Re: Details of Fighting!
[QUOTE]Originally posted by TAO YIN
in the heat of battle a person shouldn’t really think for the most part,
I allways think:‘Oh sh!t, why me, mommeeeee, etc.’
Where do you focus your eyes on the opponent?
Don’t focus, but observe &watch. Scan. Initially the eyes tell you a lot. But take in the whole picture. Upper torso usually gives the best early indication of any body movement.
How do you efficently get into and out of range while keeping your vital areas protected?
Proper stances and footwork, attention to basics. The most common complaint I get from my sparing partners is sore insteps. Foot traps and leg checks are so ingrained in my style that I don’t even realize I’m doing them, and I refuse to consciously delete them in hard sparing (I will loan out instep protection). Same with foot maneuvers- we drill them ad nauseum. They have to be second nature in a fight.
How do you read your opponent’s style, techniques?
If you have that luxurey, stay back and maneuver a little, watch him, spar a little & test him. Try to draw him out. But an experienced fighter may not show you everything he’s got untill it’s too late.
Do you pay more attention to the lead hand and lead leg, or rear hand and rear leg?
Pay attention to the fighter, what he’s doing. Where all hands and feet are, and how he holds/positions them.
Do you concentrate on attacking, or defending to attack?
Depends on the opponent and the situation. If he charges in, I’m obviously going to defend, let him close the gap. Go for position, contour his moves and try to use his momentum against him (attackig or withdrawing). If he’s trying to delay or hold me untill his friends get there, I’m obviously going to attack. The response to in between situations depends on how I feel, what I read in him, just whatever happens.
Another way to look at this question is from the perspective of offensive mind set, in which case you allways attack. ‘Attack the attack’, ‘every block a strike, every strike a block’, etc. The word ‘Ute’, in Japanese, is to ‘block’. A lot of martial artists get hung up there- block first, then attack. That usually ends up with you blocking several attacks until one gets through. In Okinawan, ‘Ute’ means to ‘recieve’. This implies that you do something with that attack. Blocking is still an option, but you want to control it, and him. Use a strike that doubles as a block. Make contact and use his momentum/energy against him. Move for position as you block. Contour his move to find an opening.
etc, etc…
In the really serious fights, I doubt you’ll have much time to worry about any of this. Work hard on basics now. Train for reaction to sudden assault. Learn to work with the weight of an assailant on you, and get past the dojo style grabs on your self defenses. Ex: a person that bear hugs you isn’t going to walk up, grab you, and stand there with his head in line with yours so you can head butt him. He’s going to slam into you and either pick up and squeeze or drive you into something. If he does hold you, it’s for his buddy to pound you. Most of the bear hug self defenses I’ve seen won’t work against the real thing. Ours do, but only if you practice them that way and get past the mechanical 1-2-3 approach. Learn the principles, learn to work under force, learn to change up and improvise.
For those times you do have time, like when it’s not realy serious, he wants to haze or intimidate, or to size you up first- work on disengagement, as well as attack and defense. A good ready stance that looks non threatening but is a strong platform from which to attack or defend. Verbal skills. Be mindful that the fight doesn’t end when he’s down- you still have to deal with the law and a thousand do gooders that seem to flock to the side of any poor degenerate victom of your unfair defensive actions.
Feel free to add anything you want!
That could be a dangerous thing to say to this bunch 
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