How To Become Unpredictable

[ShotoNoob]

...Irimi is extraordinarily complex and is a discussion worthy of a thread of its own.

Looking forward to it....

 

[Touch Of Death]

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Working objective. What are your methods?

GOOD HABITS!

 

[Danny T]

Which means he is right where he should be.

 

[Jenna]

- If you want to attack high, you attack low first.
- If you want to push, you pull first.
- If you want to attack right, you attack left first.
- Hide your preparation. Let the beginning of your next move be at the end of your previous move.

- ...

.. that sounds a little like a system of attack no? you have tried this out and it worked for you?? I worry might this very hiding of your preparation not perhaps serve only to give you away do you think? Jx

 

[LibbyW]

Feints can be good for this sort of thing.
If you broadcast at random strikes which you have no intention of landing, that sort of thing. (wow that was great English there)
To be fair though, if someone were to start performing kata during a fight ala karate kid 2, chances are they will get dropped fairly quick. People tend to be quite unpredictable during combat, that's what makes things so difficult.
L

 

[Tez3]

(wow that was great English there)

Wait till you get older and you have to say 'whatsit' and 'thingy' because you can't remember what things are called!


To be honest I think I am quite unpredictable because I don't usually know what I'm going to do, I work on instinct so usually what I do is something that is appropriate for defence then attack. I'm not much of a thinking fighter, I'm more a blank mind let everything flow sort of fighter. Probably doesn't make sense and perhaps too you need to have trained for a while to be able to do it, it's experience more than anything. I know without thinking that if I do one thing, their head will go this way so I can do that technique. I don't actually think about it, it just sort of is. It's not at all predictable from an opponent's point of view.

 

[drop bear]

We were doing lead right followed by a right upper cut. That one catches people. And nobody expects it.

 

[Tez3]

We were doing lead right followed by a right upper cut. That one catches people. And nobody expects it.

Well they will now!

 

[donald1]

Its the strikes you dont see that hurt the most

 

[LibbyW]

Wait till you get older and you have to say 'whatsit' and 'thingy' because you can't remember what things are called!


To be honest I think I am quite unpredictable because I don't usually know what I'm going to do, I work on instinct so usually what I do is something that is appropriate for defence then attack. I'm not much of a thinking fighter, I'm more a blank mind let everything flow sort of fighter. Probably doesn't make sense and perhaps too you need to have trained for a while to be able to do it, it's experience more than anything. I know without thinking that if I do one thing, their head will go this way so I can do that technique. I don't actually think about it, it just sort of is. It's not at all predictable from an opponent's point of view.

Yeah I get what you mean.
When I started sparring with waster swords I learnt quite quickly how to move my body, to position myself to dictate my opponents position. And of course if you don't learn quick you end up with big lumps where lumps aren't usually found
It sucks when you get that one opponent that is like a high functioning blocking machine, and no matter how or what you do they just Neo the crap out of your efforts
L

 

[donald1]

Yeah I get what you mean.
When I started sparring with waster swords I learnt quite quickly how to move my body, to position myself to dictate my opponents position. And of course if you don't learn quick you end up with big lumps where lumps aren't usually found
It sucks when you get that one opponent that is like a high functioning blocking machine, and no matter how or what you do they just Neo the crap out of your efforts
L

been there done that. much more fun on the other side... probably one of the reasons i prefer 6 ft. bo staffs i got the reach so i get tired or lose energy i can still attempt to keep them back... except if their attack is as good as their block it wont help much

 

[Shajikfer]

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Working objective. What are your methods?

Well don't focus on where you are going to strike is a good way. Don't time your strikes with your breathing, that can make them predictable. Tiny movements are often made before one moves. Orientation of body can also tell you a lot of what is coming.

2nd tier telegraphing is where you influence them based on what you do and they correspond. I.E., if I make an opening for them to strike my head that's a false opening, I can take advantage of what they do because I had the certainty they would strike there next.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

.. that sounds a little like a system of attack no? you have tried this out and it worked for you?? I worry might this very hiding of your preparation not perhaps serve only to give you away do you think? Jx

A good example to hide your preparation can be when you use a jump kick, you usually

- step in your leading foot,
- jump up with back foot and kick at the same time.

that will be 2 steps move. If you can advance your lead foot at the correct distance without letting your opponent to realize your attack intention, you then jump kick, that will be just 1 step move. 1 step move is always better than 2 steps move. 2 steps move is always better than 3 steps move.

IMO, it's always better to attack your opponent and put your opponent into defense mode than to let your opponent to attack you and put you into defense mode. This way you can lead your opponent into an area that you are more familiar with than he does. That's your advantage.

A groin kick followed by a face punch is always a good initial move to cover the distance and set up. A circular arm dragging is always good to apply on a striker and force him to play your grappling game ASAP.

If your opponent is a good "striker" and assume you are not a good striker, before your opponent even throws you with his first punch, you can force him to play your favor "grappling game" by

- getting him into clinch ASAP,

- dragging him in circle,

 

[Touch Of Death]

Wait till you get older and you have to say 'whatsit' and 'thingy' because you can't remember what things are called!


To be honest I think I am quite unpredictable because I don't usually know what I'm going to do, I work on instinct so usually what I do is something that is appropriate for defence then attack. I'm not much of a thinking fighter, I'm more a blank mind let everything flow sort of fighter. Probably doesn't make sense and perhaps too you need to have trained for a while to be able to do it, it's experience more than anything. I know without thinking that if I do one thing, their head will go this way so I can do that technique. I don't actually think about it, it just sort of is. It's not at all predictable from an opponent's point of view.

While I get what you are saying, have an objective in mind, so as not to be led or baited into unfavorable predicaments. An example would be when a guy puts his hands in a wide guard, he is baiting you down the middle. Don't do that! It's a trap!

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

when a guy puts his hands in a wide guard, he is baiting you down the middle. Don't do that! It's a trap!

- Drop your guard to invite a punch.
- Raise your guard to invite a kick.

The fighting is just a big cheating game when you deal with a good fighter. When you deal with a beginner, he may not even understand your "trap" and he may not even be able to detect your face is open or your groin is open. If your opponent is not a grappler, no matter how close that you may put your leading leg toward him, he may not shoot at your leg.

 

[Tez3]

While I get what you are saying, have an objective in mind, so as not to be led or baited into unfavorable predicaments. An example would be when a guy puts his hands in a wide guard, he is baiting you down the middle. Don't do that! It's a trap!

I think long experience over many years teaches you a lot so there's not a lot that can take you by surprise, I use angles so am never 'straight down the middle'. I have had sparring matches and sparring in training with a wide range of people from a wide range of styles so am quite hard now to trick.
Sparring complete beginners is actually the most dangerous thing you can do lol, totally unpredictable!

 

[ShotoNoob]

Well don't focus on where you are going to strike is a good way. Don't time your strikes with your breathing, that can make them predictable. Tiny movements are often made before one moves. Orientation of body can also tell you a lot of what is coming.

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Is it possible to focus the next strike without telegraphing?

2nd tier telegraphing is where you influence them based on what you do and they correspond. I.E., if I make an opening for them to strike my head that's a false opening, I can take advantage of what they do because I had the certainty they would strike there next.

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Kind of the 'baiting' approach?

 

[Shajikfer]

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Is it possible to focus the next strike without telegraphing?

I believe it is possible, it just takes great physical control. I suppose that's the heart of the question to being unpredictable, though.

And yes, it is absolutely baiting. But there are many kinds of ways to 'bait' another. What I described as an example is different than say, hitting someone repeatedly in a mocking manner to make them angry. There are many ways to bait others to make them make themselves vulnerable.

 

[ShotoNoob]

2nd tier telegraphing is where you influence them based on what you do and they correspond. I.E., if I make an opening for them to strike my head that's a false opening, I can take advantage of what they do because I had the certainty they would strike there next.

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Thanks for the clarification, and the alternative described in your post.
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Sometimes when I just stand still, unflinching against an opponent's feint--it accomplishes the same objective.....

 

[Shajikfer]

Boy I don't know what I did to my post to make it appear like that, but I'm glad you understood it nontheless. My b.

Yes, there are many methods which can throw them off. When they want a reaction and you do something way outside their range of expectation that can really throw them off. Sometimes not responding is enough to throw them off. When I'm sparring against someone sometimes I do this crazy scary sounding clown laugh and you should see the effect.

Sometimes they think I'm a nutter but when they just stop and are like what??? BOP! I get the hit in.

I've only tried it once during a tournament, and surprisingly it worked out lol.

I suppose a key to being unpredictable is having a certain certitude of what they expect, and then NOT doing that.