Finding the proper distance

[terryl965]

I was wondering what everybody does for there fighters to help them understand the proper distance when you compete. We have been very succesful over the years but have notice that our middle belts seems to have some problem with the concept that we teach. So if any of you would love to share what you do for your mid belt I am listening..

 

[dancingalone]

I was wondering what everybody does for there fighters to help them understand the proper distance when you compete.

Take out the bolded part and I can participate in the discussion.

One of the better drills for building up an awareness of distance is to pair 2 partners in a free sparring exercise. Fighter A can only kick. Fighter B can only punch. Each student knows ahead of time what the successful range will be for each of them and it forces them to move to gain it for themselves while hampering the other.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Make them keenly aware of their strike zone and that of their opponent. Have them work with opponents of varying heights and see if they can identify their opponent's strike zone. Gauging distance is a sensory skill that needs to be developed differently than simply hitting the target.

Most people are at least subconsciously aware of their own strike zone. It is connected to their body, after all. But an opponent who can gauge your strike zone can move in and out of it at will and a novice may assume that they are gauging the distance wrong, when in reality, their opponent is simply playing against the student's inability to maintain and make use of distance.

Not doing TKD competition any longer, but it doesn't matter; the principle is the same, be it fists, feet, or swords.

I just finished teaching a teen how to handle the strike zone of a much taller opponent by sparring with him myself. He is about five seven and I six four. Spent months working with him on it. Not only is he now able to fight against a tall guy, he can work the distance with opponents his own size and smaller. When we sparred last week, he really was quite a challenge. Made me smile!

Daniel

 

[bluekey88]

One thing we do when I do BBT is test distance. You stop the interaction and hold your pose, then the other guy puts out fist (or foot) and if they can touch you, you're too close. When your angle is such that you can reach them and they can't reach you, ideal.

Adjust. continue.


Where we struggle is with puberty. Kids hit these crazy growth spurts. What was fine distanceing at the end of the season is now several inches too short the next season. It messes our players up something fierce.

 

[Touch Of Death]

An organization called the UKF uses concentric circles to teach the range of each weapon in your arsenal. It might prove usefull; however, it does cause the student to look down at the circles, which is a bad habbit usually reserved for memorization issues. As long as you are concious of not looking down in real life...
Sean

 

[Gorilla]

An organization called the UKF uses concentric circles to teach the range of each weapon in your arsenal. It might prove usefull; however, it does cause the student to look down at the circles, which is a bad habbit usually reserved for memorization issues. As long as you are concious of not looking down in real life...
Sean

Terry,

Watch as many Tony Graf fights as you can! He is the king of distance and ring management.

 

[terryl965]

Terry,

Watch as many Tony Graf fights as you can! He is the king of distance and ring management.

Yes I know Tony has helped Zach, but my mid belts are just not getting it.

 

[Gorilla]

Yes I know Tony has helped Zach, but my mid belts are just not getting it.

As you know distance is the key in our sport. It also the last thing that most fighters get. Keep working your training will sink in. I don't think that there is a magic pill. It takes time training and ring experience.

 

[ATC]

Mid belts, lower belts and even advanced belt all do one thing wrong when it comes to distance, they step before delivering the technique. Most times they are in perfect range to deliver the perfect technique but for some reason they take that one front foot step that now puts their distance to close. Just watch them and you will see it just about every time.

Even when kicking focus pads for targets they all take a front foot step so it becomes habit. You must break this habit first. When kicking paddles or shields or anything that is not hitting back make sure they don't step. Get your proper distance and simply kick.

I think that many do this to get some momentum for the kick. If this is the case then they don't know how to initiate the kick in the first place. They use the step to build the power. The power should be from the push off, not a step.

Let me know what you see when you have your students kick a stationary object. I bet they all step. Not only does this throw your distance off but it also slows down the kick and telegraphs it as well. So when they step the opponent either slides in or angles off and counters with ease.

 

[dancingalone]

Mid belts, lower belts and even advanced belt all do one thing wrong when it comes to distance, they step before delivering the technique. Most times they are in perfect range to deliver the perfect technique but for some reason they take that one front foot step that now puts their distance to close. Just watch them and you will see it just about every time.

Even when kicking focus pads for targets they all take a front foot step so it becomes habit. You must break this habit first. When kicking paddles or shields or anything that is not hitting back make sure they don't step. Get your proper distance and simply kick.

I think that many do this to get some momentum for the kick. If this is the case then they don't know how to initiate the kick in the first place. They use the step to build the power. The power should be from the push off, not a step.

Let me know what you see when you have your students kick a stationary object. I bet they all step. Not only does this throw your distance off but it also slows down the kick and telegraphs it as well. So when they step the opponent either slides in or angles off and counters with ease.

Good observation. That's a poor habit that infects even non-competitor martial artists.

 

[StudentCarl]

I agree with the comment above on watching footwork with stationary targets.

From there I suggest paddle work and lots of it for middle belts. We spend a lot of time doing line drills with paddles and partners--not standing still. After each kick the attacker resets. Since both partners move, the distance is a little different each time the paddle is presented.

I also think narrow target focus is an important coaching point, especially for younger players. You sharpen your distance focus by picking a small spot (on the paddle, bag, opponent, etc.) instead of kicking at the whole paddle. I found this working with the younger kids on basic paddle drills--their accuracy improves greatly when they pick an exact spot to kick.

Carl

 

[Masshiro]

i have a few tricks that help a person to know there own distance in a real fight but not in compitition. these do not count for side kicks.

if you extend your foot out and can just rest it against your opponent you are too far away.

if you can reach out and touch them with your finger tips you are in the middle of kicking range

If you can gab the back of there neck you are in the middle of punching range

if you are close enough to hug them you are at knee and elbow range

if you are touching body to body you are at throwing and grapling range

i dont know if this will help for tournaments but this is what i have figured out over the past 20+ years of martial arts training.