Any tips for increasing reflexes for blocks?

Discuss sparring, training applications in a competition environment, or even in real-life (fighting, self-defence). Please no violence!
And stay on topic.

Moderators: nyang, Dvivid, Inga

Any tips for increasing reflexes for blocks?

Postby Yue » Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:28 pm

I don't have access to a sparring partner a lot of the time, so I have to train alone. Any single-person blocking drills you guys know of? I'd appreciate any info you can give.
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby misterwhite » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:32 am

Too many martial artists try to use the motion of the arms alone to block a punch which involves a whole lot of motion in the arms which takes time and most often causes them to have their arms out of position for any follow up. It also makes them complete suckers for feints.

Blocking drills are necessary but you truly get speed by moving the arms less and moving the vital target some as well.

The main difference is that you remain balanced, your cavities under the armpit are protected, you don't succumb to feints, and you can handle combinations.
misterwhite
Forum User
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:29 pm

Postby Yue » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:02 pm

Thank you for the reply. I tend to incorporate footwork and keep my opponent in the long range, but usually my opponents (typically boxers) force me against a wall. I ALWAYS seem to end up with my back against a wall :x
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby joeblast » Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:10 pm

why do you always seem to end up with your back against a wall?
joeblast
Forum DemiGod
 
Posts: 943
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:20 pm
Location: CT

Postby yat_chum » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:00 am

Being up against the wall isn't necessarily a bad thing. What style do you do?
yijing zhidong

use stillness to overcome movement
yat_chum
Forum God
 
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:18 am
Location: United Kingdom

Postby joeblast » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:28 am

I've got a little wing chun experience (siu lim tao is pretty much all I learned, I like it though...but didnt want to drive an hour and a half to class every week so I havent gone in forever, but I have supplemented with reading and...not enough practice :) ) and I am just starting to learn yang's taijiiquan.
joeblast
Forum DemiGod
 
Posts: 943
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:20 pm
Location: CT

Postby Yue » Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:46 pm

yat_chum wrote:Being up against the wall isn't necessarily a bad thing. What style do you do?


I do Long Fist. It has a lot of retreating and evasive footwork, so being up against a wall is terrible.
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby yat_chum » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:43 am

Are you sparring with these boxers? Or are you talking about fighting.
Please forgive my ignorance of Long fist, do you practice anything like Chisao (sticking hands) or tuishou (pushing hands)?
yijing zhidong

use stillness to overcome movement
yat_chum
Forum God
 
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:18 am
Location: United Kingdom

Postby Yue » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:23 pm

Both. I have MMA friends who I spar with, and many people who I fight also do either muay thai or standard boxing. It's the default fighting method where I live. I don't know what pushing hands or sticky hands are. When we defend we usually dodge, but when we do block we adhere to their limb and counterattack.
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby yat_chum » Sat Sep 15, 2007 4:38 am

I having been thinking much about your problem, Boxers are very hard to deal with at their own range the reason for this is that they only have four basic offensive moves which they train to the extreme, they also fight in the same way as they train always a big plus in my book. The best way to fight them is to fight them outside their preferred range either by kicking or by getting into grapping range. (forgive me if I sound patronizing. I am a simple person with a simple way of thinking.) I have been studying some Long fist clips on youtube and your style is so alien to me as I have mostly trained in Southern styles, that it is difficult for me to give you useful advice but to you I think angle of attack is the key. Boxers as you will have seen fight very square on if you attack them at an angle greater than fortyfive degrees to their centerline you will have the advantage.
yijing zhidong

use stillness to overcome movement
yat_chum
Forum God
 
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:18 am
Location: United Kingdom

Postby Yue » Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:14 pm

Thanks for all the thought you've given this. When I spar my MMA friends I usually try to keep them in the long range (two steps or one jump away) and then surprise them with a jump kick or a rapid advance. Of course I usually wind up takinng a blow to the face regardless, which is why I was asking about tips for increasing reflexes.
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby yat_chum » Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:36 am

Last night when I was thinking about this I remembered a drill that a work colleague used to improve his reaction speed. This drill requires another person but they don't need to have any martial arts experience. Stand square on. The other person holds their arms out-stretched so that their hands are level with the side of your head at a distance of about a foot away from your cheeks. You stand with your hands at shoulder height below your chin. The aim of the other person is to tap your cheeks, yours is to stop them by using small circular blocks. The hands must return to their starting postion before the next movement. This is a speed drill not a bashing drill if anyone is getting hurt stop the drill. Broken rhythm is essential for this drill to be effective using different combinations of lefts and rights. Wow so many words for such a simple drill.
yijing zhidong

use stillness to overcome movement
yat_chum
Forum God
 
Posts: 3176
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:18 am
Location: United Kingdom

Postby Yue » Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:34 pm

Thanks. I'll try this drill with my friend later.
Anything goes.
Yue
Forum Specialist
 
Posts: 107
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Postby meditationsolution » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:12 am

Hi Yue,

Do practice yoga and meditation. it will not only keep your mind but body also fit. practice yoga to keep your body flexible.

Regards,
meditationsolution
Forum User
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:55 am

Postby desa'84 » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:25 am

too much body flexibility is not the best for a fighter
YMAA Italy
desa'84
Forum Contributor
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:54 am

Postby Ralteria » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:24 pm

How much flexibility would you say is too much flexibilty, in your pov?
Caution...Wisdom may cause bruising.
Ralteria
Forum Addict
 
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:45 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

Postby desa'84 » Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:52 am

pavel tsatsouline reported testimonies by boxers, kickboxers etc. complaining about a loss in power during periods of too much flexibility (in particular in the waist area), for example Bill "Superfoot" Wallace reported a loss of power in kicking when he was able to do this perfectly and even more down http://www.ginnasticaverona.org/atleti/ ... accata.jpg sorry I don't know the english word (sorry for my poor english)
YMAA Italy
desa'84
Forum Contributor
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:54 am


Return to Sparring and Fighting

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

cron