Controlling the fighting range

Jack · Black Belt

One essential part of training that may be very much overlooked is learning and diligently practicing the way of controlling the fighting range.

Have you ever seen a truely skilled Martial Artist spar against one of his students? The 'master' will hang tantalisingly close to the student, but whenever he tries to strike the master is out of range. The master hardly tries, and avoids all of the student's attacks effortlessly, as he flails in vain.

This is due to how efficiently he can control the fighting range.

The essence of this is reaction, distance, timing, and footwork. You can practice and improve your skills at this with a simple two person drill.

Have yourself and a training partner stand, opposite and facing each other. Have it so when your partner takes a step towards you, you take a step back. Mirror his footwork to maintain that comfortable distance no matter what. Some tips to help you when practicing this is to not look at his feet, but to look at his body. Learn to sense his movements from telegraphing. Also, you can try imagining a force connection your two belts, a certain distance that you must maintain.

This may well seem awkward at first, but after much hard practice you will notice yourself quite easily controlling the fighting range.

However, this is not the only training needed. You must learn to recognize the range of all of your strikes and your opponent's, as well as perceiving the distance correctly. When you can do this, and react to his movement properly, you will find yourself staying deceptively close to him, but when he strikes or moves towards you, you are already out of range.

Have any of you trained this? If so, what was it like?

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Jack
Currently 'off' from formal MA training
KarateForums.com

karatekid1975 · KF VIP

Hiya Jack.

My TSD teacher taught like that. He didn't just tell people to spar. He got right in there with us and sparred. He was too good. I couldn't "get in" on him. He did keep me in his range. I asked him how'd he do that, and he said that he was "reading" me (I was telegraphing too much). He'd just dodge everything I threw at him. He also told me about the distance thing (how to get proper distance). So, I totally agree with you.

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Laurie F

[CT]pizzaboy · Green Belt

Always keep yourself moving(hands and foot) and your punchs or kicks will be masked. If you stay still, it is like a wall moving and your opponent will see it coming.

When do you fight, Jack? When ever YOU want to. By developing good footwork you can dodge a hit, and strike when you want. And if you get hit, hit the opponent back faster and harder.

Ai Hate · Yellow Belt

being able to read the opponent is essential in a fight. if you could determine when he's gonna strike, you cuold even do it first.

Arts_not_Brutality · White Belt

I agree, in wrestling, distance is everything-you can't shott when your too far away.

sprawling, chaneing direction of your circling, and just moving a step farther back is all it takes to send some attacks to pot.

Martial_Artist · Pre-Black Belt

I think what you are describing, Jack, is more accurately called TIMING.

Let me further explain:

Speed, strength, endurance are all components to timing. Being able to place the proper hit at the proper moment, or being to perform the proper movement at the right time(ex. moving out of range at the moment of impact) is TIMING.

I noticed you mentioned reaction, distance, timing, and footwork all together, but if you look closer I think you'll see how your reaction depends on how well you can time your movement. Distance depends on how well you can time your footwork.

When you have timing you can seemingly effortlessly hit a faster opponent by simply timing your movements. Ever seen the older wiser martial artist seemingly hit his younger opponent without effort? Timing being the key.

I like the exercise you recommend, except I feel that it limits the mind too much by focusing on the feet too much. I would reorganize the exercise to work on all parts of the body and focus looking your opponent in the EYES rather than the body.

Range is only a portion of the scheme of timing. I must state however that all things need to be gained. Speed, power, accuracy, and timing. One alone will not fully suffice.

Regular sparring is one of the only ways to fully cultivate these skills.

Jack · Black Belt

I agree with you there MA, timing is another very important skill - useful with footwork, keeping range, planting the strike at the right time, feinting effectively amongst a wide range of other things, but as you said yourself any one skill alone is insufficient. Being able to improve and use all the skills mentioned above, and some others not mentioned, will be very helpful.

Ah yes, and this exercise was just a a beginning exercise to start off with. There are several variations you can play with when the practicioner is comfortable with this one, which doesn't just emphasise the feet.

Regular sparring is a very effective training method, but only if performed properly and proper concentration is put on moving and striking correctly, instead of allowing it to degenerate into a sloppy fight lacking all strategy and skill, like many McDojo students allow their spars to turn into.

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Jack
Currently 'off' from formal MA training
KarateForums.com

Ti-Kwon-Leap · Blue Belt

What you are describing Jack is becoming like water; a sympathetic yin/yang state that is almost telepathic. This is what Bruce Lee spoke of and is the esscence of aikido. It is slippery and hard to attain but it is pure gold!

Martial_Artist · Pre-Black Belt

I agree Jack, about the free sparring done by some. It becomes so unrefined, so sloppy, you wouldn't guess the people performing the movements had had any training in anything aside from going ape berserk.

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