Incoming punch - counter with block - inside or outside?

[Gerry Seymour]

It’s all about analysis IMO. Nothing you do is going to be 100% effective and zero risk. Move one way, you open up targets. Move the opposite way, there’s some new one. Don’t do anything, and you’ve got other open targets.

The analysis will show what’s open and what’s not. With this stuff, it’s picking your poison. Everything’s a trade-off. It’s a balance between protecting, attacking, and being mobile enough. And every opponent is going to change those priorities and force you to compensate for any of those aspects; a faster fighter vs a stronger fighter vs long reach fighter vs...

It’s all about trade offs. Least harm done to you and all that.

I tend to state this in business terms (too much time spent as a consultant) - it's all about risk-reward analysis.

 

[FriedRice]

I'm new here and a martial artist of 30 years and most of my fighting / sparring experience is temple fighting, fighting forms, etc. as opposed to real-world fighting or MMA. Recently there was some discussion regarding an MMA fight and how to deal with an incoming punch. I've never had training in boxing but apparently one technique is to side parry or push the incoming punch to the inside. For ex - facing the opponent, he or she throws a straight right at you - you come at their arm from the outside pushing it toward the centerline between you and then away. This is the opposite of using say a uechi circle block (wax on, wax off) and coming at the arm from the inside and directing it away from the centerline. Any thoughts on these two opposite approaches?

Only you can answer this question for yourself, by sparring a lot from light to (sometimes) hard, for KO's and maybe fight in the ring to figure out what type of a fighter you are. But even then, you may change how you fight by a little or even drastically. Just about everything trained to deal with a punch to the face, will work. But someone better than you will usually whoop you.

 

[dvcochran]

Only you can answer this question for yourself, by sparring a lot from light to (sometimes) hard, for KO's and maybe fight in the ring to figure out what type of a fighter you are. But even then, you may change how you fight by a little or even drastically. Just about everything trained to deal with a punch to the face, will work. But someone better than you will usually whoop you.

It depends largely on you intent and opportunities to/from the incoming attack. An inside block leaves you closed to the attacker reducing the quality targets, very good targets but fewer of them. The outside opens up the attacker, but has drawbacks as being a lower % block, slower, and can open you up to more counter-attacks. Work both blocks from various attacks to help figure out the best answer for you.

 

[FriedRice]

It depends largely on you intent and opportunities to/from the incoming attack. An inside block leaves you closed to the attacker reducing the quality targets, very good targets but fewer of them. The outside opens up the attacker, but has drawbacks as being a lower % block, slower, and can open you up to more counter-attacks.

They both work, although these Karate looking blocks don't seem to work well vs. fighters who can throw fast hands, ie. Boxers. You rarely, if ever, see these blocks in Kickboxing...and KB was even created by Karatekas.

Work both blocks from various attacks to help figure out the best answer for you.

Yea, that's what I said.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

They both work, although these Karate looking blocks don't seem to work well vs. fighters who can throw fast hands, ie. Boxers. You rarely, if ever, see these blocks in Kickboxing...and KB was even created by Karatekas.



Yea, that's what I said.

The "Karate looking" blocks are, IMO, the beginner's version of the blocks.

 

[dvcochran]

The "Karate looking" blocks are, IMO, the beginner's version of the blocks.

Agreed. Somewhere in the normal transition from color belt to BB most people learn that the "over-exaggerated" motion of blocks in segmented practice and forms is more about the purposes of conformation and repetition. Seldom do you have the time or need to make the large motion but you understand the purpose and when to use it.
One point I did not mention earlier, if you are already standing closed to you opponent, a Front hand outside block (really more of a parry) can set up a front leg middle kick or, if you are quick, a back leg kick. It is a medium % kick and is helped by the fact that when you are standing closed, spinning kicks are often used and expected.

 

[skribs]

In my experience it depends on what you want to do.

Blocking outside is generally better if:

• There's multiple enemies, especially if going outside puts the puncher between you and them
• You want to go for an arm lock and take control
• You want to take the back or neck
• You want to take out the legs (i.e. kick to the knee

Blocking inside is better for:

• Multiple enemies would be to the outside
• You want to engage in a throw (i.e. hip throw)
• You want to strike (i.e. kick to the groin, palm to the face, punch to the gut

Now, that's not to say you can't strike outside. You can punch to the face or kick to the ribs. It also doesn't mean you can't go for control inside. It's just a general rule of thumb from what I've learned.

 

[evan.fedora]

For me pushing it outwards, the central line helps most of the times.