Defending against fists to the ribs.

[alphacat]

Hey,​

I learned today how to defend against fists to the ribs.
I'm keeping the same fight stance.
Bending my knees a bit.
Attaching my elbows to my hips.
Turning my hips to have the fist striking my arm, and not my body.​

I haven’t managed to tell this to my instructor at the end of the class so I wanted to ask you ask you this in the meantime please.​

The problem is that when the fist hitting my arm, my elbow's point gets into my rib, or my pelvis bone, and it really hurts (my elbow's point hurts my rib/pelvis bone).
What am I doing wrong?​

I'm attaching the elbow to my body sides since I want to strongly resist the fist's strike.
If I dont attach it to my body sides, it gets into my rib/pelvis bone anyway, but harder and faster.

Perhaps I should turn my hips more, so the elbow's point will get into my abs at the time of strike?​

Thanks fellas.

 

[Omar B]

Attached your elbows to your hips? Sounds awful static and more likely to get you hurt. I'm not gonna tell you or your instructor how to do things considering my experience comes from karate, but a couple simple blocks couple solve that without you getting your elbow or hip bone chipped during a fight.

 

[alphacat]

Hey,
Perhaps i didnt explain myself correctly.

I meant that the elbows should be tucked in to protect your ribs/liver/kidnies from fists strikes.

The problem is that if I have my elbows' points around the ribs, then once the fist strikes, the elbow's point gets into my rib and hurts it.

 

[Omar B]

You gotta figure out how to set your elbows in relation to your torso then. The elbows are at your sides but not on your sides man. You gotta get in the ring and work out the elbow positioning that works for you, but from what you are describing with the elbows that close to your torso it means your fist might be a bit low to protect your face. Get yourself a basketball get your arms up and support the basketball between your face (resting the ball below your leading eye) and get that spacing set in your muscle memory. From that spacing the elbow should also be in the right corresponding position to check body blows.

Hope it works for you, that's how I did it and it worked for me.

 

[mariaclara]

nice tips from Omar.

fist gap - basketball
fist height - should be protecting your chin.
Rib protection? as Omar said, it seems risky to lower your elbows, leaving your chin open.
The way I remember it was, can use elbows to protect ribs.
but, elbows shouldn't be tucked into your ribs. the punches will punch through.

better is push kick/footwork/evading/blocking.
Don't wait for that punch to your ribs.
Get in there first!

 

[BLACK LION]

Keep your hands up...elbows should be under the pectoral muscles... you see a strike to the ribs coming wether its from an arm or leg, drop the elbow and drive it into the arm or leg... Dont tuck them into your ribs and absorb impact...either strike the leg or arm with the elbow and deflect it, or move out of the wall completely ...