What do you do if someone runs at you with punches?

[Buka]

In NGA, we have a technique called the "Body Block", which works quite well against this sort of insane attack. If the attacker commits that much forward momentum, the Body Block throws our body at their legs (around knee level) to cut them out from under them. It's surprisingly effective - and effectively surprising - for something that looks like a playground technique.

I've always loved that technique. We even used to use it in tournaments (at feet level rather than knees) No scoring from it, but the look on the other guy's face...priceless.

 

[ShortBridge]

A lot of it depends on your training, which you didn't really tell us a lot about. "Muay Thai for the last few months", isn't really a Muay Thai background. You will be taught what I suggested, assuming you are not self taught. The 3 or 4 years before that...it is working out with your friends or is it training?

"Take him to the ground" is great advice if you're trained to survive doing so, but probably not great advice if you're not.

I agree with Buka, competence in almost anything would provide a solution to the problem you describe, but if you're trying to construct your own system from YouTube videos, you're taking a chance with whatever strategy you employ.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I've always loved that technique. We even used to use it in tournaments (at feet level rather than knees) No scoring from it, but the look on the other guy's face...priceless.

Agreed. I was "the other guy" in one dude's black belt self-defense test. I was giving him a front kick. Mine were pretty fast back then (by NGA standards, anyway). While I'm on one leg, Zach throws a Body Block at my supporting leg and I had to make a little hop to keep him from taking out my knee. I was mighty glad for my breakfall that day.

 

[frank raud]

As Short bridge says, your training background will influence what techniques will work for you. Another possibility would be to duck under a strike and sinking in a standing arm triangle, which could set up either a standing choke or an easy takedown
Easy for you, not the guy being taken down.

 

[MorzMP]

Leg kicks, front kicks or step aside and follow up.

Not easy, but if the timing is quite perfect, stop kicks (knee level) and teep (push kick) are enough to stop the guy. Then you finish as you want. I am not very good at punching, so I will avoid to box against a (wild) boxer. Of course, other people may prefer a different strategy.

Yeah but if I try to do leg kicks I the person throwing wild punches will probably get in some punches while I do a low kick or? Idk

 

[MorzMP]

Welcome to MT, MorzMP

They're coming to you. It's like pizza delivery and you don't even have to tip.
The punches are wild, swinging. It's like Christmas and you don't even have to wrap presents.

You can bob and weave, slip, sidestep, intercept - maybe throw that bomb of a right cross that you almost killed so and so with.
You can time it, and blast that head butt into his chops as you grab him.
If you're a good body puncher - you might even have a little mercy as you weave.....nah, F him.
If you're a skilled kicker - you're probably going to get charged later, call your lawyer.
Double leg, tackle, whatever. Zen the bastard, make him "one with ground".

Wild, swinging punches means that God loves you.

Lmfao best answer ever! Thanks that really helped me out!

 

[MorzMP]

As Short bridge says, your training background will influence what techniques will work for you. Another possibility would be to duck under a strike and sinking in a standing arm triangle, which could set up either a standing choke or an easy takedown
Easy for you, not the guy being taken down.

Hmm yeah, like I said i prefer using Muay Thai/Boxing since I´m much more confident in that But thanks

 

[ShortBridge]

Yeah but if I try to do leg kicks I the person throwing wild punches will probably get in some punches while I do a low kick or? Idk

If you haven't trained it to the point where you are confident with it, then the answer is probably "yes".

 

[Punchy]

If he's getting inside of your kicking range, throw knee instead keeping your hands up to cover your face and then drive right down the middle with punches

 

[kuniggety]

Yeah that actually sounds really good, the thing is that I´m not confident in my BJJ skills so I would prefer to use Muay Thai or something similar

In MT, you would use a teep to create distance and then destroy them with a round house. If they get close, ie you don't get in the teep, then clinch. Clinch is another go to move from a BJJ perspective. It's good for both MT and BJJ... we just hold it different. You have soooo many options from a clinch.

 

[frank raud]

Hmm yeah, like I said i prefer using Muay Thai/Boxing since I´m much more confident in that But thanks

Fair enough , however as you've said, you have 3-4 months of Muay Thai, and have trouble landing your kicks as the person is rushing you, so that says you need more practice with your teep. If you haven't been shown how to bend at the waist to get your body out of range while throwing low kicks, you might want to be having this discussion with your instructor. We still don't know what your background is other than 3-4 months of Muay Thai, so it is difficult to suggest techniques you may be comfortable with, other than extremely basic MT.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Hello! I´ve been doing Martial Arts for around 3-4 Years and for the past few months I´ve been doing Muay Thai. What I´ve never learned is what you do if someone comes at you with swinging, wild punches. I´ve tried to google and youtube it but nothing seems to work the way it should. What do you guys think is the best things to do? I told my friend to come at me with swinging punches (with gloves obv) I tried to clinch but that didn't work out so well. What I think is the best thing to do it step to the side if you have enough space and attack. What do you think you can do more?

My personal thoughts on this is that you should ask your friend to come at you again so that you can find out the answer to this question on your own. What I would do vs what you would do, vs what someone else would in that situation could all be different things. What works for me may not be good for you.

I think you would benefit more by training against this attack and sharing what works, what doesn't work, what you are having trouble with. The reason I say this is because it is possible that you are doing the right thing to deal with an attack like that, but your timing may be off which is why it isn't working.

when your friend is swinging wildly, are all of his punches linear, or are all of the punches circular. Knowing things like that can help you determine your options. When your friend punches at you do you turtle, can you see openings as he's charging in? Do you see openings? These are things that you should be doing. Fighting is less about "What I can do if..." and more about "What opportunities does my opponent give me to strike...."

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What I´ve never learned is what you do if someone comes at you with swinging, wild punches.

You can

- let your opponent chest to run into your front kick.
- let his face to run into your rhino guard.
- take him down by "single leg".
- move out of the way and lead him into the emptiness
- ...

 

[MorzMP]

If he's getting inside of your kicking range, throw knee instead keeping your hands up to cover your face and then drive right down the middle with punches

Hmm yeah didn't think of that

 

[MorzMP]

In MT, you would use a teep to create distance and then destroy them with a round house. If they get close, ie you don't get in the teep, then clinch. Clinch is another go to move from a BJJ perspective. It's good for both MT and BJJ... we just hold it different. You have soooo many options from a clinch.

yeah true, I tried to clinch but it was pretty hard cuz of his arms being in the way tho. Probably did something wrong

 

[Gerry Seymour]

yeah true, I tried to clinch but it was pretty hard cuz of his arms being in the way tho. Probably did something wrong

Can you describe the punches? I'm picturing three very different scenarios at the same time, based upon how I read your posts. Clarification would be...well, clarifying.

 

[MorzMP]

Fair enough , however as you've said, you have 3-4 months of Muay Thai, and have trouble landing your kicks as the person is rushing you, so that says you need more practice with your teep. If you haven't been shown how to bend at the waist to get your body out of range while throwing low kicks, you might want to be having this discussion with your instructor. We still don't know what your background is other than 3-4 months of Muay Thai, so it is difficult to suggest techniques you may be comfortable with, other than extremely basic MT.

Yeah well I have a friend that have been praticing MT for 1 year but he is pretty damn good so I ask him alot. Also I quick learned the basics of MT and some advanced things. Before MT I mainly watched youtube videos and trained at home. I did some taekwondo and aikido too tho.

 

[MorzMP]

My personal thoughts on this is that you should ask your friend to come at you again so that you can find out the answer to this question on your own. What I would do vs what you would do, vs what someone else would in that situation could all be different things. What works for me may not be good for you.

I think you would benefit more by training against this attack and sharing what works, what doesn't work, what you are having trouble with. The reason I say this is because it is possible that you are doing the right thing to deal with an attack like that, but your timing may be off which is why it isn't working.

when your friend is swinging wildly, are all of his punches linear, or are all of the punches circular. Knowing things like that can help you determine your options. When your friend punches at you do you turtle, can you see openings as he's charging in? Do you see openings? These are things that you should be doing. Fighting is less about "What I can do if..." and more about "What opportunities does my opponent give me to strike...."

Yeah okay got it! I have a hard time to see openings etc though since my reaction time isn't good enough, can't even see if my opponent is gonna throw a jab or a hook before it lands :/

 

[MorzMP]

Can you describe the punches? I'm picturing three very different scenarios at the same time, based upon how I read your posts. Clarification would be...well, clarifying.

Jabs, crosses and hooks.

 

[marques]

The stop kick to the knee is one of my favorites, though I admit to questioning its reliability on unpredictable surfaces.

Why unreliable on unpredictable surfaces (if there is no rotation on the supporting foot)?

I prefer this one in relation to the front kick since it is safer (against takedowns), faster (because shorter), and can be done from shorter distance (so still an option if the reaction time is slow). It will hardly produce a TKO, but it nullifies largely footwork, 'punch work' and everything.

I also like leg/low kick. Still done from longer distance than punches. But a bit more complex in a stressful situation and on irregular ground... So instead I use a lot an inside low kick (just above the knee - SP 10 Sea of Blood) done with the toes or shoes (long, safe, unpredictable and painful - just needs accuracy), which requires little to no rotation. Never used in real life (or competition), but in training they are great. When the partner starts managing it, I am already doing something else.

PS: It looks like I am a kicker. I just like to avoid the opponent strengths (wild box in this case).
PS2: I am trying to put too much in too little words. Again...