what styles give you fits?

[jarrod]

we've all ran into this: the guy in the gym that shouldn't give us any trouble but for whatever reason they are just a bad style match up for us. for me, it's the outside counter-fighter; a guy with long reach who makes me come to him. i'm primarily an in-fighter when striking, & a guy who knows how to keep me in his range while retreating really gives me problems.

my kicks are pretty solid, so if i hang back & chop at their legs i do okay, but i eventually feel the need to do something decisive then get clobbered trying to close. during sparring, i often feel as if i didn't score at least one potentially fight-ending blow i didn't do well. i need to learn to develop the patience to chop at the legs until they come to me.

so what is your bad match-up, & what can you do to improve?

jf

[tshadowchaser]

I have a student that is awkward in many of his moves and because of this he is some what unpredictable. What appears to be the beginning of one technique may instead be something else.

[Guardian]

I'd have to say that my biggest problem when I use to spar around was the grapplers, I was pretty good at keep them at bay, but as with anything, it always comes down to that one moment when they get inside your defenses and it's over (since my grappling skills were and are still very weak).

[Babook]

I am an outside fighter too. Can't do much on the inside and I don't like to get hit. lol My master always says "make him play your game." That's easier said than done.

[arnisador]

The most trouble I ever had in sparring was a Northern Preying mantis stylist, but to this day I don't know whether it was the style or the man!

[Chuck]

I hate long reach punch and run guys.

[astrobiologist]

I try to keep myself open to any type of fighting/fighter so the style doesn't really ever bother me too much. One thing that does bother me is mentality. I can't stand those guys who seem to always be on an ego trip. They seem to think that the martial arts are about simply about fighting and that's it. These guys are predictable; make 'em mad and they get frustrated and they make mistakes...

[Never_A_Reflection]

The guy who charges in without a whole lot of care for the fact that you're in the way--in point-sparring, at least. If I'm allowed to hit full-power, then I don't mind keeping them away with my kicks, and if it's judo, they can rush me all they want, since it just helps me throw them.

[Deaf Smith]

Very big strong men while much skill and power. They have always given my fits.

Deaf

[jarrod]

Very big strong men while much skill and power. They have always given my fits.

Deaf

i think that's probably normal :/

once after grappling class i was whining about how much trouble i had with strong wrestlers who had good submission defense. one of my students said, "so if a guy is stronger than you, has better positioning, & can defend submissions you can't beat him? gee, that's too bad." kinda put things in perspective for me.

jf

[Babook]

Actually I remmember fighting a gentelman who kept moving his guards. Left hand up, right hand up, etc. That was driving me nuts, I could not get set on a technique to use against him.

[Yew]

we've all ran into this: the guy in the gym that shouldn't give us any trouble but for whatever reason they are just a bad style match up for us. for me, it's the outside counter-fighter; a guy with long reach who makes me come to him. i'm primarily an in-fighter when striking, & a guy who knows how to keep me in his range while retreating really gives me problems.



Yucks.I hate that.Extremely annoying when they have better reach than you.It is so annoying that it can't be put into words here.


I hate long reach punch and run guys.

Even worse when they don't run but stay there posing like a statue while using a defensive stance just so you can move first and then he sees a weak point.If the instructor allows a No-holds barred Anything goes fight and if your opponent is open mindeed to any sort of tactict ,spitting at them as a feint to make them make the first move(even though it's an evade move by moving thei head aside) usually does the trick.

Otherwise,don't do that.It's not polite :)

[jarrod]

i'm all for realistic sparring & real-world self-defense. that said, if somebody spit on me during sparring, i think they would be in a real fight very, very soon.

jf

[Yew]

(mistake)

[Cirdan]

I think I am pretty well rounded. Still have a little problem handling quick guys with some skill, I guess I can get better at keeping my guard and reading the opponent.

[Brian S]

I've never ran into a particular style that gives me fits,but certain people can. Goes to show you.

[bluemtn]

I've always had a problem with taller people, especially when they can easily kick over my head without much effort. I compensate by moving to their outside, quickly. Definitely a great way to get in shape that way, especially if they can move fast!

[Kosho Gakkusei]

I usually try to be the guy that gives the opponent fits. I analyze their fighting style and try to adopt the approach that makes them most uncomfortable.

If they tend to lay back and counter - I will press the attack, get inside and stick to them or create a false perception then attack suddenly and explosively without warning.
If they tend to be agressive and pressing the attack - I will be fluid and use circular techniques.
If they're a grappler - I will control the distance lay back and counter.
If they're a fluid fighter - I will use containment/control techniques and strategies.

It usually works pretty well for me unless they're just better than me.

_Don Flatt

[allenjp]

Wrestlers.

Their balance is unbelieveable. Just try to take them down with a single or double leg. Let alone a throw. And subbing them once they're down is tough too. At least for me....

[jarrod]

Wrestlers.

Their balance is unbelieveable. Just try to take them down with a single or double leg. Let alone a throw. And subbing them once they're down is tough too. At least for me....

a well rounded wrestler is a handful, plain & simple. i couldn't do anything with them until i started training judo & sambo. there are a lot of little sweeps & trips that they often don't expect. sacrifice throws seem to upset their game too, since going to one's own back is alien to them. as for submitting them...well, just hope they don't have much submission training!

jf

[Ninebird8]

In kung fu, I am a bird stylist (eagle claw, white crane, shaolin nine birds), and also a Yang tai chi stylist, so after 31 years ( I also wrestled 4 years in high school so have some ground but at 5'4" 150 lbs do not go there if I can avoid it...LOL), in the Chinese arts snake stylists and mantis stylists are the hardest for me. The snake because very elusive and fast, so very hard to apply my locks or fly above, especially if your senior is 14 inches taller, 170 lbs more and faster than you, plus 15 years younger (we both have 31 years, but he started at age 5 and I at age 18 after the 4 years of wrestling). The mantis, because like eagle claw and white crane, the mantis is very adept at locking and using that bridge to attack with great legs, etc. Most other martial arts do not give me much trouble, for one reason I competed for 18 years against tae kwon do, karate, Filipino, etc so I understand their good and bad points, like any other martial art including mine!

In all though, I must admit the style of one's art has never given me as much trouble as the man and skill. Especially if they understand the importance of footwork, have good fa jing, went through the Shaolin body training I did (ouch just thinking about those 7 years), are natural now rather than worrying about technique, get there sooner rather than quicker/faster, calm with mind at peace and little emotion while fighting, etc. Those kind of people are scary, no matter what the style!!! That is why, I usually try to observe one's tendencies and one's body movements unique to them, then react naturally to the changing conditions.

AGAIN, AFTER A CERTAIN LEVEL, IT IS NOT THE STYLE THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU FITS, IT IS THE PERSON EXECUTING IT!!!

[allenjp]

a well rounded wrestler is a handful, plain & simple. i couldn't do anything with them until i started training judo & sambo. there are a lot of little sweeps & trips that they often don't expect. sacrifice throws seem to upset their game too, since going to one's own back is alien to them. as for submitting them...well, just hope they don't have much submission training!

jf

That'sthe one area where I feel I have a real advantage against wrestler...on my back. They're just not used to it...

[Nolerama]

spitting at them as a feint to make them make the first move(even though it's an evade move by moving thei head aside) usually does the trick.

Otherwise,don't do that.It's not polite :)

How do you spit with your mouth guard in place?? That's like putting your head under your blanket and farting...

[allenjp]

How do you spit with your mouth guard in place?? That's like putting your head under your blanket and farting...

ROFLMAO, that is the funniest thing I have read in a looong time. Thanks for the belly tickler...

[JadeDragon3]

The fighting style that gives me the hardest time (in competition sparring) are those people with long legs that just hold there leg up and just hold it there and as soon as you move in they tag you. They don't even put any power in the kick but they get the point for the kick. These people would be easy to defeat in a real fight but it just ticks me off in competition when they do this. I want to say to the "come on, fight me you coward. Stop with this BS and fight".

[jarrod]

In kung fu, I am a bird stylist (eagle claw, white crane, shaolin nine birds), and also a Yang tai chi stylist, so after 31 years ( I also wrestled 4 years in high school so have some ground but at 5'4" 150 lbs do not go there if I can avoid it...LOL), in the Chinese arts snake stylists and mantis stylists are the hardest for me. The snake because very elusive and fast, so very hard to apply my locks or fly above, especially if your senior is 14 inches taller, 170 lbs more and faster than you, plus 15 years younger (we both have 31 years, but he started at age 5 and I at age 18 after the 4 years of wrestling). The mantis, because like eagle claw and white crane, the mantis is very adept at locking and using that bridge to attack with great legs, etc. Most other martial arts do not give me much trouble, for one reason I competed for 18 years against tae kwon do, karate, Filipino, etc so I understand their good and bad points, like any other martial art including mine!

In all though, I must admit the style of one's art has never given me as much trouble as the man and skill. Especially if they understand the importance of footwork, have good fa jing, went through the Shaolin body training I did (ouch just thinking about those 7 years), are natural now rather than worrying about technique, get there sooner rather than quicker/faster, calm with mind at peace and little emotion while fighting, etc. Those kind of people are scary, no matter what the style!!! That is why, I usually try to observe one's tendencies and one's body movements unique to them, then react naturally to the changing conditions.

AGAIN, AFTER A CERTAIN LEVEL, IT IS NOT THE STYLE THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU FITS, IT IS THE PERSON EXECUTING IT!!!

interesting post, i'm just learning about CMA & it's good to read a comparison of the various animal styles that i mostly know just from movies.

my kickboxing coach is one of those unnervingly calm people you mentioned. he's also a dragon stylist & also teaches wu style tai chi.

i wanted to clarify for some people though that i'm not talking about what martial arts style gives you fits (though feel free to share that as well) but what style of fighter. for example, you'll hear boxing commentators talk about the boxer, the slugger, the boxer/puncher, etc. their style is 'boxing' but each fighter does it different.

or look at wrestling: people assume that a good wrestlers have skills that translate directly to mma. but i've run into great wreslters who had really bad takedowns because they scored all their points on the mat. another wrestler had a great single leg for wrestling, but he "milked" the move & would eat a dozens of unanswered punches while working his standard takedown in mma. fighters make the styles, of course. that said the guys that are tough for me tend to have common traits or approaches.

jf

[Ninebird8]

Nevermind...LOL!!! Sorry if I misinterpreted your question, but still a great topic.

[tko4u]

I sometimes run into people who when sparring me RUN! And they run if I throw or fake, or foot switch, or blink, or think about blinking, and it gives me trouble because if I throw something, or step up to attack, and they run away, it for some reason throws me off.

Im not sure how to fix it, my instructor says they are intimidated. Anybody else have this give you problems? If so, how did you fix it?


Nice topic by the way.

[jarrod]

I sometimes run into people who when sparring me RUN! And they run if I throw or fake, or foot switch, or blink, or think about blinking, and it gives me trouble because if I throw something, or step up to attack, and they run away, it for some reason throws me off.

Im not sure how to fix it, my instructor says they are intimidated. Anybody else have this give you problems? If so, how did you fix it?


Nice topic by the way.

if they are running because they are intimidated, you've already won :). seriously, it's pretty hard to deal with a marathoner unless you have a ring or a padded corner to back them into. it may be kind of a jerk move, but i usually kind of showboat with these guys. turn my back on them, drop my guard, etc. they already let you in their head, you might as well play around in there!

jf

[qwksilver61]

Tai Chi....for one I have yet to see someone who actually uses it in a fight,
I don't believe that anyone teaches the true combat form of Tai Chi,and some will tell you it is for self defense.The other is Choy Lay Fut can anyone tell me about the Choy Lay.... Wing Tsun rivalry? is any of this confusing? I thought so...

[Yew]

How do you spit with your mouth guard in place?? That's like putting your head under your blanket and farting...

Did I say I was in an art which uses a mouthpiece? :D

[hogstooth]

I had problems as a kid with guys that shoot in and tackle you,wrestlers. I finally figured it out. I am tall so like to fight on the outside from angles. I have a student that finds a way to get inside and he sometimes gives me grief. But thats what is so great about obstacles, figuring out how to overcome them.