While in TKD I looked just over my opponents shoulder to take in his body with my periphreal vision. In karate I’m learning to fight at a much closer distance so trying to look at any one place just gets me hit from somewhere else.
Also at what distance are you fighting? In TKD the range was from extended leg to extended arm, with exceptions for the occaisional elbow and knee. In karate it is arms length to grappling range.
Just like in football they tell ya to focus on the guys waist… who the hell is thinking of that when you’re trying to shed a pulling guard off of ya and take on a full back crashing through the line with his head down. Just hit the guy as hard as ya can and hope you get him down. Better yet, he goes down and the ball comes out.
I know what you’re thinking: mid field is different… You pause to focus, they’re gone.
In fighting the shoulder often reveleas the fist’s course. But I always plan for the worst attacks: power up the middle. I shield for those, and if they’re rounded out just got to raise the elbow a bit. Same with the legs. I feel you pick up the leg, I wedge up the middle… all of this, but I don’t like to think about it, especially before a fight. It’s too easy to get caught up philosophising. I’d rather just let the arrow go!
Depends on the range. I practice both taiji and wing chun. In taiji since every move of the forms is suppose to have at least 40 applications (rule of thumb - not exact fact) and its literal meaning is the grand ultimate, everything is taiji. So however you look at your opponet is how you do it, its not wrong and its not right. If it works, it works.
Now with WC close range fighting/trapping I usually look along the midsection of the body for the same reasons mentioned above. This is a more WC minded approach. You can see their shoulders/elbows move for punches and watch their hips for kicks. Using your peripheral vision. You can keep track of all of your opponet’s weapons that way.
I would like to know what kind of blind spot training people do. You never know when you might get blind sided from someone. I guess glancing in your blind spots every now and again would be a good thing, kind of like checking your mirrors when you are driving your car.
Originally posted by norther practitioner I close my eyes and swing wildly most of the time…
Up close, I watch the eyes- It can give away what direction they are probably going to attack twards, and sometimes lets me know what they are expecting me to do. Are they jumpy and uneasy, angry, distracted, or confident? All of this shows in the eyes.
From any kind of distance, I look at the base of thier neck so I don’t get focused on any particular apendage.
Originally posted by sc_guy Look at his front leg. He has to put weight on his front leg before he can punchs, kicks, or move in toward you. Use the “chain kick” and don’t allow him to put any weight on his front leg then you are safe.
What if you are fighting a practioner of 50/50 foot work? Technically there should not be any more weight on any side, or front or back.
Originally posted by sc_guy …both legs position are not front and back then his nutts is open to you. Kick his nutts and back fist to the top of his head. If he has one leg forward and one leg back then either “step on his knee” or “matching kick to sweep his front leg”.
and while you’re staring at his feet he gives you a good smack in the face.
I tend to look around the base of the neck like most people here, and up close I look at the eyes, they can give things away. an inexperienced fighter makes it blatantly obvious where his next attack is directed by his eyes.
Originally posted by sc_guy, Look at his front leg.
What happens if you think you’re looking at his front leg but he’s just really, really, really glad to see you?:eek:
When in striking/outside range, I look mainly at his chest and shoulders, or his hips, depending on my level and what I’m planning on doing.
Once I’ve clinched, if I’m looking at anything, I’m usually looking at his feet. I can feel what his arms are doing; I can’t always tell what position his feet are in without looking.
… and if hes a better kicker than you? longer legs? all very well keeping him at range but if he can mess you up from there its rather pointless dont you think?
oh ok, so what youre saying is that I should look at their feet but only if im fighting a replicant of myself, or beating up some children. you still didnt answer my original question of “what if hes bigger than you are”
Originally posted by sc_guy Why you would think the size will make any difference here? Of course if his arm is longer than your leg then that’s different story. I assume you are familiar with the “chain kick”.
well what the hell do you think I mean? jesus this is frustrating. unless he is some kind of deformity, someone taller than you is gonna have longer reach than you. in this situation I would be trying to get inside his area to nullify his reach, instead of looking at his feet. yet again you have side stepped my question which is starting to make me think you have no idea what the hell you are talking about.
and I have a vague idea of what you mean by chain kicking, but if you could expand on it, that would be dandy.
well, first i try to find the flock of turtles as indicated by my opponents pointing and exclaming techniques, then, -stars-. I look at the stars for a while.