Slide in Offset Kick with Opposite Side Punch

This is a slight variation on yesterday’s combination.

Without prejudice

Slide in Offset Kick with Same Side Punch

This week I’m practising slide in offset kicks with same side punch follow ups. These are very similar to what I was doing with my front kick follow ups a few weeks ago.

The idea is to kick low and punch high. It’s based on the idea of the attacker staying put for the initial kick.

Without prejudice

Angled Block and Counter Punch

Come down on an angle against the shovel hook before counter punching.

A straight downward block won’t always protect against it.

Without prejudice

Crossdownward Palm Block and Counter Punch

Back Dated for Nov 4 2010

Crossdownward Palm Block and Counter Punch

I use this primarily against a straight left punch to the solar plexus.

It is pretty much the same as yesterday.

The only real difference is that the punch is done with the left hand.

Another major exception is the block is down instead of to the side.

Without prejudice

Mantis Block and Counter Punch

For the last three days of this week I’m defending my mid torso.
He is going after the area of my spleen, solar plexus or liver.

Today I block a hard right punch to my left torso.
I keep my hands high in this instant to draw his punch low.
Then I counter punch after.

Without prejudice

Outside Palm Block and Counter Punch

Again today’s defence combination drill is done against a punch to the face.

In this defence my blocking hand is both up and it is open.
The whole idea is that an attacker is snapping his (her) jab quickly.
I don’t have a lot of time here so having my hand up to begin with is vital.

I haven’t mentioned much about the concept of ‘drawing an attack’.
The most basic idea is that I give an identifiable attacker a target.
When they attempt to attack that target, I’m ready with a defence and counter punch.

It is vital that a counter punch follow the block.
The whole point of this drill is to make staying safe a reflex.
A counter punch is the obvious follow-up to the defence.
The counter punch is used to deter the attacker from punching repeatedly.

This is a drill.
This drill is designed to build confidence in combining a defence with a counter punch.
This drill is designed to build speed, power, rhythm...
All that good stuff I might need if push goes to shove.

But...

It would likely be applied differently against a hostile attacker.




Without prejudice

Inside Hooking Block and Counter Punch

This is very similar to what I was doing yesterday.
The main difference is that I’m blocking the attack off to the side.
This would work better if the attack were a bit lower on the face.

Some people call these blocks ‘slap’ blocks; that is as good a name as any.
The block should feel like nothing to the blocker.
It is the attacker who should feel the shock and pain of the block.

It took me a long time to learn to just flick out my arm.
To just slap an attacking fist to the side went against the grain.
And once I got the idea, it still requires constant practice.
I find blocking is a high maintenance activity.
Constant solo drills and constant two man drills are an absolute for me.

Without prejudice