010)

I didnt read everyone's respone so please dont flame me  lol

Anyway, the best thing to do to build better timing is sparring in a slower paced speed. Most people when they spar they like to go all out. Although this may build some skill, it is more benifital to both fighters , to spar slower and develop proper technique.

Also, then someone is holding the Thai pads for you, have them throw  alot of low kicks. They dont have to be powerful at all, just as long as you check them correctly.There is no need to bruse yourself all up trying to learn Muay Thai ( espeically is you are not planning on fighting). Focus on technique first, and then everything will follow.


----------

