Striking art strategy

Flying Crane

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What you said... historical weapons experts often stress context when evaluating the effectiveness of weapons. For example, a hook is great for pulling people off horses, and sometimes useful in pulling down a shield to make an opening ....if those are your concerns. In other situations, it just adds weight and can get caught on things. So, you have to ask what the context is.
That pesky little “context” issue...
 

RavenDarkfellow

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Do you use the following strategies in your striking art system?

1. Lead your opponent into the emptiness - You throw a jab, your opponent blocks it. You throw the 2nd jab, before your opponent tries to block it, you pull your jab back and throw a cross or hook. Your 2nd jab force your opponent to block into the thin air.

2. Borrow your opponent's blocking force - You throw a jab, your opponent blocks it. You throw the 2nd jab, when your opponent blocks it, you borrow his force, spin your arm, and change your jab into a hook.

3. Use your punch to set up a pull - You throw a jab, your opponent blocks it. You pull his blocking arm, and punch with a cross or hook.

4. Use one punch to set up another punch - You throw an overhand. Your opponent raises arm to block it. You use another hand to throw an uppercut.

I employ each of those principles in my art. I'm not sure I understand specifically about the "turning a jab into a hook" in your example 2, but borrowing my opponent's blocking force in other ways is a consistent part of my practise. I can see, for example, throwing a jab, my opponent blocks it, then I use that blocking force to spin away from that side to throw the *other hand* into a hook. If that's what you meant, then yes! If you meant turning the same hand into a hook, I don't understand that.

The first principle you described is what I use the most. I am exceptionally gifted at misdirecting opponents, despite my many weaknesses in other areas. Your third principle is another of my favourites, but it doesn't get to come out as often as there are rarely times that an experienced opponent will give you the opportunity to pull their limbs from a strike. When it happens, though-- oh boy! The results are powerful!
 
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Kung Fu Wang

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If you meant turning the same hand into a hook, I don't understand that.
- You have right side forward. Your opponent has left side forward (mirror stance).
- Your throw a right jab.
- Your opponent uses leading left arm to block your punch to your left (his right).
- You spin your right arm, change your jab into a hook, and punch on the left side of his head.

It's similar to the "right low hook to the chest, right high hook to the head" combo. You just replace your 1st low hook to a jab. Sometime the opening that you have just created is easier for your leading arm to punch again than to use your back arm to punch.
 
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Argus

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- You have right side forward. Your opponent has left side forward (mirror stance).
- Your throw a right jab.
- Your opponent uses leading left arm to block your punch to your left (his right).
- You spin your right arm, change your jab into a hook, and punch on the left side of his head.

It's similar to the "right low hook to the chest, right high hook to the head" combo. You just replace your 1st low hook to a jab. Sometime the opening that you have just created is easier for your leading arm to punch again than to use your back arm to punch.

For clarification, for those who might not be familiar with this sort of approach:

This is something I think any CMA practitioner is used to -- reusing a limb that is already extended.

I think most striking arts, however, tend not reuse an extended hand and always retract before throwing another punch. This is why generating power over a short distance is emphasized in most CMA styles, where it may not be in other arts.

We do many similar things in Wing Chun, even if we don't necessarily employ a hook. If a block crosses your centerline, you can roll it across with your elbow and straight punch, or back fist, or even come around from the outside with another punch, be it straight or circular in nature, as Wang describes. Likewise, if an opponent blocks your hand to the outside, you can circle around to the inside to deliver a straight or upper cut. Or, in either case, you can clear the line with your rear hand by grabbing and pulling, pressing, slapping, or just delivering a second very quick straight punch as your opponent crosses centerline (the last being my absolute favorite technique when playing with Karate guys who sometimes are in the habit of blocking across center / further than is necessary).

It's important to note that none of these things rely on visual perception and reaction time. They rely instead on touch, which is processed much quicker by the brain. So essentially, you throw an attack on a line that covers you and threatens your opponent; if you feel something intercepts it, then you instinctively respond via feeling, in that same moment, in order to clear the way continue attacking and cover the line or position yourself against the next hand that will come.

This all requires a relaxed nature and sensitivity training to develop.

This is just offering a bit of elaboration on the CMA approach, for anyone who might not be following Wang's thinking.
 
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CB Jones

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One of the combos my son likes is he throws 1 or 2 jabs from about 6 to 7 inches outside his punching range....then he will throw one and as he pulls the jab back he will skip forward and throw a straight left hand.

Often times his opponent doesnt notice the change in spacing and it lands.
 
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Kung Fu Wang

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Anyone here good at checking punches with elbows.
I don't like my opponent's fist to be that close to my head. I don't like my opponent's hand to be able to reach to my elbow.

When you use elbow to block your opponent's punch, you may give him a chance to push your arm and cover your eyes. Since you can't see very well at that moment, if he attacks you with leg, you may not be able to see it.

A fighting strategy - you blind your opponent and attack the low part of his body.
 
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Diagen

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I don't like my opponent's fist to be that close to my head. I don't like my opponent's hand to be able to reach to my elbow.

When you use elbow to block your opponent's punch, you may give him a chance to push your arm and cover your eyes. Since you can't see very well at that moment, if he attacks you with leg, you may not be able to see it.

A fighting strategy - you blind your opponent and attack the low part of his body.
haha you need to get good at close range though if you are a martial artist. It's assumed fists will be that close. You can direct elbow the punch not just be passive with it. This often deflects it if doesnt hit it since the meat behind elbow point gets hit and the punch has a reduced power or plain misses you. If you thrust the elbow with oblique torso angle to opponent (turned away somewhat) and use your eyes you can see where fist is going and move torso and head in response for better alignment and counter. If the person is hooking and using momentum or it's a heavy cross you can counter big. You can't be blinded unless you just lift both your arms and passively leave them there instead of having the alignment for a solid check. The path of most punches are decided before they're flying at your face. Jabs are jabs of course but an elbow can move pretty fast.
Training the elbow check is good training in general since you have to watch the fighter and his punch and not be scared.
 
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Kung Fu Wang

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haha you need to get good at close range though if you are a martial artist.
I think you are talking about "comb hair".

comb_hair.jpg


I like my hand to be closer to my opponent's elbow. It doesn't mean that I like my opponent's hand to be close to my elbow.

Here is an example that when A uses B's arms to cover B's eyes. Since B cannot see well at that moment. A can attack with his leg at that moment.

head_lock_against_neck_tie.gif
 

Diagen

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I think you are talking about "comb hair".

View attachment 27023

I like my hand to be closer to my opponent's elbow. It doesn't mean that I like my opponent's hand to be close to my elbow.

Here is an example that when A uses B's arms to cover B's eyes. Since B cannot see well at that moment. A can attack with his leg at that moment.

View attachment 27022
Well it's more about how people respond to the presence of something than whether one technically sees or not. People don't look as well in a fight, they have poor "sight discipline" let's say. Low mental presence. This is #1 weakness in people. Weak mind. #2 is emotional weakness. Of course to get a feel for the person, focus on big picture and use periphery more, feel with body, and people protect eyes so kinda side glance and react to anything near their eyes.
You can comb hair or put your head down on the desk. Forehead is strong anywho just don't relax your neck. People take every chance they can get to drop their guard lol they think they're safe then BAM. If they were prepared it would be nothing but they wanted to relax.
You can elbow strike their punch if you want. There's several ways to elbow a punch. Your example is pretty bad given it's grappling and the guy can't see anyway. You can usually feel someone change their weight and if you know the move it's DING DING DING. Not a real fighting stance going on. Requires getting in range and the other guy responding in a way that let's you take him down. If someone roots their balance, strong stance, strong footing, and goes for a shovel hook or upper cut or different and effective takedown then it's a different outcome.
Elbow checking is great it develops the martial artist quite a bit. Trust me your eyes will improve from elbow checking and your shoulders (scapula) will have to get a bit quicker and stronger.
 

JowGaWolf

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Can you make someone afraid to punch you haha
Yes. I don't need to use elbows for that. If you use elbows then you are trying to break their hands they probably won't be afraid to punch. They won't be able to punch. lol
 

JowGaWolf

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Can you make someone afraid to punch you haha
True story my brother and I were doing some light bare knuckle sparring. I struck his fist he saw how I did it. He copied me without me knowing. I threw an uppercut and he hit my fist harder than I hit his. The damage to my hand was bad enough for me to stop and it took almost 2 months for my hand to heal. That's only from light sparring.

2 things went wrong for me. I didn't make a firm fist and 2 he hit my fist a lot harder than he should even though to him it was a quick light strike. To me that's like someone saying, "Make a fist. I'm going to give you a light tap on the knuckles with this hammer when you punch."
 

Diagen

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True story my brother and I were doing some light bare knuckle sparring. I struck his fist he saw how I did it. He copied me without me knowing. I threw an uppercut and he hit my fist harder than I hit his. The damage to my hand was bad enough for me to stop and it took almost 2 months for my hand to heal. That's only from light sparring.

2 things went wrong for me. I didn't make a firm fist and 2 he hit my fist a lot harder than he should even though to him it was a quick light strike. To me that's like someone saying, "Make a fist. I'm going to give you a light tap on the knuckles with this hammer when you punch."
That's great. If you aren't prepared then that does a lot more damage. When you conquer damage with aggression (fist and such is strengthened and more mobile, improved stretch reflexes, improved contraction, and whatever else) before making the punch or even after, it's not too bad. I developed my knuckles in high school that way they were huge back then from years of tapping stuff, striking my fists together, using aggression to prevent and cure pain and injury. It's straightforward and works -- for next time you injure or need to conquer fatigue. It reaches the brain going up the arm, or any organ and you get slightly different effects. Whatever organ it is, things seem darker and there's less business and light inside if that makes sense. There's a definite "psyching up" but that's just what it's doing.
 

Diagen

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Very impressive if you can use elbow to check punches reliably and against different people. Better if you can check when people are mad at you or you have reason to be afraid haha. Could dominate pros that way it's simple but too effective.
 

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