Kickboxing Classes Birmingham Alabama Article

If You Only Learn Muay Thai Defensive Techniques You Will Become Predictable - Learn These Thai Boxing Defensive Tactics Instead

When I am sparring or fighting someone for the first time I test their defenses to see how they react. Most people you will fight will have learned defensive techniques instead of tactics and will have picked the ones they like.

This is a dangereous way to learn because it makes you predictable which makes you vulnerable. I watch how they react a couple of times which means they most probably will always react like that. Next time round you pretend you are going for one target and instead attack another.

For instance, one senario I have come across many times in the ring and in the gym is when my opponent blocks the leg kick with their shin too high. I will throw the kick at their thigh two times to get the high reaction then on the third kick I will go a bit lower and attack their supporting leg. My shin goes under their blocking leg and takes out their other leg.

You can stop this ever happening to you just by learning Muay Thai defense the right way first; that is by learning tactics.

There are five basic defensive tactics to learn for Muay Thai; moving out of the way, parrying, shielding, neutralising with your own attack, and catching the weapon. Not every tactic can be used for every technique but you should always be looking to use as many as possible for every attack that comes your way.

If you know tactics instead of techniques then you will be able to improvise in a fight and even make up your own stuff on the spot. This is how the really great fighters seem to pull things out of their arse when they get put under pressure because they can improvise. Lets look at each one in turn.

Getting Out Of The Way

The first way to do this is of course with footwork. You should practise footwork every time you train or do shadowboxing. Use short quick steps instead of long slow ones and keep a good guard at all times when moving.

It's amazing how many people keep their hands up when standing still but as soon as they move they drop them. It's like they think "well I'm on the move so my opponent can't hit me so I don't need my hands up". Wrong. Moving away while taking an attack on your guard is a great way to dissipate an attack but even a slight hit to an open target when your slightly off balance can mean lights out.

Another type of moving away is done with the body. Whatever part of your body is being attacked just move it out of the way. You can lean your head away from a strike, step your leg away from a kick, or arch your body into a C shape to avoid something. The great advantage of this type of moving is that it leaves you closer to your opponent so you can counter strike before they can recover from their failed attack.

Try using footwork first until you get used to your opponents range then just your body so you can then counter strike.

Parrying

Parrying is the redirection of your opponents force in a direction that is no longer towards yourself but also in the general direction that the attack was already headed. You mainly do this with your hands as it takes a lot of dexderity to accomplish but some people can use their legs as well. You use your cupped hand on your opponents attacking limbs further down than where they will hit you with.

For instance when parrying a punch you cup your opponents forearm and when kicking you parry the shin. If done properly this tactic is one of the best as it takes little effort on your part but makes your opponent over extend and become vulnerable.

Shielding

This involves using your forearms and shins as a shield to block incoming attacks by letting the weapons hit the guard whilst hiding behind it. You don't extend your shield out from your body to intercept the weapons as this leaves openings for other attacks. You make the shield by putting your forearms close together in front of your body and raising one shin to meet your elbows.

This is done in various but similar ways for each attack you encounter. This is the most basic form of defense and therefore the most important to have perfected.

Unfortunately most people leave their defense at this level and don't develop any of the other tactics. It's like a warrior on the ancient battlefield hiding behind his shield until it's chopped to pieces. Then he's got nothing left. Neutralizing With Your Own Attack

Ever heard the saying "the best defense is a good offense"? Well it could never be more true in Muay Thai.

If you can read what your opponent is going to do you can throw an attack at the same time as him/her. If you read it right and throw the correct corresponding attack you will catch him/her at their weakest.

For instance this works well against someone who is throwing lots of slow power shots in the hope of knocking you out. Instead of becoming intimidated by this behaviour and hiding behind your shield you can throw less powerful but quicker shots as they are coming in and are open.

Throw punches when your opponent kicks, and knees when he/she throws haymaker punches. The footjab is a great all round technique to use with this tactic. Grabbing The Weapon

This involves catching and latching onto not only the attacking weapon but also onto the person throwing the weapon. Some weapons are too fast to grab so this tactic does not always work; you have to choose which tactics to use to fit the situation.

Punches are very quick and hard to grab. Using the battlefield warrior discription again to explain it's like trying to catch an arrow with your hand. You're better off hiding behind your shield for a time or getting out of the way.

If you are being attacked with a round kick it is comparable with being attacked with a club. Just let it hit your shield to stop it then latch on tight.

Another way to use this tactic is to utilise the clinch. If they are firing fast arrows at you wait until they stop to reload then grab hold of them and control their body. This forces them to use close quarter weapons which may be to your advantage.