Senor Descado...
I've been studying Krav Maga for
the last year- my first venture into martial arts- after spending half my life freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. I
enjoy it. I think it has its good points and its bad points, but I'm not really here to discuss that.
My question
concerns sparring, and the importance of being good at it. Now, I've never been in a fight before, but on the mat I
never have, and still don't, feel any pain. I love it. I'm comfortable. But when it comes to striking, I
blow chunks hard.
Boxing is not easy as it looks on TV!!!
Now, Krav Maga is not known for its ability to create
great fighters- that's not what it's for. But during "fight" class, it's basically Muay Thai boxing, (with roundhouse
kicks to the lower and mid body), and groundfighting, (takedowns, submissions, etc.). When we go all out and I take
the fight to the ground, which I can normally do quite easily, I own. But when it's strictly striking, it's like target
practice for the other guy, and it gets very frustrating and I try my damnedest not to get [fucked up]. <-- (I'm guessing
you meant "fucked up". It was all starred out on the forum).
My defense and movement blows, and I feel like I'm throwing
pussy ass girly punches, while getting pummeled across the back of the head because I stick my head out like a chicken.
Now,
I know in a real life situation I would never go toe to toe with somebody, nor would I take it to the ground if I didn't have
to. I'd adhere to the things I've learned and many of the things you've mentioned in the ToeKneeBun thread to end it
and get the H out of there. So my question is, should I be getting so frustrated that I'm not a natural striker, and
just realize it's only practice? How are you at sparring? Did it take you a while to get the feel for it once
you started with SuperAsskicker?
Any help would be appreciated!
Wurd to yer mutha.
-MediocreAssKicker
***
Another excellent question, (which is why I'm starting the
"Ask Mike" section). First off, I don't know much about Krav Maga, but, if you've spent half your life wrestling, you're
already WAY ahead of the game. Wrestlers are some of the best fighters in the world, largely because of the realistic
way they compete, (against each other at full speed), along with superior conditioning. That aside, wrestlers sport
the super mack daddy trump card against strikers: the ability to shoot, take an opponent down, and control him on the
ground.
All you need is a few submissions, a few ground-n-pound type
strikes, and the ability to fight from your back, and you're deadly. From the little I know about Krav Maga, your ground
game has probably been thusly augmented, so- like you said- there's no need to address it further.
Now, while wrestling does indeed seem to come naturally to
some people, (like me), striking is a horse of a different color. You see, good striking isn't evolutionarily innate
to humans, and you can see this mirrored in the animal kingdom. If you ever watch the Discovery channel, you'll see
a lot of higher mammals, (from primates to lions to rodents), employ grappling quite a bit. Lions are the best example
of this, as they take their prey down and then apply a finishing hold, (biting the neck).
Contrastingly, anytime you see striking in the animal kingdom,
it's always a wide, slapping kind of motion, like a kitty cat swiping a string. This is readily observable in amateur
boxing events like the Toughman, where two rednecks get in the ring and swing wildly at each other. The winner in said
contests is almost always the bigger, stronger combatant, (or the one that can last the longest, which gets back to stamina
and/or conditioning).
That's great for big guys, but most people aren't built
like Kyle or Justin, so technical prowess MUST come into play if you wanna prevail- and that takes a lot of training.
How important is contact sparring? Well, I'd say pretty damn important, if for no other reason than you learn
to deal with the "OH SHIT!!!" factor. The best way to learn how to take a hit and keep on going is to, indeed, take
a hit. So, (while I'm sure this goes without saying), keep on sparring. You'll get better, it just takes time
to overcome your natural instincts to "swing away".
You asked about my own sparring, so I'll elaborate a little.
My early training was in traditional karate, which- while giving me the ability to throw punches and kicks with a little bit
of savvy- didn't even REMOTELY prepare me for street fighting or full speed kickboxing. Traditional striking arts are
just too ritualized, and you basically end up learning how to fight ONLY against those who train the same style. That's
a broad generalization, but it's pretty much true across the board. Go into any martial arts school, (maybe even yours),
and you'll find that most people totally freak out when you rush in and start throwing punches like a maniac. They're
just not accustomed to the "energy" of a real attack. Thus, they get waylaid.
When I first started training with SuperAsskicker, (who'd
boxed and kickboxed professionally), I got my shit ruined by guys half my size. I could certainly kick and punch "hard",
but I couldn't land anything because my stance, footwork, and timing sucked. I also wasn't used to getting nailed in
the face, so the "OH SHIT!!!" factor was constantly causing me to wig the fuck out.
Your situation sounds a little different, since Krav Maga
isn't a traditional style, so let's talk about good striking in general.
1. Stance:
When I was in college, my buddy Jamie Laws and I went to see
the movie "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" at our local cinema. Though the plot of the film doesn't even resemble the real
life of Bruce Lee, I was totally infatuated by his theories on fighting, and I went out and bought his book, "The Tao of Jeet
Kune Do", the next day.
Due to certain terminology differences, (and a crapload of
philosophy), I couldn't understand most of it- but I DID try to incorporate the so-called Bent Knee Phasic Stance.
I couldn't get it to work.
Granted, I had only the book to teach me, but it seemed really
awkward. Bruce preached the virtue of having the strong side forward, (like, if you're right handed, you fight with
your right hand and foot out in front), which TOTALLY contradicted not only my traditional martial arts training, but also
general boxing theory.
Which side you have forward is irrelevant, actually, but I'll
address that in a later rant.
Anyway, the foot position of the Bent Knee Phasic Stance was
totally alien to me, and I felt all bunched up. The rear heel was raised so that you support 60% (I think) of your weight
on the ball of your back foot, leaving the flat-footed front one to support the other 40%. The logic behind this is
that you can kick with the front foot faster, but, again, I couldn't get it to work.
Also, the body was bent slightly forward, which made
no sense if you had the majority of your weight on the back foot.
It was very frustrating, and I eventually gave up.
It was only years later when I started training with
SuperAsskicker, that I came to understand what Bruce Lee was trying to say. Like me, Bruce talked too much, and he made
things complicated where they weren't. The stance I incorporate now is much like a boxer's, except that I do indeed
keep my back heel raised. You see, when the back foot is "up" on the ball of said foot, you can bring your heavy quadriceps
muscles into play to shoot forward.
Next time you're working on it, assume a traditional boxer's
stance, (which you can study any given night on ESPN), and then take your back foot and turn it over slightly, thus lifting
your heel off the ground.
Have you ever seen Olympic sprinters at the starting line?
Their back foot is in the same position so that they can push off with that extra ounce of quickness. Of course, they're
bent over with their hands on the track, but the theory is the same.
So, let's give a little summery on foot position. They're
about shoulder width apart, (don't get too narrow, or you'll topple sideways. Don't get too wide either, or your groin
will be squared off to your opponent), with the front foot FLAT on the ground and turned slightly, (and I mean SLIGHTLY),
inwards. The back foot is up on the ball with the heel off the ground. The angle of the back foot is not quite
forward, (which would be 0% with respect to your opponent), but not quite 270% either, (which would be a 45% angle from your
opponent's perspective), but somewhere in between. If you're doing it right, your rear calf will get fatigued rather
quickly until you get used to it.
The main point is that your rear quad muscles need to be facing
ALMOST straight ahead, so that when you wanna move forward, you're already poised to do so.
As far as body weight distribution, don't worry about percentages.
Do what feels comfortably balanced. I have a feeling that my own stance has half my weight on the front foot, and half
on the rear- but I don't really think about it.
Bruce Lee was all about kicking with the front foot, but that's
not entirely realistic. You want an EQUAL distribution of weight so that you can kick with either leg, at any time,
without having to overtly shift yourself to one foot or the other.
Clear as milk poured over horseshit? Cool...
Okay, moving upwards, let's talk about the knees. Since
the rear heel is raised, your back leg will bend naturally, but there's a tendency to straighten the FRONT leg with a locked
knee, and you don't wanna do that. Keep the front knee bent, at least a little, which is probably how you had it when
you wrestled.
Remember, ease of mobility is the key here, and a locked front
knee doesn't do anything but glue you to the ground.
Now, the torso. You want it slightly bent forward with
your sternum turned away at a 45% angle with respect to your opponent, (or a 270% angle if you're doing this with your
right side forward, like I do).
DON'T SQUARE OFF!!! But don't turn sideways either.
The ideal is a happy medium.
Your head faces directly forward with your chin tucked down
as comfortably as you can tuck it. It doesn't have to be touching the top of your breast bone, but you definitely wanna
"hide" it. Tuck it as much as you can without obstructing your vision, which should always be locked to your opponent's
center mass, (see the ToeKneeBun article for more on this).
Now, your shoulders, arms, and fists... Let's assume
you're fighting out of a right lead, with your right foot and right hand forward. Your left fist needs to
be PINNED at your left temple at all times. This is hard to maintain- especially when you get tired-
but it will SAVE YOUR ASS against a headhunter. It's a lot easier to 'shield' a target, (like your temple and/or chin), than
it is to reach out and intercept a blow directed at said target. I fight out of a right lead when given the choice because
I know that most guys are right handed. Thus, when they swing with the right, my left is already there to bear the brunt
of any incoming punch to the left side of my head.
Moving on, the LEAD hand should be held out in front, at about
your own nose level. You want it high, but not so high that it obstructs your vision. Likewise, if it's too
far out, you have to recoil before punching with your lead hand. If it's too close, you might have to
"cock it" to fire, not to mention that your opponent gets the "feel" of being able to get closer to you than he should.
I just checked, and my own lead hand hovers about sixteen
inches in front of my face, with a 90% bend between the bicep and forearm. Your own extension and/or angle may differ,
(depending on body type and arm length), but one certainty remains paramount.... KEEP YOUR ELBOWS IN!!!
Have you ever seen the movie "Spiderman"? Where Flash
Thompson is trying to kick Peter Parker's ass for accidentally dumping a cafeteria lunch on him? Flash's hand position
isn't half bad, (since he has his fists at his temples), but his elbows are way out, and you can't do it that way. Keep
your elbows in, because an experienced fighter will nail you with a punch or a kick to the ribs.
This is not such a danger in a street fight, as most guys
are headhunters, but we're talking about sparring/boxing/kickboxing here, and besides, training correctly is a 24/7 endeavor.
Ironically, you probably already know most of this stuff,
MediocreAssKicker, but the "Ask Mike" section is for everyone who reads this site, so I felt I should elaborate.
Regardless, you mentioned that you stick you head out "like a chicken" when you spar, which is common for wrestlers. I'd
imagine that you're currently kickboxing with a "shooter's" mentality, which is the best way I know to get kneed in the
face or uppercutted.
No problem. Just raise your stance a little, narrow
it a little, and KEEP YOUR HANDS UP!!! The rant I did about "turtling up" applies more to wrestlers in a striking situation
than anyone else, so just tweak things a smidgen. When grappling, do you EVER get caught in a guillotine? Maybe,
maybe not. But, if you do, it's probably because you're leaning forward too much.
Fighting is an equal mix of striking and grappling, and you
must address the first to perpetuate the latter. That's why the stance I've described above is not wholly a boxer's,
nor is it wholly a Jeet Kune Do practitioner's, nor is it wholly a Gracie Jiu-jitsu practitioner's, not is it wholly a wrestler's.
You have to spar with the mindset that ANYTHING could happen. Get too high, and you get taken down. Get too low,
(in reference to you), and you get punched or kneed. A true mixed martial artist can deal with just about anything within
the realm of one-on-one human conflict, but only because he/she has trained with the necessary mentality.
2. Footwork:
I can't teach you this in a post, but you have to move like
a ballroom dancer. When I first started training with SuperAsskicker, I had no concept of footwork. I had a low,
set stance, (like a karate-ka's, or even a wrestler's to a lesser degree), and it negated my ability to move and throw strikes
from a mobile base.
From the stance I've outlined, all you need to know is four
basic techniques: the front step, the back step, circling right, and circling left. Seriously! There are a host
of supposed "footwork" variations, but they all spring (and naturally evolve) from incorporating the four fundamentals- and
in rapid succession.
The cardinal rule is, whichever foot is closest to the
direction in which you wish to travel, THAT is the one you move first.
a) The Front Step: Move your front foot forward 4-8 inches,
and then let your back foot slide up (without it dragging across the ground) to re-establish your basic stance.
This is usually the precursor to a punch or kick, but it doesn't have to be. You can step in, strike, and
then step back out in one motion, not unlike a pendulum.
b) The Back Step: Exactly like the Front Step, but in
reverse. You rear foot moves 4-8 inches backwards, and then your front foot slides back to re-establish your stance.
c) Circling Right: Assuming you're in a right lead, move
your front (right) foot 45% out and to the side, set it down, and then pivot your whole body at an angle. Your back
foot glides into place, (again, without dragging across the ground), and then you're positioned off to the side, thus out
of the direct line of fire of your opponent.
d) Circling Left: Still assuming you're in a right lead, move
your back (left) foot 45% to the side, set it down, and allow your torso to pivot naturally. Your lead foot (the
right) will slide into place, and, once more, you will find yourself off to the side of your opponent.
I'm doing a piss poor job of explaining this because- like
I said- these are things that can't be adequately taught in a post; but perhaps you can get the idea from watching professional
boxers move. The steps they take aren't big, but they get the job done because they can do them in rapid succession.
Instead of taking a giant step towards your opponent, (which puts you off balance), take three or four little steps.
In this way, you're never totally committed to any one movement, which allows you to change direction on the fly.
At first, it's best to practice these four steps individually,
but you eventually wanna work your way up to putting them all together, and in rapid succession. Once you feel comfortable,
get a training partner, and just dance with him. You're objective is to stay JUST OUTSIDE of his range, so you have
to constantly adjust to what he's doing. If he takes a step forward, you take a step back, (or circle off). If
he takes a step back, you take a step forward. Bla, bla, bla, etc.
Good footwork is the single most neglected attribute in fighting/sparring,
and you'll have a HUGE advantage if you can develop it.
3. Defense:
A lot of people say that a good offense is the best defense.
This is certainly true in a street fight, but my own body type is such that I have a very short reach, (I'm only
5'9"), so I've always been a counterpuncher in sparring. As such, I had to develop good defense so that I could
avoid or block a blow, and then counter with one of my own.
Defense shouldn't be neglected in any case, so let's talk
about it. Footwork is the foundation of good defense, (for me), but you're still gonna get caught with stuff, so
you have to know how to block. Smart blocking is all about small movements, where less is more. If someone
throws a straight punch at your face, don't reach out and try to catch it. No, a simple parry will do the job.
If someone throws a Thai kick at your leg, don't try to grab it. No, just raise your knee and "take" the kick on
your shin. If someone hooks at your ribs, lower your elbow just a tad. In each case, you're 'shielding' the
target, or pushing your opponent's strike just enough offline to make it miss.
Simple, simple, simple...
The big flashy blocks of karate and kung fu are ineffectual
at best; down right stupid at worst. It's far better to 'shield' the target, than to reach out and try to do something
fancy. The closer your legs and arms stay to your torso, the more protected you are, and this gets back to "turtling
up".
Legitimate professionals like SuperAsskicker can perpetually
pull off interception techniques, (like, say, blocking and punching at the same time), but most of us mortals never ascend
to that level. SuperAsskicker also does stuff like "cutting" blocks, whereby the opponent's arm or leg is not only negated,
but also damaged. A lot of people claim to be able to do this; but I, for one, rely on footwork first, shielding second,
and interception only when I'm having a really good day.
Regardless, here's a good drill to develop defense.
First get a training partner YOU TRUST, and have him put on boxing gloves and shin pads. You'll probably wanna wear
a mouth piece too. Now, get in a good stance with your back to a wall, and then have your training partner throw various
kicks and punches at you. Have him go slow at first so you don't freak out.
Smart coaches don't just throw you in the water. No,
they train you gradually, like a slow climb up a long ladder.
Practice blocking these slow punches and kicks with the shortest
movements possible. Learn what a cover block is, learn what a parry is, and understand that you can block most kicks
by simply raising your knee. Since your back is against the wall, footwork won't come into play yet. All you're
doing is conditioning your limbs to "shield" vital parts of your body.
Once you get to where your training partner is having a damn
hard time nailing you with punches or kicks, start moving around. Incorporate your footwork, but do the same blocks
you were practicing stationary. This part will be just like sparring, (slow at first), except that you're ONLY defending.
Intentionally removing your own ability to retaliate really allows you to focus on defense, and that's the best way to develop
it.
Since you're sparring for real in your Krav Maga class, MediocreAssKicker,
don't worry about your offense suffering. This is just something you wanna work on outside of class, where the pressure
is far less. Remember, "shield" your vital areas instead of reaching out, and, when you get in trouble, turtle up and
push in close, (where a grappler can proceed to reek havoc).
One last point I'd like to make deals with "watching" your
opponent. Since you're going slow at first, you have time to see certain precursors that alert you to an incoming
attack. A lot of fighters are so set on hitting, they never develop the awareness that comes from watching their
opponents. As I said in the "Self-Defense" rant, look center mass, and use your peripheral vision.
With an effective defense, sparring becomes fun, and you can
pick and choose your own strikes at will. A good offense is still the best defense, but defense itself can't be neglected.
The above little drill will also help you relax and build confidence, (which is hard to do when you're getting your ass handed
to you in the dojo by guys that are probably more concerned with their own training, than yours).
4. Offense:
I'm mentioning this last because, ironically, it comes naturally
once you have the other three attributes. You take care of yourself first, (with a proper stance, good footwork, and
a confident defense), and you'll be beating ass in no time.
Now, you mentioned hitting like a pussy assed girly fag or
something. Well, that's par for the course for most people because they don't train properly. If your Krav Maga
class is teaching Thai Kicks, (as opposed to traditional round kicks), then this probably doesn't apply to you. I'd
imagine that you CAN hit hard, you just can't land on a moving opponent because you're lacking the tools that allow you to
do so, (which goes back to 1., 2., and 3.)
If I'm wrong, then you need to buy a heavy bag and hang it
up in your house or apartment. I have three here at the pimplair, and I'm CONSTANTLY hitting on them. I'm not
necessarily talking about dedicated training either. Whenever I have three minutes to kill, (like, while I'm waiting
for a Hot Pocket to heat up in the microwave), I mosey on over to the bag in the hall and start wailing on it. I also
have the advantage of living with one of my training partners, so we're always throwing kicks and punches at each other in
passing.
In my opinion, heavy bag training, (or the equivalent), is
the only way to develop power. I can't teach this in a post either, but I can give you a few pointers.
First, always stay relaxed. You don't have to hit
"hard", to hit hard. It's all about mechanics, so make sure you're staying loose while rotating your WHOLE body with
each strike, (except for maybe a jab).
Second, keep your hands up. When one fist is out,
the other should be pinned to its respective temple.
Third, don't sacrifice your stance or your balance for what
you think is more power. Stay poised, with proper weight distribution, and the power will come in time.
Overextending yourself is the quickest road to an assbeating.
One other thing I'd like to mention, (which totally applies
to street fighting), is that I never wear bag gloves or wrist wraps when I'm hitting focus mitts or a heavy
bag. I'm a firm believer in skeletal conditioning, so the structural integrity of your wrists and knuckles MUST develop
simultaneously with your punching power. It does you no good to knock the crap outta somebody if you injure your
hand doing it.
You might get bloody knuckles or sore wrists at first, but,
believe me, the payoff is well worth the pain. I can hit just about anything with my right hand, (short of titanium),
and not sustain damage. I also spent years conditioning my shins by Thai Kicking stair banisters and shit, so that when
I block with my shins, the other guy usually gets hurt.
I realize the latter point is a little extreme, so just striking
the heavy bag barehanded is enough.
Wow! I didn't mean to write so much, but, HEY!!!
Maybe you can take a few morsels of usable wisdom from it. The main thing is to keep your hands up, your elbows in,
and work on points 1., 2., and 3. These are universally advantageous attributes, and largely because they are the most
neglected in the present-day martial arts community.
Anyway, to answer your last question, no, you shouldn't get
frustrated over not being able to spar. Like any other skill, it just takes time to master, and the guys in your
Krav Maga class have probably been doing it for a lot longer. Again, I don't know much about Krav Maga, but, if you'll
indulge a wee bit of final advice... keep it simple with respect to sparring technique. My own arsenal is basically
this:
For punching, I rely heavily on the jab, (often thrown in
rapid succession and accompanied by circular footwork), to set up my power punches, which include the lead and rear hook,
the lead and rear uppercut, (to a lesser degree), and the straight rear hand, (a.k.a. the cross). If you can find
a JKD guy to teach it to you, the leading straight punch is also an excellent addition to your punching arsenal,
(and AWESOME for self defense because it's quick, devastating, and can be thrown from almost any position).
For kicking, I rely on the Thai, (which you already know),
the lead leg round kick, the lead and rear front kick, the lead and rear lift kick, (which is basically just a power shot
to the groin), and the lead side kick. I also have a mean spinning back kick, and a anger-inducing oblique kick,
but I don't recommend either unless you have a "knack" for it.
For in-fighting, (i.e. the clinch), I rely on knees, elbows,
and short range hook punches. A double hook with the same hand- to the body and head respectively- is a really crackerjack
move. I also practice headbutts occasionally, but that's a hard one to develop with a training partner, (you'll split
a nigga's face open, and people don't like that).
Simple, simple, simple...
Finally, once you have attributes 1., 2., and 3. down, practice
A.B.C., which stands for Attack By Combination. Don't just throw one technique; throw a whole barrage!
One of my best is the jab, cross, Thai kick- even if the jab and cross don't land. Also, use diversions, like, fake
a low lift kick to the groin, and then punch the head. Your opponent's hands will invariably come down to block the
kick, allowing you open season on his face.
That's all I can think of right now. Lemme' know if
any of that helped you, and be sure to give my site to your instructor and all your friends. ;)
Wurd to YOUR mutha, Bitch!
-Mike
P.S. Listen to me, MediocreAssKicker. Your greatest
advantage is your wrestling background, so- sparring aside- don't be afraid to take a son of a bitch down in a street fight.
Granted, you have to use good judgment, 'cause you don't wanna be blindsided by your opponent's buddies. But a good,
forceful takedown on a cement sidewalk will usually do the trick, submission or no. You've spent half your life becoming
a groundfighter.... USE THAT!!!
