a jab definitely means something - a jab is one of the most important tools you have. a push kick is as well. you CAN put power into them, but in the cases of many people, it’s a waste. Not everyone has a stiff jab. It’s that simple. that poke IS what sets everything else up. I’ve got way more to work with than just a jab, having both traditional and sport training, but like I said, IMO there is nothing in my arsenal more important than the jab and the push kick.
out of curiosity, what do you usually use to set something up?
For setting things up I tend to use a lot of stuff depending on the person I am sparring with. I like to grab the hand-kick the leg, if the person is using a boxing stance then it really depends on how they throw their punches and kicks, I tend to counter fight in that regard. I also put a lot of weight on how the person is in terms of presence, if they are very aware and present, then I may use more sidestepping, illusive stepping, footwork shifting, redirection of attention through fake or hit high or low and go serious on the opposite range, and, of course, the occassional jab. Sometimes you can plow through the person if they aren’t prepared enough.
Keep in mind that this is the first time I’ve tried to put into words what I do when I spar so I’m sure there are probably real terms for these things that I just named.
The jab is kind of like a bridging method in the sense that you describe your use of it.
But you are definately right, some people waste the jab and others use it well. I actually spar a guy in my class who puts his lead hand out really far, like outstretched so far!, and I watch him spar and I know what to do but when I try it is very distracting because he is keeping his distance through his lead hand which is like a feeler or something.
you are right. I don’t study fighting excep for a kickboxing class I was in a few years ago and know absolutely nothing about footwork, but me and my friends:) love puttign on the gloves and having a kickboxing match. I always hold my jab(left) hand out as a buffer and it ****es everyone off. I’ve had people get seriously mad after kicking my ass adn they can’t finish me off cause I keep distracting them until they go over the top and just grab my arm. A couple of challengers have tried to tell me I can’t use that and have to box, well I don;t know how to box, but I love fighting people without getting killed.