Removing the Doubt or Reluctance of Fighting

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

It's a pretty simple one. I keep my right hand (strong hand) forward normally.

Throw a jab cross, the cross isn't meant to land but with hands open to cover their eyes. Long diagonal step, twist and squat to the right for a right hook to the body, that you break off halfway through for a right hook to the head. Important - weave your head during this part and duck (part of the reason for the squat), in case a counter comes.

Most of the time the simply going from left cross to the right side of their body, and the sudden down then up motion is enough to get a good right hook to the face. But just in case, while doing the right hook feint/strike, a looping overhead smash with the left hand comes around. So now they've gone left to right, up to down to up, and left again. And most people aren't looking for a looping strike after traditional boxing strikes as well.

If the right hook lands I pull my hand back and don't finish the smash, if it doesn't land I follow through with it.

With the looping strike, I normally have my left hand in guard position as I step in for the hook, and only throw it once I know that I'm not about to eat another strike to my face first. Because obviously if you get punched in the face first that kinda kills the momentum.

I'm not sure I'm explaining this fully right. My wife's travelling for the moment but if you reply to this Monday I can have her take a video of me explaining it on a heavy bag better. It's not nearly as complicated as that first post makes it sound, and I'm sure you've trained something similar at some point. I just train it a lot to make it as smooth as possible.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

With the looping strike, I normally have my left hand in guard position as I step in for the hook, and only throw it once I know that I'm not about to eat another strike to my face first. Because obviously if you get punched in the face first that kinda kills the momentum.

I'm not sure I'm explaining this fully right. My wife's travelling for the moment but if you reply to this Monday I can have her take a video of me explaining it on a heavy bag better. It's not nearly as complicated as that first post makes it sound, and I'm sure you've trained something similar at some point. I just train it a lot to make it as smooth as possible.

Thank you. Awesome. Yes I would love to see it if you have time.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

a right hook to the body, that you break off halfway through for a right hook to the head.

I like the same arm low hook followed with high hook combo. The same arm 3 hooks (low, middle, high) combo exist in my praying mantis summary form. The same arm 3 hooks combo is also the 1st drill that I start to do for my daily 4 miles walk/train. Since I'm doing just one arm at a time, I can control my punching space not to hit anybody who tries to pass by me on the trail.

This is the 1st thing that I do for my daily training. It helps me to loose up my upper body.

Same arm double hooks:



This is also one of my favor "mirror stance" entering strategy. I can sense exactly where my opponent's arms are (in order to achieve safe entering).

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I like the same arm low hook followed with high hook combo. The same arm 3 hooks (low, middle, high) combo exist in my praying mantis summary form. The same arm 3 hooks combo is also the 1st drill that I start to do for my daily 4 miles walk/train. Since I'm doing just one arm at a time, I can control my punching space not to hit anybody who tries to pass by me.

This is the 1st thing that I do for my daily training. It helps me to loose up my upper body.

Same arm double hooks:



This is also one of my favor "mirror stance" entering strategy. I can sense exactly where my opponent's arms are.

I like this but I use front leg sweep instead of kick

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I like this but I use front leg sweep instead of kick

I agree that foot sweep is better than low roundhouse kick when your hand can reach to your opponent's shoulder.

Sometime people do a low roundhouse kick just trying to hurt his opponent's leg. By adding a shoulder pulling (or even without shoulder pulling), that roundhouse kick can be used for foot sweep take down instead.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I like this but I use front leg sweep instead of kick

I like to inner hook my opponent's leading leg and then shin bite his back leg.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I like to inner hook my opponent's leading leg and then shin bite his back leg.

Sometimes I tap the insides of both legs before I sweep. Like alternating 1-2-sweep.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Sometimes I tap the insides of both legs before I sweep. Like alternating 1-2-sweep.

Attack your opponent's leading leg. When he steps back, you then sweep his other leg which has 100% of his weight on is a good strategy.

I don't know why "strategy/principle" is not a popular discussion subject in this forum.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Some interested strategies/principles:

1. Get both legs if you can. Otherwise get one leg first, and then get the other leg afterward.
2. If your opponent wants to do X, help him to do more X than he really wants to.
3. If you are right hand person, attack your opponent's left side first. When your opponent tries to protect his left side, he will open his right side for you.
4. It's better to be inside than to be outside.
5. It's better to be on the top than to be on the bottom.
6. Move from wrist gate -> elbow gate -> shoulder/head gate.
7. Control your opponent's head. His body will follow.
8. Drag your opponent in circle. Force him to shift weight from one leg onto another leg.
9. If you want to push, you pull first. If you want to pull, you push first.
10. Don't let your opponent to stay in horse stance. When he does that, spring his leg and force him into bow-arrow stance.
11. Move yourself out of your opponent's attacking path, and lead him into the emptiness.
12. You want to take over your opponent's position. You want your opponent to take over your position.
13. Use momentum to run your opponent down.
14. Never cross your legs in front of your opponent when you are in his kicking range.
15. ...

 

[Yokozuna514]

Hi, everyone. I'm back with this account and I actually wanted to ask you all something I have been thinking for a long time. I think that I am not the only one feeling this way or have felt this way. First off, let me share my background.

I started with boxing, trained in a gym by a former competitive boxer during his time. After that, I tried learning Wushu Sanda and Muay Thai for awhile. Then I switched learning Shotokan Karate for 2 years, 1 year Goju Ryu. Been jumping from good gym to gym to learn. Been doing some sparring and pressure testing as well with all these arts so fighting is no problem. However, this is where the problem I wanna consult with you guys.

I love fighting, I really do. Doing forms is great, but the fact is, I just want the fighting more. However, I always feel this nervousness when I face an opponent. It's that nervousness where you just dont want to spar this guy or like, it's sparring but you don't feel that way. You are reluctant, you don't want to spar, but deep inside you love fighting. I only experienced once in my life time of combat sports and martial arts where I enjoyed the ounce of fighting and never wanted to let go of it. That, I can't seem to replicate again.

I always thought I was just making some excuses, but whenever I try not to, I feel that nervousness again.

Have you ever felt this and how do you remove this feeling? How do you just, think of the fight, not worry about anything and remove that reluctance of fighting?

Like most people have already said, you may never lose that feeling when you are about to spar, especially when it is sparring with someone you have never sparred with before. It is fairly normal and to me it is a mind check that pushes your mind into that fight or flight response. How you deal with it IS the journey. Ask yourself how much that response has changed from the beginning of your training to the moment you are stepping on the mat. If you are happier with your response as time goes by, then you are doing something right. If not, you know that there is more to do to get you to where you want to go. Good luck.