[muay thai] advices for sparring

[TheFinerDetails]

One big notable difference I've found from being a completely defensive fighter in boxing (philly shelling/shoulder rolling countering), is that this sort of ideal is hard to use in MT. You can absolutely counterstrike, but being a dedicated counter striker is almost impossible (ESPECIALLY WITH BAD HANDS). A lot of the really good counter strikers I've seen in K1/MT have really really good hands.
In boxing you can sort of wait around, roll, counter-2, move out. In MT I've found that I need to bait, counter, unload 3 or 4 shots, move out or clinch up and then if you've moved out, you'll probably have to check a returning kick or teep them back, or if you've clinched up it's time to start working them.
Also, the problem with wanting to counterstrike is that generally counterstriker's are on the lookout for 1 or 2 big shots or a few good combos. This generally messes with the idea that you should just teep or jab them away... Seeing as you want to make the shots count. Why not catch them with a jab on the way in, then rip the front leg as they put the weight on it instead of just jabbing and moving out ?
I just think that you can be relatively (NOTE: RELATIVELY) more inactive as a counter-boxer rather than a counter-kickboxer, simply because of that fact that if you clinch, you have to work, and if you move out, you have to work...

 

[roventu]

establish your jab and teep. if you find they are closing the distance a lot, they either dont respect your weak jab/teep (and are willing to take it and trade with a stronger punch of their own) or you aren't moving well enough (circling instead of straight backwards). ofc you will never avoid them completely, which is why you need to learn to clinch with a power puncher

if they stop being so aggressive, then you know they respect your jab/teep more

btw yes we spar with clinch + knees, but only light knees (more for technique) in dominant positions, to show you got them. if you dont practice knees in sparring, well you'll never instinctually do them in a fight

 

[DaGenius]

To be honest I think always being a counter striker is taking the easy way out. It's good that crowded days basically mean you'll have to lead the dance sometimes.

I'll give you some advice probably different than most here. On those crowded days just go forward. You be the pressure fighter. It won't look good at first but you'll be doing so much to expand your style and ability

 

[AndyTran]

One big notable difference I've found from being a completely defensive fighter in boxing (philly shelling/shoulder rolling countering), is that this sort of ideal is hard to use in MT. You can absolutely counterstrike, but being a dedicated counter striker is almost impossible (ESPECIALLY WITH BAD HANDS). A lot of the really good counter strikers I've seen in K1/MT have really really good hands.
In boxing you can sort of wait around, roll, counter-2, move out. In MT I've found that I need to bait, counter, unload 3 or 4 shots, move out or clinch up and then if you've moved out, you'll probably have to check a returning kick or teep them back, or if you've clinched up it's time to start working them.
Also, the problem with wanting to counterstrike is that generally counterstriker's are on the lookout for 1 or 2 big shots or a few good combos. This generally messes with the idea that you should just teep or jab them away... Seeing as you want to make the shots count. Why not catch them with a jab on the way in, then rip the front leg as they put the weight on it instead of just jabbing and moving out ?
I just think that you can be relatively (NOTE: RELATIVELY) more inactive as a counter-boxer rather than a counter-kickboxer, simply because of that fact that if you clinch, you have to work, and if you move out, you have to work...

exactly I feint a lot with hip moving, leg raising then dropping into kick from the other side, jab, etc to draw the reaction also.
but when people just move forward then feint doesnt work lol.
thanks guys I will work on fighting on the front foot more. if that mean eating too many punches then I will resort to clinching.
it is just I hate the feeling of initiating which leave myself open, guess working on what doesnt feel comfortable is essential in improving so.
thanks guys i really appreciate it :icon_chee

 

[TheFinerDetails]

To be honest I think always being a counter striker is taking the easy way out.

Perspective...
It can be seen as being the more intelligent fighter, fighting smarter, more tactical, and more conserved.It may come naturally to some, but countering isn't simply, "easy". If it was, more fighters would do it.
Whereas a fighter who does nothing but throw combos in a hope of hitting 1 or 2 shots can be viewed as someone who has no idea what their doing and is too accustomed to hitting pads/bags.

But yeah I see your point. I personally used to solely counter strike, which is a bad habit to fall into, because when you're backing a guy up who can also counter strike you'll have no idea what to do. These days I try to get my counters rather off me coming forward.

to TS, if you like countering, learn to fight on the front foot and to get counters off your front movement. Pretty much look what's in front of you, don't throw a combo for the sake of throwing a combo. If you 1-2 and he has his leg up for a check because you've thrown 1-2-lowkick so many times, you could sweep him by pushing through that back leg, or you could knee while his weight is all on his back foot. This is all technically "countering", because you're countering what he does, but instead of waiting for him, you're actively making him react and then countering his reactions.

 

[Pope Leo VII]

Teep.

damit..

beat me to the teep!

Change levels with this mofo..

Head, Stomach, Thigh, Hip, etc....

After you land the teep, start faking it and going into strike/combo.

 

[DoctorTaco]

damit..

beat me to the teep!

Change levels with this mofo..

Head, Stomach, Thigh, Hip, etc....

After you land the teep, start faking it and going into strike/combo.

I'm
Surprised it took this many posts for it to be mentioned.

I like to bait a jab by throwing a jab, and when they start their punch I'll lean back and hit the teep.

After they grow to expect the teep, fake it into a super man punch. Practice throwing the teep after the SMP by stepping through and using your momentum. Gsp used this idea (that I showed his cousins training partner years earlier...coincidence!?!? #neostriking) against kos but followed up with a leg kick instead.

If you've got the hips for it, the Brazilian kick/question mark kick s great too.

 

[Paradigm]

I'm
Surprised it took this many posts for it to be mentioned.

I like to bait a jab by throwing a jab, and when they start their punch I'll lean back and hit the teep.

After they grow to expect the teep, fake it into a super man punch. Practice throwing the teep after the SMP by stepping through and using your momentum. Gsp used this idea (that I showed his cousins training partner years earlier...coincidence!?!? #neostriking) against kos but followed up with a leg kick instead.

If you've got the hips for it, the Brazilian kick/question mark kick s great too.

Hisaki Kato had a nice superman punch KO against Joe Schilling in the second to last Bellator:

 

[DoctorTaco]

Hisaki Kato had a nice superman punch KO against Joe Schilling in the second to last Bellator:

Oof, that's tough to watch. Schilling is one of my favorite fighters

 

[roventu]

Hisaki Kato had a nice superman punch KO against Joe Schilling in the second to last Bellator:

oh damn, first time seeing that.

i should probably stop doing that footwork he was doing right before the KO (where you shuffle your feet together and away), hands down didnt help either.

 

[Paradigm]

id love to spar with elbow pads and headgear on. i feel like so much of my game is missing by not sparring with straight knees and elbows. then again, there's the other side of that equation as well...

Oof, that's tough to watch. Schilling is one of my favorite fighters

oh damn, first time seeing that.

i should probably stop doing that footwork he was doing right before the KO (where you shuffle your feet together and away), hands down didnt help either.

here...just so i balance out the universe. from two fights of his before that...Melvin Manhoef, of all people:

 

[Pope Leo VII]

I'm
Surprised it took this many posts for it to be mentioned.

I like to bait a jab by throwing a jab, and when they start their punch I'll lean back and hit the teep.

After they grow to expect the teep, fake it into a super man punch. Practice throwing the teep after the SMP by stepping through and using your momentum. Gsp used this idea (that I showed his cousins training partner years earlier...coincidence!?!? #neostriking) against kos but followed up with a leg kick instead.

If you've got the hips for it, the Brazilian kick/question mark kick s great too.

What Ive been practicing lately is timing my teep with an oncoming kick.

When landed perfectly, you absolutely destroy the opponent.... Sending them flying backwards if not on their ass.

 

[j123]

What Ive been practicing lately is timing my teep with an oncoming kick.

When landed perfectly, you absolutely destroy the opponent.... Sending them flying backwards if not on their ass.

Teeps are the GOAT of intercepting anything. Superman, kick, outside knee, etc. Buakaw does this flawlessly

 

[Paradigm]

What Ive been practicing lately is timing my teep with an oncoming kick.

When landed perfectly, you absolutely destroy the opponent.... Sending them flying backwards if not on their ass.

yeah...looks cool when the guy falls back flailing or you fold them over by teeping the hip joint. always takes a bit more balls to teep though, knowing that there is a heavy strike coming in and that you may eat it if you mess up the teep.

 

[DoctorTaco]

What Ive been practicing lately is timing my teep with an oncoming kick.

When landed perfectly, you absolutely destroy the opponent.... Sending them flying backwards if not on their ass.

That would be a fantastic partner drill

 

[DoctorTaco]

id love to spar with elbow pads and headgear on. i feel like so much of my game is missing by not sparring with straight knees and elbows. then again, there's the other side of that equation as well...




here...just so i balance out the universe. from two fights of his before that...Melvin Manhoef, of all people:

I'd love that kind of sparring, but man oh man does it take a high level of trust and control to spar elbows realistically while keeping control.

 

[Paradigm]

That would be a fantastic partner drill

its a good one. you just have someone throw a roundhouse and the other guy can only intercept with the teep. hit someone just right and you'll fold them in half or knock them backwards on their ass.

evidently its damn near impossible to find a gif of someone using this in a fight lol.

I'd love that kind of sparring, but man oh man does it take a high level of trust and control to spar elbows realistically while keeping control.

yeah...id only trust one or two guys in the gym to do it with and id be using my headgear with the bitch bar (and elbow pads) to minimize breaking my face.

 

[AndyTran]

elbows are dangerous
one of my friend got a big cut and needed 5 stitches because his sparring partner throw an awkward right hook which he miscalculated the distance, turning it into a big rear elbow strike (sok tad)

I have been trying to fight more on the front foot and realizing even when shadowboxing or doing padworks I also stand too much on the back legs, and thats why I stand on the back leg during sparring.
it really is "you fight like you train"

 

[Paradigm]

elbows are dangerous
one of my friend got a big cut and needed 5 stitches because his sparring partner throw an awkward right hook which he miscalculated the distance, turning it into a big rear elbow strike (sok tad)

I have been trying to fight more on the front foot and realizing even when shadowboxing or doing padworks I also stand too much on the back legs, and thats why I stand on the back leg during sparring.
it really is "you fight like you train"

hence why id be wearing headgear and elbow pads. had a pro hit me with an elbow in Thailand during sparring...was the first time id ever seen an elbow in sparring ever lol. this was with no headgear or elbow pads. of course, he had control and used the inside part of his forearm next to the elbow but i wouldnt trust that shit with random people at my gym without lots of protective gear.