The Quick Boxing Jab as Set-Up for Self-defence Techniques

[Jonathan Randall]

The Quick Boxing Jab as Set-Up for Self-defence Techniques. What do you think of the idea? Imagine that you are in a crowded area and you cannot escape before a confrontation turns physical. The jab, well done, is a very quick, un-telegraphed technique. Would it buy you time (as a distractor) for a more powerful follow-up technique - or, in some cases, be all you need to buy that split-second to escape? Thoughts? Objections? Additions?

 

[green meanie]

I like the jab. I don't see any reason not to use it. I don't know if I would try to use it as a means to escape but I would definately use it to set up a more powerful follow up.

 

[Hand Sword]

I like it, and have used it many times, and in that situation. It does buy time, as well as set you up to really hammer 'em! Plus, they never see it coming! Perfect!

 

[MartialIntent]

Agree with all, the simple jab is overlooked by a lot of us in favor of the more flamboyant strikes, kicks or takedowns.

It's fast, it's instinctive and it's right there at close and close-to-medium ranges. A bread-and-butter jab to nose or chin is a great attention getter and I fully believe the jab is not only a distraction tool, it's valuable in its own right - in less severe situations it's often enough to foreclose on the altercation or at least determine if your opponent is posturing and in the most unfriendly situations mentioned, the good ol' jab is one of the best hit-and-run strikes there is imHo.

Of course there are a hundred variants: open palm [palm up] to throat; executed as a palm-strike or even as a one-knuckle to temple but I'd always say the jab is your friend - it's quite simply the perfect "conversation opener".

Respects!

 

[IcemanSK]

The Quick Boxing Jab as Set-Up for Self-defence Techniques. What do you think of the idea? Imagine that you are in a crowded area and you cannot escape before a confrontation turns physical. The jab, well done, is a very quick, un-telegraphed technique. Would it buy you time (as a distractor) for a more powerful follow-up technique - or, in some cases, be all you need to buy that split-second to escape? Thoughts? Objections? Additions?

A jab is good to set up another technique. I'm not too sure about escaping, tho. If done correctly, its done to give your opponent something to think about while you follow-up. Its rarely the type of blow that would prevent you from being chased. (Unless you're George Foreman ). In a street fight, its a committment punch. By that I mean, "if you throw & land a jab, you'd better follow it up with something harder quickly."

 

[Jonathan Randall]

A jab is good to set up another technique. I'm not too sure about escaping, tho. If done correctly, its done to give your opponent something to think about while you follow-up. Its rarely the type of blow that would prevent you from being chased. (Unless you're George Foreman ). In a street fight, its a committment punch. By that I mean, "if you throw & land a jab, you'd better follow it up with something harder quickly."

You're right - particlarly about it being a committment punch. Sorta like getting a bear's attention with a shot to the leg - you'd better follow up with a high-caliber shot to end the confrontation or the now enraged bear will kill you.

I should have spelled out the escape scenario better. I was thinking particularly of a Starbucks I go to where a man in line came close to starting a confrontation with me. I believe that, given the large crowd and number of tables to put between him and myself and the exit close to me, I could have used it to simply escape. Perhaps not, but I would have tried. Also, it would not have shown "Martial Arts Skill" with the long term possible consequences of that - simply that the little guy threw a quick punch that nailed the aggressor. If it had failed, the low sidekick would have come out...

 

[BlackSheep]

I don't know if I would try to use it as a means to escape

I'm not too sure about escaping, tho.

A jab is a good punch to keep someone off of you while you maneuver to an exit.


The jab is my range finder; once I’ve ranged the target I drop the bombs, crosses and hooks.

 

[Cujo]

Jabs are great. Its fast, it obstructs your opponents vision, is great for establishing range and just begs to followed up with a more powerfull technique.
Pax
Cujo

 

[Martial Tucker]

A jab is my preferred set-up for a spinning back kick. It's a high probability
"game-ender" combination. I also like to follow a jab with a spinning back-fist, but I like the afore-mentioned kick better because after the jab your assailant's hands will always be up.

I real close quarters, like in a crowd where you can't just send someone flying across the room, I like a jab followed by a heavy, downward punch to the hip bone of the assailant's front leg, dropping my full weight into the punch. They never expect that. Guaranteed to ruin someone's day.....

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Since we have had a number of new members with some boxing/mma background join since I started this thread, I'd like to revive it for their input.

 

[Cruentus]

The Quick Boxing Jab as Set-Up for Self-defence Techniques.

I would say that your Jab is a self-defense technique, period. Yes, it could be used to set up other moves, but it should be a valid trauma inducing technique in and of itself.

Many people think of the jab as their distraction or set up tool for other more powerful strikes. So, they don't train to induce a lot of damage with the jab.

I think that this is a mistake. In a fight, you don't have time to throw a strike that doesn't induce much trauma. If you waste your time throwing a "jab" as your sissy strike to try to set up something else, especially something more elaborate like a spinning technique that someone mentioned, then I am afraid that you'll find your *** flattened before you get to technique #2.

Your jab should rattle the guys head. Every strike you throw should have a damaging effect. You should be able to develop power from any strike, whether it be a jab, tight hook from the clinch or ground, or whatever. You can do this without sacrificing speed.

In a self-defense encounter, no strike that connects should be purely for setup purposes; they all should cause damage if possible.

Paul

 

[Robert Lee]

You have flicking jabs less power good sting . Straight jab stiffer more power, a pressing type jab that sticks to setup the next punch easyer. Aim any of these at the nose it allows for a folow up in a crowd no room wouldnt short inside punches pack more power and end it faster. But in any fight a person does first what they do. A jab can start. If modified like a lead it can pack good power that can put a person down. Thats hip action behind the strike.

 

[Ken Pfrenger]

Howdie folks....i am big into WMA with boxing really being one of my core arts...infact it is a the base that much of my work is built around.

Rather than a quick jab I prefer Dempsey's logic on using what he called a jolt instead. We work on this extensively at my club...as long as there is room for the drop step, it will get used by me.

 

[Carol]

My teacher teaches jabs saying they are bee stings, distractions.

There are many cases where a distraction can be put to good use

 

[lonecoyote]

I'm with Paul. Why use it to set up anything. Not used as a range finder, a stinger but a good hard strong jab w/bad intent used w/a quick step for extra power can be a fight ender, or break that nose, Throw a jab, Then throw another jab. If you want to know about the jab, just tune into friday night fights on ESPN or whatever. The guys who use it to find range or get lazy w/it can get into trouble real quick when they leave it out there and BAM the overhand right comes over it. The flickers are simply scoring points and you can see the moment that their opponents realize that they aren't going to hurt by the jab and they can just wade in dropping bombs at will. That's pretty ugly too. But a fighter who has truly mastered the fighting hard jab, like a hard insistent drumbeat, that controls range, causes confusion and pain will just flat break his opponent, break his will, break his spirit, and break his face. The jab is a foundational punch. I saw a fight a long time ago, maybe Roger Mayweather, he broke his right hand in the first round, fought an eight round fight against a tough younger opponent using only his jab, by the end of the fight the kids face looked like a squished tomato. I believe in the jab.

 

[monkey]

I agree with it being quick-easy to deploy-& has many aspectso f use like flick & commited.Note the Silat & Kali players have the elbow destruct that destroys the jab.Breaking the fingers & leaves no recovery.Thai boxing has a simual motion.If you are in a situation that no one know the counter por counter as we say in phlilppino.Then by all means Jab.If it was nontelegraphic (no philippino would have the counter.)Note the Phillipino art was around & alive befor John L. Sullivan who boxed with palms up not down as we do now.Also the philippinos were bobbing & weaving befor Sullivan.Note Lapu Lapu vs El Cortez.

 

[lonecoyote]

Okay monkey I'm glad you're here because I'd like to know about Silat or FMA destructions against western boxing. I gotta ask, have you ever faced a good boxer, with good footwork, and who knows how and when and where to use a real quick jab and destroyed it with an elbow? I'm not saying you haven't or that it isn't possible, just want to know how good it would work and when to try it. What about a counterpuncher, or someone who throws hard combinations, punches in bunches, can you catch all of them? Are western boxers open in certain situations to Silat, or FMA limb or hand destroying? How good is that kind of empty hand FMA vs. boxing. Anybody can join in and I think this could be a lively discussion.

 

[monkey]

those same questions arose to Gishin Funakoshi.Were He showed on film ( the boxer has jab-cross-hook-back fist & upper cut.The karate practioner had jab-cross-hook-upper cut with hands & elbow & verious kick.Now to put this in perspective Yes i have do this .True boxers can feed fast and mulit hits.But first out or first round From Ali - Forman-Clay- I have not seen multi but a few to get the feel.That is were the silat or kali player can gunt with fore knuck to bicept & this will couse the arm to (as we say it -go to sleep)No the silat player with a vertical or horizontal elbow to the fist & breaks the hand with a down word tiger paw type of hit.This can be seen by Paul Vunak-Inosanto-Leo Gaji-Pedoy line -Conyetes call it ponomyet.There are many who do it & show its easy to learn & deploy.I will not put down a boxer as they do have great power-speed ect.But why do they go 10 rounds or more.This tells me the power from the punches are grounded & they can with stand it.Im not saying its not street effective.ZIve seen it deployed & I deploy it,I simply state throw coution to thought befor throw to attacker.It may save your limb.

 

[Cruentus]

I'm with Paul. Why use it to set up anything. Not used as a range finder, a stinger but a good hard strong jab w/bad intent used w/a quick step for extra power can be a fight ender, or break that nose, Throw a jab, Then throw another jab. If you want to know about the jab, just tune into friday night fights on ESPN or whatever. The guys who use it to find range or get lazy w/it can get into trouble real quick when they leave it out there and BAM the overhand right comes over it. The flickers are simply scoring points and you can see the moment that their opponents realize that they aren't going to hurt by the jab and they can just wade in dropping bombs at will. That's pretty ugly too. But a fighter who has truly mastered the fighting hard jab, like a hard insistent drumbeat, that controls range, causes confusion and pain will just flat break his opponent, break his will, break his spirit, and break his face. The jab is a foundational punch. I saw a fight a long time ago, maybe Roger Mayweather, he broke his right hand in the first round, fought an eight round fight against a tough younger opponent using only his jab, by the end of the fight the kids face looked like a squished tomato. I believe in the jab.

Awesome post with good examples. Liked the Mayweather reference; not sure it was him either but I believe I saw the same fight.

I wanted to reinerate the important point brought up above by "lonecoyote" about scoring in boxing and how it relates to street practicality.

A lot of boxers keep the left hand "busy" (as I was told when I was boxing/kickboxing). A big reason for this has to do with scoring as well as set ups and such; about the easiest strike to connect with is the jab, and by connecting with the jab more, you score points even if it isn't a damaging jab. Such actions could lead you to a win if no one is knocked out.

On the street, though, there is no points to score, and there is no 12 rounds to fight. You have (most likely) less than a 60 second fight on your hands that could determine the quality of the rest of your life if you make it, and the outcome of that fight will most likely be determined in the 1st 10 seconds of the encounter.

The moral of the story is: You just don't have the time to not create trauma in a life-threatening circumstance.

Paul Janulis

 

[Cruentus]

I gotta ask, have you ever faced a good boxer, with good footwork, and who knows how and when and where to use a real quick jab and destroyed it with an elbow?

And the reply...

Monkey:
those same questions arose to Gishin Funakoshi.Were He showed on film ( the boxer has jab-cross-hook-back fist & upper cut.The karate practioner had jab-cross-hook-upper cut with hands & elbow & verious kick.Now to put this in perspective Yes i have do this .True boxers can feed fast and mulit hits.But first out or first round From Ali - Forman-Clay- I have not seen multi but a few to get the feel.That is were the silat or kali player can gunt with fore knuck to bicept & this will couse the arm to (as we say it -go to sleep)No the silat player with a vertical or horizontal elbow to the fist & breaks the hand with a down word tiger paw type of hit.This can be seen by Paul Vunak-Inosanto-Leo Gaji-Pedoy line -Conyetes call it ponomyet.There are many who do it & show its easy to learn & deploy.I will not put down a boxer as they do have great power-speed ect.But why do they go 10 rounds or more.This tells me the power from the punches are grounded & they can with stand it.Im not saying its not street effective.ZIve seen it deployed & I deploy it,I simply state throw coution to thought befor throw to attacker.It may save your limb.

So...I will take that as a "no".