(Striking) Why do some have timing and others don't?

[InfiniteLoop]

Is there any common denominator for these individuals?

I will list a couple of suggestions:

Visuo Spatial IQ

Reflexes

Fight IQ

Perceptual superiority

 

[Dirty Dog]

Your premise is fundamentally flawed. Everybody has timing. Some have better timing than others, some worse, but everybody has timing.

 

[Buka]

Your premise is fundamentally flawed. Everybody has timing. Some have better timing than others, some worse, but everybody has timing.

Yup. That’s the mouthful, right there.

Once you get someone’s timing, he’s yours. When I was a rookie there was a guy I sparred with that got my timing, he owned me for a couple of years. Once I figured out what was going on I eventually got his timing. I’ve owned him ever since.

 

[Holmejr]

What do you mean by “timing”? Can you give examples of MA’s that do and don’t emphasize timing?

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Yup. That’s the mouthful, right there.

Once you get someone’s timing, he’s yours. When I was a rookie there was a guy I sparred with that got my timing, he owned me for a couple of years. Once I figured out what was going on I eventually got his timing. I’ve owned him ever since.

You said yourself that GM Hee I'll Cho couldn't fight worth a lick.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Your premise is fundamentally flawed. Everybody has timing. Some have better timing than others, some worse, but everybody has timing.

Not so. I have sparred someone who couldn't tagg me if his life depended on it and he was pretty technical on the pads.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

What do you mean by “timing”? Can you give examples of MA’s that do and don’t emphasize timing?

Timing is the ability to land the shots you want, not just by luck or in wild exchanges

 

[Dirty Dog]

Not so. I have sparred someone who couldn't tagg me if his life depended on it and he was pretty technical on the pads.

Why am I not surprised that you would manage to so totally miss the point. Maybe the timing is bad...

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Why am I not surprised that you would manage to so totally miss the point. Maybe the timing is bad...

Why do you object to phrasing? Why do some have better timing than others. There, happy? Now take a stab at the actual question, if you dare.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Why do you object to phrasing? Why do some have better timing than others. There, happy? Now take a stab at the actual question, if you dare.

I'd say that's a more accurate way to phrase the question.

As to the answer, I'd say the biggest factor probably comes down to experience. More specifically: experience in fighting, sparring, or other drills which are specifically focused on developing timing and distancing. (Timing and distancing aren't exactly the same things, but there is a huge overlap between the two in application.) Solo training such as forms or heavy bag work generally won't do much for your timing.

Mindset plays a part. Someone who can stay cool and collected under pressure while someone is trying to hit them will have a much easier time seeing and reacting to openings than someone who is nervous about being hit. This largely comes down to experience, but natural tendencies can play a part.

There also may very well be a significant genetic component in that some people may be wired to develop good reflexes more easily and have a higher peak potential. I would argue that this is a less important factor than experience. Very few people ever reach anywhere close to their genetic potential in any sort of athletic endeavor or specific athletic attribute.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Tony hit all 3 of my thoughts.
1: Experience is key.
2: Reflex comes into play next-it's not exactly "timing", but can make up for bad timing if you have significantly better reflex.
3: Being able to step back and actually observe your opponent, engaging the mental aspect of a fight, adds that.

I put it in that order as 1 most important to 3 least important, but: In a sport fight I'd guess 3 can come before 2 because you've had time to evaluate your opponent and get a feel via sparring partners mimicking them for instance. So you engage the mental aspect more. But in a street fight where it's over quick and you haven't had that chance, based on my experience it comes down pretty much purely to experience and reflex, and analyzing doesn't really come in to play as much.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Tony hit all 3 of my thoughts.
1: Experience is key.
2: Reflex comes into play next-it's not exactly "timing", but can make up for bad timing if you have significantly better reflex.
3: Being able to step back and actually observe your opponent, engaging the mental aspect of a fight, adds that.

I put it in that order as 1 most important to 3 least important, but: In a sport fight I'd guess 3 can come before 2 because you've had time to evaluate your opponent and get a feel via sparring partners mimicking them for instance. So you engage the mental aspect more. But in a street fight where it's over quick and you haven't had that chance, based on my experience it comes down pretty much purely to experience and reflex, and analyzing doesn't really come in to play as much.

So you reject the fact fact some people have better timing than others if experience level is the same?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

So you reject the fact fact some people have better timing than others if experience level is the same?

No, where'd you get that idea? I think if experience level is the same, then it falls on who has better reflexes, and is better at analyzing the situation.

 

[Steve]

I think it’s about practice.

Tony hit all 3 of my thoughts.
1: Experience is key.
2: Reflex comes into play next-it's not exactly "timing", but can make up for bad timing if you have significantly better reflex.
3: Being able to step back and actually observe your opponent, engaging the mental aspect of a fight, adds that.

I put it in that order as 1 most important to 3 least important, but: In a sport fight I'd guess 3 can come before 2 because you've had time to evaluate your opponent and get a feel via sparring partners mimicking them for instance. So you engage the mental aspect more. But in a street fight where it's over quick and you haven't had that chance, based on my experience it comes down pretty much purely to experience and reflex, and analyzing doesn't really come in to play as much.

I agree. Also, I think sometimes good reflexes can be taken advantage of by someone with more experience. In the words of the great early 21st century poet Ludacris:

When I move, you move
(Just like that)
When I move, you move
(Just like that)
When I move, you move
(Just like that)
Hell yeah, hey DJ bring that back

If you have experience, you can exploit the good reflexes and natural athleticism of a less skilled opponent, as often the thing that feels right just makes things worse.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

No, where'd you get that idea? I think if experience level is the same, then it falls on who has better reflexes, and is better at analyzing the situation.

But how does your sense of distance have anything to do with reflexes?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

But how does your sense of distance have anything to do with reflexes?

Where did distance come into this? But distance would be a result of experience and analytical ability.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Where did distance come into this? But distance would be a result of experience and analytical ability.

Proper range is what makes someone land a shot.. You see the opposite from mediocre fighters all the time. They can't land so they just throw and throw and throw and hope it eventually lands. So... What does this inability to gauge the proper distance have to do with their reflexes?

 

[InfiniteLoop]

I'd say that's a more accurate way to phrase the question

Why? There are guys who never landed a shot on me in sparring in 4 years.. They started the same time as me. Saying someone who can't do something as worse is not accurate. The complete absence of something is not "worse than".

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Why? There are guys who never landed a shot on me in sparring in 4 years.. They started the same time as me. Saying someone who can't do something as worse is not accurate. The complete absence of something is not "worse than".

Have they never landed a shot on anyone else in sparring for 4 years? If so, then maybe you could describe them as completely lacking in timing. Otherwise, the likely conclusion is just that your timing (and/or possibly other skills/attributes) has just been consistently better than theirs for all that time.

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Have they never landed a shot on anyone else in sparring for 4 years? If so, then maybe you could describe them as completely lacking in timing. Otherwise, the likely conclusion is just that your timing (and/or possibly other skills/attributes) has just been consistently better than theirs for all that time.

He has competed and won regionally. Bar room brawl level to those fights..he showed me on his phone.

If somebody who can't time a shot faces someone who can time a shot, guess what, they will land on each other because it's going to be a pig brawl