Kickboxing: Short Range Fighting: From Initiation To Knockout: Kickboxing: From Initiation To Knockout, #6

By Martina Sprague

The fighter who controls distance controls the fight. This is true both in long and short range fighting. The difficult part about fighting at short range is moving in and achieving the superior position. Distance should generally be closed when your opponent experiences a moment of weakness. Although long arms and legs are advantageous in kickboxing, your long reach is only as good as you are at using it. You can exploit the strength of your opponent's longer reach by developing superior short range fighting techniques. When you move from the out-fighting zone to the in-fighting zone, you are very close to your opponent and many long range techniques are no longer effective. Once you get past your opponent's long range techniques, you have taken from him many of his weapons. The purpose of working your way to short range is to throw powerful short range techniques, so once there, you must make an effort to stay there until something decisive happens; until you knock out your opponent or choose to move back to long range for some other reason. Kickboxing: From Initiation To Knockout comprises a series of short books with focus on learning specific techniques and strategies for the exciting sport of competition kickboxing. With plenty of pictures, each book breaks the material down into bite-size pieces that allow you to practice to perfection. The material in this book previously appeared in Complete Kickboxing, now out of print, and is great for straight boxing, too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martina Sprague
• Release date: Feb 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386278795

Martina Sprague

Martina Sprague grew up in the Stockholm area of Sweden. She has a Master of Arts degree in Military History from Norwich University in Vermont and has studied a variety of combat arts since 1987. As an independent scholar, she writes primarily on subjects pertaining to military and general history, politics, and instructional books on the martial arts. For more information, please visit her website: www.modernfighter.com.

Book preview

KICKBOXING

Short Range Fighting

From Initiation To Knockout

Everything You Need To Know (and more) To Master The Pain Game

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by Martina Sprague

Copyright 2017 Martina Sprague

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any medium or form without the prior written permission of the author.

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Other books of interest by Martina Sprague:

Formidable Fighter: The Complete Series

Fighting Science: The Laws of Physics for Martial Artists

Best Swordsman, Best Sword: Samurai vs. Medieval Knight

Knife Offense: Knife Training Methods and Techniques for Martial Artists

Knife Defense: Knife Training Methods and Techniques for Martial Artists

The Power Trip: How to Survive and Thrive in the Dojo

Lessons in the Art of War: Martial Strategies for the Successful Fighter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Getting From Here To There—Closing Distance

In The Gym With Your Instructor

Working Your Way In Against A Fighter With Longer Reach

Mind And Body Focus

Freezing Your Opponent's Offensive Weapons

Distance In Close Quarters

Protecting Your Centerline In Close Quarters

Choosing Your Kick Combinations When Closing Distance

Jamming Your Way To The Inside

Awareness Practice When Closing Distance

The Effects Of Striking The Body

Ten Ways To Power Up The Body Hook

Short Punching In Close Quarters

Chipping Ice

The Importance Of The Crouched Stance

The Shoulder Butt

Switching To Southpaw Stance In Close Quarters

The Arm Trap

Kicking In Close Quarters

Different Angles For The Shin Kick

Exercises For Offense At Short Range

Getting Backed Up

What To Do When Backed Up Against The Ropes

Eight Ways To Defend Against The Hook And Uppercut

Timing Your Opponent's Upper Body Movement

Short Range Mitt Work And Sparring Practice

Slipping To Close Quarter Range

In The Gym With Your Instructor

Slipping And Staying Off The Attack Line

Weight Transfer When Slipping

Thinking Of Slipping As Offense

Exercises For Weight Shift And Slipping

Loading Your Kicks For Battle

Guide To Concepts

Appendix

Preview: Knife Offense: Knife Training Methods and Techniques For Martial Artists

GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE—CLOSING DISTANCE

When you move from the out-fighting zone to the in-fighting zone, you are very close to your opponent and many long range techniques are no longer effective. Once you get past your opponent's long range techniques, you have taken from him many of his weapons. Getting past this barrier and to the inside is perhaps the toughest part about short range fighting and requires considerable skill.

A common error when moving to close quarter range is to be so concerned with getting there that you abandon your long range techniques, rush in, and take some good blows in the process. Train to be a rational and not an emotional fighter. An angry fighter will harbor negative energy and lose focus on the task at hand. Few things will destroy a fighter faster than uncontrolled emotions. Exploding with a combination, however, is not the same as rushing in thoughtlessly.

Distance should be closed when your opponent is experiencing a moment of weakness; for example, right after you have defended against and countered his long range techniques successfully. You can also close distance methodically by taking small steps forward, slipping punches, weaving under hooks, and counterstriking off your opponent's strikes. Start by throwing your long range techniques at a controlled pace, speeding up gradually. Try a series of multiple jabs at a pace slightly faster than your opponent's. This will break his timing, making him more concerned with defense than offense. When you throw single jabs, you enable your opponent to get in tune with your rhythm and time his counterstrikes to your openings. There is thus a difference between many single jabs and one multiple jab combination. Think about it!

You can further increase the speed of the jab by pivoting your lead foot only a minimum amount. You may find it even more beneficial not to pivot at all, but to push off with your rear foot by digging into the floor with the ball or inside knife edge of that foot.

Short range fighting gives you potentially more targets than long range fighting, and may be particularly good for striking to the body, forcing your opponent to drop his guard and enabling you to throw a strong finishing strike to his head.

Try this: When your opponent jabs, pick his jab with your lead hand, immediately throwing your rear cross over the top of his jab. Strike while there is still an opening at his head. Or, alternatively, weave to the side and counter with a rear cross to his midsection. Close distance while there is a weakness in your opponent's defense. (For information about the pick and counter and bobbing and weaving, see Kickboxing: Blocks, Parries, And Defensive Movement of the Kickboxing: From Initiation To Knockout series.)

Weave to the side of the jab and throw a rear cross to the midsection, simultaneously taking a step forward. Note how your body should be slightly off the attack line to the side of your opponent's strike.

Now, throw double jabs. As the second jab lands and your opponent's head snaps back, retrieve your hand while simultaneously shifting your weight