finding the right distance

[terryl965]

What drills do you and your school do to help with finding the right distance when attracking or defending yourself? Just looking to improve on some of mine. I am big about knowing how far it takes to reach a person with each and every kick, whether they are moving in or moving out or cicling you, I also would like to see what people do we someone jams them to closely.

 

[ATC]

Well it all depends on if you are referring to SD or Sport. In SD most time the distance will be close as most of the techniques are for if someone grabs you. There are some striking techniques for when someone is approaching you and you know that they are about to do harm but for the most part SD is all about close contact for us.

Now if you are talking sport or sparing in the dojang then it becomes more complicated than just drills. You have to understand concepts. Everyone can stand at the correct distance and kick something, but trying to do that with a moving target is another thing. An opponent will not just stand there, and is also reading you and your movements. They will close or widen the distance between you depending on what you show. So concepts must be applied.

Examples:

If you are fighting an opponent that likes to keep a far distance from you, they are more likely to be counter fighters. They keep that distance to see and give them time to read and react to your attacks. So you have to understand this and use footwork and motion to close the distance before attacking. You also may have to use follow up techniques to catch them as the first technique may not reach them. So sometimes your first technique may have to be a fake or a decoy to connect with the second or even third technique thrown. So with this understanding your first technique should not be thrown with full power nor should it be over thrown as you will not be able to follow up quickly enough.

Now if you are against an opponent that likes to jam you or attack you first the same footwork and motion techniques still apply but your first techniques will be the ones that connect. You still need to follow up but your footwork will be different as you will need to shorten your techniques. You will also have to move and not try to move your opponent as many do. This also goes back to footwork. The number one technique that everyone employs for a person that likes to jam is the bada (pada) chagi. It is a simple slide off and kick but it is fast. The slide and the kick are simultaneous, they are done at the same time. It is not two separate moves. The back foot kicks while the front foot slides back and replaces the back kicking foot.

So to answer your question about drills I would say footwork, footwork, footwork. Proper distance come from footwork and nothing more. Sometimes we have our kids practice only footwork for entire class times. This will include but not limited to shuffle steps, slides, just stepping, slide plus step, step plus slide, double slides, tripple slides, double slide puls step, and tons of other foot moving techniques. Also anything that is done forward is also done backwards.

Once a fighter has good footwork then distance is not an issue.