zDom
Senior Master
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2006
- Messages
- 3,081
- Reaction score
- 111
]At the moment I am studying Taekwondo and I love it. Do I think it is an effective martial art maybe no! I think it is a very short sighted martial art that is very dynamic in that watching it in action is very impressive.
but dealing with an attacker who come in close I would be worried.
One of things I did personally during my training in TKD was train specifically for extremely close range — at or nearly chest to chest with opponent.
For one, nearly ALL striking opponents, I find, freak out when I am this close. Something about personal space is probably part of it. But also insecurity about not knowing what to do to someone that close.
I, on the other hand, trained myself to be very comfortable at close range.
There are a number of techniques I uses at this range:
• upset punch: this punch starts palm down at the hip, then torques over to a palm-up position at the end of the strike (opposite of your typical reverse punch).
Elbow stays in tight, should remain touching your side.
Using the hip motion, this can be a VERY powerful technique despite its short movement. It is also a VERY very strong wrist position. The heavy bag in our dojang is extremely hard - lots of sand in the bag, and the bottom of the bag is almost like a rock due to settling. I can smoke the bottom of the bag with this technique full power.
Direction of movement is often a little upward.
Target is typically floating ribs, but can be solar plexus or even thrown high section when it becomes an uppercut but with the TKD "snap" at the end of the technique which adds power.
• Hook kick to the back of the head. Very fun. Their eyes usually bug out because the technique surprises them.
• Axes kicks and/or crescent kicks. These kicks are MEANT to be thrown from close quarters, especially the crescent kicks.
• "step away" backside kick. Suppose you are starting so close to the opponent your left shoulder is actually touching them (you can actually practice this on a heavy bag starting with shoulder touching bag).
Step away with left foot, turning clockwise*— a fairly large step — to create some distance. Immediately look over your right shoulder and fire a right back kick.
• jump away backside kick. A backside kick, but instead of jumping UP and jump backside kicking, jump up and AWAY from target to create some distrance.
These are just a few very effective techniques that I have found work great over the years (given you train them and become comfortable at fighting in close quarters).
Another fun thing to do with close ranges is: hit them with some upset punches or crescent kicks, then as they back up to get back to their comfort zone, step out into a front stance to smoke them with a reverse punch, immediately followed by a front kick.
If you time it right, you can give hit them with two free techniques as they back away