# Seeing punches & reacting to them?



## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Hey! I recently started to spar in Muay Thai and I´m having a pretty hard time since I can't react properly to punches coming at me. I know what I want to do when I see a punch coming towards me but I do not have the reaction time to actually see which kind of punch it is so I end up just moving back and sometimes even getting hit. My question is how do you see which kind of punch will/is coming towards you? I try to look for patterns btw. Also if you think that the next punch will be a jab should you dodge and counterpunch the way that you plan to do even if you are not 100% sure that it will be a jab? I´ve done a bit of searching but can't seem to find anything that really helps. Is there any excercises that I could do that would help me out?


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## Buka (Mar 25, 2017)

It's like learning a new language. It takes some time. Right now you're trying to recognize words and what they mean. Except, of course, they're coming at your face. 

Be patient and keep your hands up.


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## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Buka said:


> It's like learning a new language. It takes some time. Right now you're trying to recognize words and what they mean. Except, of course, they're coming at your face.
> 
> Be patient and keep your hands up.


Yeah I´ve heard that you should just keep sparring and you´ll get better at it  But I only have the opportunity to spar 1 time/week atm so I wanted some excersises to do at home that would help me out


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## Buka (Mar 25, 2017)

If you've got a buddy that you train with, you could work some drills with each other. One guy throws punches, at a slightly slower pace than fight speed, the other just blocks, slips, ducks, whatever. What's key is the person throwing the punches has to be very careful not to alter the way he punches to suit the drill.

As you both get comfortable, you pick up the pace. The drill can help with recognition, partly because you're not concerned with the other aspects of actual sparring.


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## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Buka said:


> If you've got a buddy that you train with, you could work some drills with each other. One guy throws punches, at a slightly slower pace than fight speed, the other just blocks, slips, ducks, whatever. What's key is the person throwing the punches has to be very careful not to alter the way he punches to suit the drill.
> 
> As you both get comfortable, you pick up the pace. The drill can help with recognition, partly because you're not concerned with the other aspects of actual sparring.


Hmm yeah okay will try!  Thank you


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 25, 2017)

Other than baiting attacks, don't worry about what is coming. Just make a habit of getting out of there, before he positions himself to punch you. You have mastered stepping back, but you can also hop to the side, one foot, or, step toward your opponent at an oblique angle. Or just cover up and let one land onto your guard.


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## Headhunter (Mar 25, 2017)

Practice practice practice you say you can only do once a week well that's  fine since your not in any rush. Just keep sparring


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## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Touch Of Death said:


> Other than baiting attacks, don't worry about what is coming. Just make a habit of getting out of there, before he positions himself to punch you. You have mastered stepping back, but you can also hop to the side, one foot, or, step toward your opponent at an oblique angle. Or just cover up and let one land onto your guard.


Yeah but Idk which side to jump to. Don't rly want to move into his hook  Idk I've seen so many fighters dodge with their head to one side, like they see the punch half way through.


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## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Will have the option to spar ALOT more soon so that will be nice.


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## MorzMP (Mar 25, 2017)

Headhunter said:


> Practice practice practice you say you can only do once a week well that's  fine since your not in any rush. Just keep sparring


Yeah I really hope that sparring will improve my dodging skills etc


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 25, 2017)

MorzMP said:


> Yeah but Idk which side to jump to. Don't rly want to move into his hook  Idk I've seen so many fighters dodge with their head to one side, like they see the punch half way through.


Cover your head, just in case you choose wrong.


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 25, 2017)

MorzMP said:


> Yeah I really hope that sparring will improve my dodging skills etc


As for you, there are three types of striking. While you circle each other, looking for ins, you just strike him, even though he is covered or, slightly, out of range; that is called an appetizer. Then you use his reaction to get in deep, and throw a power shot; that is called your main course. Then you don't want to overstay your welcome; so, you strike him again, on the way out of that position. This is dessert!


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 25, 2017)

Identifying a punch is a matter of pattern recognition. It's a mental process, and has to be developed by repetitions. Buka's recommendation is an excellent one. It gives you a chance to see a lot of punches safely, and program your responses.


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## drop bear (Mar 25, 2017)

MorzMP said:


> Yeah but Idk which side to jump to. Don't rly want to move into his hook  Idk I've seen so many fighters dodge with their head to one side, like they see the punch half way through.



There are sone average responses though.

So if i throw a jab.  I can slip to the right to avoid a counter jab whether it comes or not. My right hand covers my right side so I am pretty safe from his left hook. So my major worry is his right hand which I can watch for and duck.


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## marques (Mar 26, 2017)

MorzMP said:


> My question is how do you see which kind of punch will/is coming towards you?


One think that helped me, after years struggling against tricky strikers, is never stop at punching distance. So if they need to prepare for a punch (stepping in, out, rotate...) you gain reaction time. And you will have less punches to defend. Over time you discover only a few dangerous things can be done in each situation. So you prepare for these ones.



MorzMP said:


> Also if you think that the next punch will be a jab should you dodge and counterpunch the way that you plan to do even if you are not 100% sure that it will be a jab?



Don't think to much. One thing at a time. Defence, first. When it becomes brainless, next one thing can be counters.

I always recommend slow sparring as an intermediate step. (Or final for old people not interested in fighting and injuries.) It will give you some thinking time. Once you don't need to think (too much) it is useful going a bit faster.


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## KangTsai (Mar 26, 2017)

Triangle guard my mayne. The easiest way to compensate is to take it on the gloves and hit back. My most frequent is to swat the hand inwards and roundhouse kick.


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## KangTsai (Mar 26, 2017)

Right now, dont focus on predicting, but focus more on reacting.


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## JR 137 (Mar 26, 2017)

There's no substitute for experience.  How do you get better at reading your opponents?  Practice.  And don't forget to duck.


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## Bill Mattocks (Mar 26, 2017)

MorzMP said:


> Hey! I recently started to spar in Muay Thai and I´m having a pretty hard time since I can't react properly to punches coming at me. I know what I want to do when I see a punch coming towards me but I do not have the reaction time to actually see which kind of punch it is so I end up just moving back and sometimes even getting hit. My question is how do you see which kind of punch will/is coming towards you? I try to look for patterns btw. Also if you think that the next punch will be a jab should you dodge and counterpunch the way that you plan to do even if you are not 100% sure that it will be a jab? I´ve done a bit of searching but can't seem to find anything that really helps. Is there any excercises that I could do that would help me out?



Watch the body not the eyes. Body moves before punch comes.

If you cover your center, even if you guess wrong you should cover.

Work on distancing and body shifting. If they can't hit, no need to block.


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## Touch Of Death (Mar 26, 2017)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Watch the body not the eyes. Body moves before punch comes.
> 
> If you cover your center, even if you guess wrong you should cover.
> 
> Work on distancing and body shifting. If they can't hit, no need to block.


Blocks are for when you don't exit, stage left, fast enough.


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## Buka (Mar 27, 2017)

Blocking is only for pussies.


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## Mou Meng Gung Fu (Apr 24, 2017)

After reading most of the other posts in this thread, I concur with most of them. Just keep training. Do shadow boxing exercises. Do light-contact sparring exercises (but do NOT pull your punches, take the hits!) and like some have already said, practice slow at first. Work only on your defense. Body movements, blocking, footwork, break it all down and practice each one individually. Then once you get comfortable with defense, fire back! Start working on your counters and offense. Then once you get really good at countering, eliminate your defense altogether and work on intercepting the opponent and attacking him first.


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