Drawing an Attack in a Fight or Sparring

When two combatants are sparring or fighting and they are well experienced, it can sometimes be very hard to find an opening for a strike. Attacking with single techniques rarely hit and combination striking can sometimes leave you open to be countered. One the best ways to get round this though is if you know what technique your opponent will throw at you, before he/she has even done it.

Now I am not referring to some kind of mystical martial art power. What I am referring to is the old but useful method of drawing. Drawing an attack is something that should not be used constantly as your opponent will be able to read you like a book eventually, but if two people are engaged in a match and neither one has the upper hand, it can be useful.

In order to draw, you must allow your opponent to think that you have left a gap in your tight guard. For instance, usually you have your hands up high, but for a few seconds, you purposely drop them lower, allowing your opponent to think that you have left an opening. Knowing this, you assume that your opponent will attack high, probably with a punch combination so you wait for it. As soon as it comes in, you are ready, and counter with a side kick to the exposed ribs. Another example is that you make you stance slightly longer, exposing your forward leg to a roundhouse kick to the thigh. You wait, and as soon as it comes in, you step forward, grabbing the leg and taking your opponent down.

Of course there are many other ways of drawing an attack, and it is up to you to practice the technique. Drawing is also a useful way to gauge how experienced your opponent is. If he/she falls for the draw, attacks to the exposed target, naively enough without thinking that it’s a set up, you should straight away know that your opponent is not very experienced as a fighter. The draw will not always work, but if it does it can leave you in a very dominating position.

Marks

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The Best Judo Tip for Throwing

A Judo throw requires not much strength at all. Whether it’s a hip throw, a throw to the rear, a pick up, sacrifice or whatever, they all have the same basic principle. YOUR OPPONENTS BALANCE MUST BE BROKE FIRST.

When your opponents balance is broken then a slight push, pull or trip and the opponent will be thrown. Breaking the balance can be done in many ways. The basic way is to push or pull your opponent in any direction. Front, back, sideways and to the corners. When your opponent has been taken in one off these directions, and his/her balance has been broken, then he/she can be thrown. A lot of time nowadays, strength is used to throw, which also works, but when a throw is done in this manner, the thrower can lose balance and also fall to the ground. Balance can also be broken by your opponent’s natural movement. When a foot is taken off the floor (as in to step) his/her balance is naturally broken. An example is if your opponent steps forward towards you, his/her balance has been broken to the front allowing for an easy throw to the front which could include, Uchi Mata, Koshi Guruma, O Goshi or maybe a sacrifice throw like Tomo Nage etc. Again, if your opponent attempts a throw and fails, then moves back to position, as he/she is moving backwards, his balance is being broken to the rear, allowing for maybe O Soto Gari, or Morote Gari. To be able to throw someone with this type of timing requires a lot of practice, but is just an example of how two people sparring or fighting are constantly losing balance.

Kyuzo Mifine is regarded as some, to be the best Judo Fighter ever. His balance was crisp and smooth and could throw many people much taller than him by the exact method detailed above. The best part of his throws, was that he rarely fell whilst throwing, remaining standing. This is the true essence of Judo, and is what all JudoKa should be aiming to achieve.

Marks

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Submission Fighting and Submitting

In case anyone does not know, submission fighting refers to grappling, which includes, throws, takedowns, locks, (to most joints on the body) chokes and cranks. It is great for building speed, flexibility, strength and endurance. When learning submission fighting or any type of system that allows these submission techniques, its important that pride does not get in the way.

Many times I have seen fights on TV where fighters would rather be choked unconscious or have one of there joints broke, rather than tap out. Why? If the technique is on and there is no way of escaping, submit. By submitting you are not giving up as some people see. You are merely letting this fight go, to concentrate on the next one. The alternative is to let pride get in the way, have your knee broke through a knee bar or to risk dying because of a strangle hold. Then that would leave you either at home resting for a few months for your knee to heal or maybe in a coffin. I know that sounds extreme but it is not that hard to kill someone with a strangle hold, and could happen.

The awful thing is that young martial artist’s still learning see fighters resist submitting on TV and then get the picture that this is good. WELL ITS NOT! Submitting, especially in training is nothing to be ashamed off. Of course, try your very best to not be caught in a submission hold, but if it happens, learn from how you got caught in that technique and move on, completely healthy to fight again

Marks

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