Switching hand - not used in UFC

[pdg]

The front hand punch (full body weight behind) can be stronger than the back hand punch (only body rotation) if you train

A 'back' hand punch that combines body rotation as well as weight shifting can be stronger than the two options you cited.

Edit: but in a way, it becomes a front hand punch at the moment of impact - so, y'know...

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

MMA fighters don't block often, ...

I believe the switching hand was original designed for "guard pulling" purpose. It was not designed for I punch you, you block, I ...

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What do you do when your opponent has boxing guard?

- You throw a fake punch on the right side of his right arm.
- When your right arm and his right arm make contact, you use right hand to pull his right arm down.
- You use left hand to push his right elbow joint to his left to jam his back arm.
- You can then use your free right arm to do your thing.

It's a very logical way to open your opponent's boxing guard.

Your right initial punch can function as a spear with hook. A punch can be more than just a punch. A punch can be a punch followed by a pull.

 

[FriedRice]

I like the switching hand a lot, and use it when I teach the straight blast. The difficulty in using it in sport is that it doesn't have the impact needed to succeed in a sport with padded gloves. The technique exchanges power for speed. It's the same reason why a jab isn't generally a knock-out punch. When using bare knuckles, entering with a trap or switch-hand to straight blast is a great way to stun your opponent long enough for an elbow or forearm (or head butt if you are a Vunak student).

This is not true. MMA gloves are 4oz and are mostly meant to protect the hand and to greatly lessen the chances of causing cuts to both the hands and other guy's face; leading to early fight stoppage. Bare knuckle fighters are very reluctant to throw full power, often. Their shots are usually well placed and rarely at full power with maximum body rotation/pivoting like often seen in an overhand right in MMA.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I like the switching hand a lot, and use it when I teach the straight blast. The difficulty in using it in sport is that it doesn't have the impact needed to succeed in a sport with padded gloves. The technique exchanges power for speed. It's the same reason why a jab isn't generally a knock-out punch.

Sometime the trade off is worthwhile.

- 20 lb force can break your opponent's nose if you can hit it. You don't need 50 lb force.
- If you use it to take down your opponent, you don't need that much power.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I’ve been clearing, or pinning, the lead hand of opponents forever. Trained it a lot against resistance, used it in competition way too many times to remember, used it in police work, riots, against crazed drunks.

It can be a terrific technique if you train it right, can close distance quickly, and it happens to suit your fighting personality.

You an I probably have the same strategies when it comes to the lead hand. My opponent's lead hand is never free. Even if his body is too far for me to punch, If I can get to the lead hand then I will take it out of the game and reduce my opponent to a one arm puncher.

 

[Buka]

You an I probably have the same strategies when it comes to the lead hand. My opponent's lead hand is never free. Even if his body is too far for me to punch, If I can get to the lead hand then I will take it out of the game and reduce my opponent to a one arm puncher.

I'll bet we do, too.

When I blitz in, I like to grab with my lead hand along their lead hand upper arm between elbow and shoulder. I focus on grabbing their clothing, or gi or t-shirt, whatever it might be, and snatching it up in a tight grip. Like anything else, it's a matter of practice against an unwilling training partner.

You can control them fairly easy as far as getting them off their stance, (always a good thing) twisting them in any direction you want as you continue your forward momentum, - and you really need that momentum if you're smaller. And then turning them whichever way you want on the fly, and using their own arm against them as far as their movement goes, you know, cross the body, pulling down, whatever - if you've got a good grip and a learned sense of movement in a fight.

Something else I've had success with while having them in this position - grabbing with your other so you have a two hand grip, and jamming their upper arm back into their shoulder joint. It can injure, shouldn't be used in training. Won't work on a jacked, muscular body, but pretty well with others. But again, it can mess them up physically so be careful.

 

[Flying Crane]

What do you do when your opponent has boxing guard?

- You throw a fake punch on the right side of his right arm.
- When your right arm and his right arm make contact, you use right hand to pull his right arm down.
- You use left hand to push his right elbow joint to his left to jam his back arm.
- You can then use your free right arm to do your thing.

It's a very logical way to open your opponent's boxing guard.

Your right initial punch can function as a spear with hook. A punch can be more than just a punch. A punch can be a punch followed by a pull.

Chou Choi, then pau choi, I would wager. Maybe skip the Chou choi and go straight to pau choi.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Something else I've had success with while having them in this position - grabbing with your other so you have a two hand grip, and jamming their upper arm back into their shoulder joint. It can injure, shouldn't be used in training. Won't work on a jacked, muscular body, but pretty well with others. But again, it can mess them up physically so be careful.

Thanks for the warning about this. Highly appreciated it. The last thing I want to do is try something and underestimate the technique.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The switching hand can be trained in 2 steps.

Step 1 - throw your right hand fast forward to pull down your opponent's right guarding arm. The right hand is a downward palm shape acts as a hook.
Step 2 - your left hand push on opponent's right elbow joint to guide his leading arm to jam his own back left arm.

Your free right hand can then

- punch on the face.
- punch on the side of the head.
- grab the throat.
- lock on the head.
- ...

The options will be many after that.