If you had to choose techniques

[DanT]

If you had to choose only 2 punches, 2 kicks, and 2 takedowns to train for the rest of your life, what would they be? I'm curious to see what people's most effective / most reliable techniques are.

For me:

Punches:
-Straights (vertical)
-Hooks

Kicks:
-Side Kick
-Round Kick

Takedowns:
-Sweep
-Double Leg

I would say these are the techniques I use 80% of the time in sparring and on the heavy bag.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If had to pick 2 punches it would be 1 circular and 1 linear but i'm not sure if I want to take the big wheel punches or the hook. The linear punch would probably be a jab of some sort. For the kicks. low shin kick and a front kick, for the take downs it would be 1 sweep and a take down where I break the root vs throwing. I'm not sure of the specific take down.

Picking the punches and takes downs is a difficult choice because I usually train 3-4 different options in both of those areas.

 

[Encho]

Punches:
Jab
Cross

Kicks
Kick to knee
Thai knee in clench

Takedown
Single leg
Ippon nage

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You may be able to pick up 2 punches and 2 kicks. It's hard to pick up 2 throws. The reason is all throws are trained in pairs.

1. forward->backward, or the other way around,
2. clockwise->counter-clockwise, or the other way around,
3. attack left leg, attack right leg, or the other way around,
4. ...

Here is an example of 3 that inner hook, scoop combo is used.

Here is an example of 1 that hip throw, inner hook combo is used.

 

[skribs]

Punches:
Palm Strike to the chin
Underpunch to the gut

Kicks:
Front pushing kick
Roundhouse kick

Takedowns:
Wrist Lock + Arm Bar
Figure 4

Most of our punches are going to be after a block, so when we push the opponent's hands out of the way, it clears us up for a palm strike to the chin, or a punch to the gut.

Pushing kick can be used for crowd control. Roundhouse kick is a simple, but powerful kick.

The wrist lock/arm bar takedown and the figure 4 takedown complement each other well. If your opponent won't let you straighten his arm, transition to Figure 4, and vice versa.

If I was going to add a 3rd to each, I'd add a chop strike, back kick, and another wrist lock to complement the first 2.

 

[DanT]

If had to pick 2 punches it would be 1 circular and 1 linear but i'm not sure if I want to take the big wheel punches or the hook. The linear punch would probably be a jab of some sort. For the kicks. low shin kick and a front kick, for the take downs it would be 1 sweep and a take down where I break the root vs throwing. I'm not sure of the specific take down.

Picking the punches and takes downs is a difficult choice because I usually train 3-4 different options in both of those areas.

Low shin kick as in a round kick?

 

[skribs]

Low shin kick as in a round kick?

I find especially in the MMA community, but in others as well, kicks are defined more by their target than by their technique.

 

[Anarax]

If you had to choose only 2 punches, 2 kicks, and 2 takedowns to train for the rest of your life, what would they be? I'm curious to see what people's most effective / most reliable techniques are.

For me:

Punches:
-Straights (vertical)
-Hooks

Kicks:
-Side Kick
-Round Kick

Takedowns:
-Sweep
-Double Leg

I would say these are the techniques I use 80% of the time in sparring and on the heavy bag.

Punches
-Jab
-Cross

Kicks
-Round
-Front

Takedowns
-Leg Sweeps
-Single Leg

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Would we be able to use the moves from both sides? Or is it like "left jab, right straight", "Lead roundhouse" or "Right roundhouse"? I switch between orthodox and southpaw so that would certainly change things for me.

 

[skribs]

Would we be able to use the moves from both sides? Or is it like "left jab, right straight", "Lead roundhouse" or "Right roundhouse"? I switch between orthodox and southpaw so that would certainly change things for me.

Not defined, so define it for yourself .

I guess you could loosely define everything though and come up with:

Punches: Open-Hand Strikes and Closed Fist Strikes
Kicks: Foot Kicks and Knee Strikes
Take-Downs: Throws and Joint Locks

But I think that would be a bit too broad!

 

[Danny T]

Punches:
-Straight
-Curved

Kicks:
-Straight
-Curved

Takedowns:
Clinched legs
Trips

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Would we be able to use the moves from both sides? Or is it like "left jab, right straight", "Lead roundhouse" or "Right roundhouse"? I switch between orthodox and southpaw so that would certainly change things for me.

It's always a good idea to train different techniques on different sides. For example, you will get better training result if you train

- right hand hold sword.
- left hand hold shield.

Do you want to spend time to train

- left hand hold sword,
- right hand hold shield?

 

[oftheherd1]

You may be able to pick up 2 punches and 2 kicks. It's hard to pick up 2 throws. The reason is all throws are trained in pairs.

1. forward->backward, or the other way around,
2. clockwise->counter-clockwise, or the other way around,
3. attack left leg, attack right leg, or the other way around,
4. ...

Here is an example of 3 that inner hook, scoop combo is used.

Here is an example of 1 that hip throw, inner hook combo is used.

I like that "inner hip throw, inner hook kick." I like that recovery.

Not that in the Hapkido I learned we would ever allow ourselves to have a failed hip throw.

 

[Balrog]

If you had to choose only 2 punches, 2 kicks, and 2 takedowns to train for the rest of your life, what would they be? I'm curious to see what people's most effective / most reliable techniques are.

Hands: palmheel and elbow strikes
Feet: front kick, side kick
Takedown: armbar, brachial stun

 

[skribs]

It's always a good idea to train different techniques on different sides. For example, you will get better training result if you train

- right hand hold sword.
- left hand hold shield.

Do you want to spend time to train

- left hand hold sword,
- right hand hold shield?

If you were to train cross-hand on sword and shield, that would mean you're planning on carrying them on the opposite side or that you will switch them over after you draw. I do think if you want to learn to dual-wield swords you should train your left hand first and then train with both, which might not be very practical but is training you might want for acting purposes.

However, martial arts are different. In Taekwondo, we switch feet a lot, and we both slide and step, so our stance isn't always left leg in front. We train parallel stances and both sides to ensure we can switch as needed. If you're fighting 2 opponents, the fastest way to turn your attention from one to the other is to turn just your head and shoulders. You may have someone grab your non-dominant side or punch or kick from another side than you're used to. So we train both sides.

My Dad and I are both doing Hapkido, and when we were white belts we would say "grab me on this arm" because it was the arm we were better with. As we're advancing, we go to the other side so we can practice both sides. I feel it gives a more rounded understanding of the art to be able to use either side effectively.

 

[oftheherd1]

It's always a good idea to train different techniques on different sides. For example, you will get better training result if you train

- right hand hold sword.
- left hand hold shield.

Do you want to spend time to train

- left hand hold sword,
- right hand hold shield?

I understand what you are trying to say, but police train shooting with the weak hand not only because they might end up with cover on the strong side, but also in case they should be wounded on the strong side.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

In Taekwondo, we switch feet a lot,

In wrestling/Judo, you may never switch sides. In wrestling/Judo, you have

1. rooting leg,
2. attacking leg,

You also have

1. major hand - control your opponent's leading arm,
2. minor hand - control your opponent's head/waist/...

It's difficult to switch sides in wrestling/Judo. It's very common that a Judo guy may have 80% confidence in his right hip throw, but he may only have 60% confidence in his left hip throw.

 

[DanT]

Would we be able to use the moves from both sides? Or is it like "left jab, right straight", "Lead roundhouse" or "Right roundhouse"? I switch between orthodox and southpaw so that would certainly change things for me.

Side doesn't matter. For example, "straight punches" can be a jab or a cross.

 

[DanT]

Not defined, so define it for yourself .

I guess you could loosely define everything though and come up with:

Punches: Open-Hand Strikes and Closed Fist Strikes
Kicks: Foot Kicks and Knee Strikes
Take-Downs: Throws and Joint Locks

But I think that would be a bit too broad!

Side doesn't matter ("straight punch" means both jab and cross).

 

[oftheherd1]

If you were to train cross-hand on sword and shield, that would mean you're planning on carrying them on the opposite side or that you will switch them over after you draw. I do think if you want to learn to dual-wield swords you should train your left hand first and then train with both, which might not be very practical but is training you might want for acting purposes.

However, martial arts are different. In Taekwondo, we switch feet a lot, and we both slide and step, so our stance isn't always left leg in front. We train parallel stances and both sides to ensure we can switch as needed. If you're fighting 2 opponents, the fastest way to turn your attention from one to the other is to turn just your head and shoulders. You may have someone grab your non-dominant side or punch or kick from another side than you're used to. So we train both sides.

My Dad and I are both doing Hapkido, and when we were white belts we would say "grab me on this arm" because it was the arm we were better with. As we're advancing, we go to the other side so we can practice both sides. I feel it gives a more rounded understanding of the art to be able to use either side effectively.

I had a student who insisted I should be teaching both right and left handed defense. He taught himself when I told him I was teaching as I had been taught. No amount of explaining would win him over. A quick google showed right handers are in the majority by 70 to 90 percent. And we had left wrist grab defense. Does your art not? But the decision is yours, of course.