Body Blows for Strikers

If you watch most MMA or boxing fights you will notice that the majority of punches are aimed towards the head area. Obviously this is because a good shot to the head will knock your opponent out and end the fight. But a good shot to the body could be just as effective if not more.

Bas Rutten is a firm believer in the liver punch. He has used it many times to gain victories in his fights. The pain which you FEEL when hit to the liver can be so bad, it can make you curl up into a ball on the floor. Notice how the word “feel” is highlighted. When knocked out through a head shot, you don’t feel the blow long enough to feel the pain. You just wake up moments later to be told that you’ve lost the fight. When hit to the body you feel the pain since you’re not unconscious.

Apart from the liver there is anywhere along your centre line from the bottom of your throat to the top of your pelvis, which includes the solar plexus. If hit to this area hard, you may have trouble breathing which could cause you to start panicking, and lose all sight of the bad situation you are in. This gives your opponent enough time and a great opportunity to finish the fight.

Then there are the vulnerable ribs. If you manage to land a shot to your opponents ribs hard enough, you could bruise them or even break them. If this happens your opponent will find it difficult to breath and move in any direction. Also he/she may concentrate so hard in defending there hurt ribs, they may leave themselves open to a head shot. If the ribs are broken, the ref may be forced to stop the fight gaining you the victory.

Body shots should not be attempted constantly, as your opponent will soon discover your number one way of attacking and shall counter as needed. They should be used in combination with head shots and leg shots. Many fighters cover there head area too much and neglect there body. There are great opportunities to many targets on your opponents midsection for you to land heavy blows and this should be practised constantly and always kept in mind in the course of a sparring session, so in competition it becomes second nature.

Marks

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