Muay Thai | Reaction speed? Tips?

[MorzMP]

Hello! I got 3 questions I´ve been doing Muay Thai for like 5-6 months now and I really enjoy it. I recently started sparring and thought it was fun so I kept going. 1 day I sparred with this girl that I knew was pretty good since she competes and is praticing almost every day. She completly destroyed me, What messed me up is that as soon as I go forwards to hit her she moves back, not just leaning but moving back. Noone else did that so I didn't know how to get in her range, and I didn't really want to keep walking towards her since I knew she would see an opportunity to strike back. So what do I do vs someone who just moves back as soon as I try to strike? Also how do I improve my reaction time except sparring alot or see what punches will come if they dont strike in a pattern? And last but not least how many days is it "ok" to work out a week? My weekly workout schedule is pretty much that I do Muay Thai 4 days and then I workout at home on a heavy bag and do strengthening exercises for 2-3 days. So I mostly workout for 6-7 days/week. Is that ok? Idk if it matters but here´s my age, weight and height. Just turned 16, 79 kg and 6 foot. Thanks!

 

[CB Jones]

Close the distance by using angles instead of coming straight forward.

Learn to use footwork to move your opponent around the ring and fight when and where you want to.

 

[MorzMP]

Close the distance by using angles instead of coming straight forward.

Learn to use footwork to move your opponent around the ring and fight when and where you want to.

Yeah I actually tried that too a few times but again she moved away when I tried to move to the side at the same time as I threw a hook.

 

[CB Jones]

But realize you are relatively new. Good footwork takes time. Be patient and try different movements.

Ask your sparring partner what you they are seeing and what you can change or add.

 

[drop bear]

There is a trick to it.
You need to move back and then enter as they move forwards.

It is easier to move back if they are already going backwards.

But trying to go forwards then backwards takes a bit of time.

 

[CB Jones]

Also realize it is easy to get frustrated when you are learning footwork and your sparring partner is better at it.

Be patient and keep working on it.

And like I said pick other fighters brains on what movements work for them.

 

[MorzMP]

But realize you are relatively new. Good footwork takes time. Be patient and try different movements.

Ask your sparring partner what you they are seeing and what you can change or add.

Yeah true, I've been doing other martial arts for a long time tho. Yeah guess I just need to keep working on it. Thanks!!

 

[MorzMP]

There is a trick to it.
You need to move back and then enter as they move forwards.

It is easier to move back if they are already going backwards.

But trying to go forwards then backwards takes a bit of time.

Wow didn't think of that one, thanks!

 

[Headhunter]

Hello! I got 3 questions I´ve been doing Muay Thai for like 5-6 months now and I really enjoy it. I recently started sparring and thought it was fun so I kept going. 1 day I sparred with this girl that I knew was pretty good since she competes and is praticing almost every day. She completly destroyed me, What messed me up is that as soon as I go forwards to hit her she moves back, not just leaning but moving back. Noone else did that so I didn't know how to get in her range, and I didn't really want to keep walking towards her since I knew she would see an opportunity to strike back. So what do I do vs someone who just moves back as soon as I try to strike? Also how do I improve my reaction time except sparring alot or see what punches will come if they dont strike in a pattern? And last but not least how many days is it "ok" to work out a week? My weekly workout schedule is pretty much that I do Muay Thai 4 days and then I workout at home on a heavy bag and do strengthening exercises for 2-3 days. So I mostly workout for 6-7 days/week. Is that ok? Idk if it matters but here´s my age, weight and height. Just turned 16, 79 kg and 6 foot. Thanks!

6-7 days a week isn't good to be honest you need good rest or your body will just give up on you. Maybe now you're okay but one day you'll just have enough and want to stop.

 

[MorzMP]

6-7 days a week isn't good to be honest you need good rest or your body will just give up on you. Maybe now you're okay but one day you'll just have enough and want to stop.

Oh okay, I'll try to calm down. Thanks

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Hello! I got 3 questions I´ve been doing Muay Thai for like 5-6 months now and I really enjoy it. I recently started sparring and thought it was fun so I kept going. 1 day I sparred with this girl that I knew was pretty good since she competes and is praticing almost every day. She completly destroyed me, What messed me up is that as soon as I go forwards to hit her she moves back, not just leaning but moving back. Noone else did that so I didn't know how to get in her range, and I didn't really want to keep walking towards her since I knew she would see an opportunity to strike back. So what do I do vs someone who just moves back as soon as I try to strike? Also how do I improve my reaction time except sparring alot or see what punches will come if they dont strike in a pattern? And last but not least how many days is it "ok" to work out a week? My weekly workout schedule is pretty much that I do Muay Thai 4 days and then I workout at home on a heavy bag and do strengthening exercises for 2-3 days. So I mostly workout for 6-7 days/week. Is that ok? Idk if it matters but here´s my age, weight and height. Just turned 16, 79 kg and 6 foot. Thanks!

Reaction time is mostly about pattern recognition. You can't change the actual neuromuscular reaction time by much (it actually gets worse as we age), but you can reduce the time it takes for your brain to accurately recognize what to do, as well as the time it spends selecting a response. This is what makes very experienced folks seem so fast. And this comes from practice. Not just sparring, but also practice of individual techniques against a partner. What happens is that your subconscious brain learns to recognize subtle cues and choose a valid response long before your conscious mind can do so.

 

[MorzMP]

Reaction time is mostly about pattern recognition. You can't change the actual neuromuscular reaction time by much (it actually gets worse as we age), but you can reduce the time it takes for your brain to accurately recognize what to do, as well as the time it spends selecting a response. This is what makes very experienced folks seem so fast. And this comes from practice. Not just sparring, but also practice of individual techniques against a partner. What happens is that your subconscious brain learns to recognize subtle cues and choose a valid response long before your conscious mind can do so.

Well that's something new. Will have that in mind

 

[Ironbear24]

Get beat up a lot. You will learn from experience, also try using circles and diagonal lines instead of back and forth. Try to use your legs alot to close the distances and then rush in.

The only real way to work on hand coordination and reaction time to block is to do it a lot, make the mistakes and become better and better at it.

 

[JowGaWolf]

So what do I do vs someone who just moves back as soon as I try to strike?

Stop chasing. If you stop moving forward then she will make an attempt to attack you, which at that time she will be in range. She sounds like she has a similar fighting strategy that I have. My comfort zone in sparring is when people are attacking me or coming after me. For me it's predictable, my opponent will move forward. ALL THE TIME. When my opponent stops chasing me, then it becomes unpredictable. Will my opponent move forward or back? Will my opponent stand his or her ground or cut an angle. Will my opponent counter me if I attack? When my opponent is always chasing after me then I know for sure that they will be coming forward and not moving backwards to get out of range of my counters.

Also if your opponent ALWAYS moves back when you strike then it's because she or he is reading your actions. This means that you have a tell-tale that is giving away what you are about to do.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

Reaction time is mostly about pattern recognition. You can't change the actual neuromuscular reaction time by much (it actually gets worse as we age), but you can reduce the time it takes for your brain to accurately recognize what to do, as well as the time it spends selecting a response. This is what makes very experienced folks seem so fast. And this comes from practice. Not just sparring, but also practice of individual techniques against a partner. What happens is that your subconscious brain learns to recognize subtle cues and choose a valid response long before your conscious mind can do so.

I'd just like to add to this that fast reaction time comes in 2 parts: the first, as explained above, is muscle memory. Do an action enough times and your body will learn to do it without you thinking about it. When you are walking or running you don't think about what your legs and feet are doing, your body just does it. It's the same thing with fighting. Block enough incoming strikes and overtime your body will do the block for you.

The other thing that helps with your reaction time is anticipation. By studying your opponent's movements you can anticipate what they will do and be able to react to it faster. This comes from experience and isn't really something that can be taught per se, it just happens over time. That said, the best fighters are able to force their opponents to do a certain predictable action that allows them to anticipate. A common tactic is to leave an opening for your opponent and then countering them when they go for it.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Stop chasing. If you stop moving forward then she will make an attempt to attack you, which at that time she will be in range. She sounds like she has a similar fighting strategy that I have. My comfort zone in sparring is when people are attacking me or coming after me. For me it's predictable, my opponent will move forward. ALL THE TIME. When my opponent stops chasing me, then it becomes unpredictable. Will my opponent move forward or back? Will my opponent stand his or her ground or cut an angle. Will my opponent counter me if I attack? When my opponent is always chasing after me then I know for sure that they will be coming forward and not moving backwards to get out of range of my counters.

Also if your opponent ALWAYS moves back when you strike then it's because she or he is reading your actions. This means that you have a tell-tale that is giving away what you are about to do.

That's an interesting read, for me, JGW. In sparring, I prefer to be advancing, though there's less "attack" in my art than in yours, as I understand it. Something else for us to ponder over a drink.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'd just like to add to this that fast reaction time comes in 2 parts: the first, as explained above, is muscle memory. Do an action enough times and your body will learn to do it without you thinking about it. When you are walking or running you don't think about what your legs and feet are doing, your body just does it. It's the same thing with fighting. Block enough incoming strikes and overtime your body will do the block for you.

The other thing that helps with your reaction time is anticipation. By studying your opponent's movements you can anticipate what they will do and be able to react to it faster. This comes from experience and isn't really something that can be taught per se, it just happens over time. That said, the best fighters are able to force their opponents to do a certain predictable action that allows them to anticipate. A common tactic is to leave an opening for your opponent and then countering them when they go for it.

That anticipation is actually the pattern recognition.

 

[drop bear]

Also if your opponent ALWAYS moves back when you strike then it's because she or he is reading your actions. This means that you have a tell-tale that is giving away what you are about to do.

You sit a distance that forces a tell tale. If you are a step away they have to take a step to reach you. Nothing else will work untill they have bridged that one movement.

They step. You move.

 

[KangTsai]

First, patience. While sparring amd oitside of it. You're pretty tall, so you need to use that fact. You should be the one forcing the shorter opponent to close distance. Use angles, front kick some more, keep a tight guard. If you manage to film it, the members over here could give specofic feedback.

 

[KangTsai]

If you do want to chase, you better be moving fast and tight.