Reach Problems

[b-spar]

Hey guys, im new to this site... and i need a little help. im a young boxer, 18 years old and im having problems fighting the guys in my class. see ive just got into boxing ive been in it for about 2 months now, and im already full out sparring with the gear and everything. the problem is all the guys i fight in there are bigger then me, not necessarily stronger, but they seem to dominate me on the reach. ive asked my trainer about this and hes helped a bit, but usually they just listen to what he tells me to do, then they counter and get me good, i really love this sport and i want an edge next time i go in there sparring. another thing is that these guys have started the same time as me, and they dont seem to try and box, rather then to just try to beat the crap out of me.... how can i fight these guys effectively? any help would be great, because my nose is killing me right now from a powerful uppercut i received during sparring.... any help would be great guys thanks a million

by the way, im 5"10, 195 pounds

[Blue Wave Gym]

in a word

footwork, footwork and more footwork that's how smaller people/shorter armed people win fights, if there longer armed you'll have to work to get them in your line of fire, try for angles,

[Tom Yum]

Hey guys, im new to this site... and i need a little help. im a young boxer, 18 years old and im having problems fighting the guys in my class. see ive just got into boxing ive been in it for about 2 months now, and im already full out sparring with the gear and everything. the problem is all the guys i fight in there are bigger then me, not necessarily stronger, but they seem to dominate me on the reach. ive asked my trainer about this and hes helped a bit, but usually they just listen to what he tells me to do, then they counter and get me good, i really love this sport and i want an edge next time i go in there sparring. another thing is that these guys have started the same time as me, and they dont seem to try and box, rather then to just try to beat the crap out of me.... how can i fight these guys effectively? any help would be great, because my nose is killing me right now from a powerful uppercut i received during sparring.... any help would be great guys thanks a million

by the way, im 5"10, 195 pounds

Forgive me for asking some basic questions.

Are you keeping your hands up? When you are punching, is your other hand covering well?

Have you learned how to slip punches & counter? Do you keep your head a moving target if you're coming straight in? Can you bob & weave & counter punch?

Do you have rhythm or do you feel stiff and aksward? How is your shuffle step? Do you drill your footwork? Can you get an angle? Can you cut off the other guys ring?

What's your fight strategy?? Do you work off the jab to set up combinations (the ole punches n bunches)? Are you a slugger just trying to rush in and bang? Do you fight from the outside?

Do you prefer to stay in mid ring or against the ropes?

[b-spar]

hey guys thanks a lot for the help so far... this is what usually happens tom yum, yes i have shorter arms then all the guys i fight so i dont use my jab frequently, i guess i would consider myself a slugger, my best work is when im in close... but thats the problem... getting in there and usually when i start off and i go to get in close i get cracked, my footwork isnt the best, and i guess i have to work on my head movement. but over all i know i can hit really hard i just havent exactly had a good chance to do so, i can also take a lot of damage and i have an excellent chin but id just like to know how to get in and beat these guys with longer reach...... any more help would be great guys thanks!

and oh one other thing.... one of the guys i fight likes to throw multiple head hook combinations, like left, right, left , right then he backs the hell out of there before i get the chance to hit him, meaning im defending when hes throwing the head hook combinations ... how could i counter this effectively as well?

thanks guys

[b-spar]

oh and to answer your question tom yum, i am keeping my hands up and im covering with my other hand when i throw, it just seems like im getting backed up and beat from a distance that im definately not comfortable with... witch is outside my reach where i cant seem to do very good damage....

[EmptyneSs]

u dont wanna be sparring with people who want to brawl instead of work with u and learn. u can brawl all u want, but then again u dont need to train boxing to brawl, u can do that at any street corner or poolhall. u wont learn anything that way, and u can get injured which will set u back in your training. what u wanna do is find someone who doesnt want to take ur head off, but instead wants to work on his stuff, go light and work with u. there will be plenty of time to spar hard later, for now u need to work light and keep learning, theres tons to work on. if u keep getting paired up with people who want to go ape shit, tell them before u start that u want to go light because u want to try new stuff out and work on your technique, or ask your teacher to pair u with somoene more docile.

as for reach problems heres some stuff that may help. if your opponent is taller than u, u will have an easier time getting at his body. dont even bother going for his head if he has more reach and height than u, it will expose u too much unless u set him up right. since u are the smaller guy, most of your taller opponents will be throwing their shots at your head. when they do this, just get under their punches and counter to their body. let them come at you with punches, just duck low before impact and slam punches into their ribs and solar plexes. just let them come into your punches, maximixing the effect.

also, if your opponent has more reach than u, u probobly dont want to stay on the outside for very long, as he will just pick u apart with reach. instead try to get on the inside asap. what i like to do is wait for a strike and either duck under it, or parry it and enter the inside with as many uppercuts to their body as possible. as mentioned, footwork is also important, as this will give u mobility and allow u to parry and counter more strikes. u dont want to get away from your opponent, u want to get up close to him and stick to his body, while blasting him with uppercuts and body shots. u also need to work on pivoting out, that will also help u with your mobility and will help u evade your opponent after u have counter attacked him.

also, a reall important thing is dont let punches back u up. its usually better to go into your opponent than let him back u up. if u keep backing up from punches, your opponent will keep being able to strike you. if u go into him however, u can smother his attack, counter him, or acheive a clinch. if u back ur head up, trying to get away from shots, it will put ur chin at risk too. i know it goes against your instincts, but this is something u need to work on. if u go into you opponent, u have a great chance of cutting off the power of his punches and smothering them.


Your flesh is soft
My fists are invincible
Realize your agony

[Tom Yum]

but thats the problem... getting in there and usually when i start off and i go to get in close i get cracked, my footwork isnt the best, and i guess i have to work on my head movement. but over all i know i can hit really hard i just havent exactly had a good chance to do so, i can also take a lot of damage and i have an excellent chin but id just like to know how to get in and beat these guys with longer reach...... any more help would be great guys thanks!

and oh one other thing.... one of the guys i fight likes to throw multiple head hook combinations, like left, right, left , right then he backs the hell out of there before i get the chance to hit him, meaning im defending when hes throwing the head hook combinations ... how could i counter this effectively as well?

thanks guys

Head movement and footwork.

[Tom Yum]

oh and to answer your question tom yum, i am keeping my hands up and im covering with my other hand when i throw, it just seems like im getting backed up and beat from a distance that im definately not comfortable with... witch is outside my reach where i cant seem to do very good damage....

Sounds like you're in a gym with a lot of talented and competitive fighters!! These are good gyms to check out now and then, just to see where you stand.

If you can survive the first month, that's probably a pretty good sign that you are either athletic or tough enough. The only draw back is that in gyms with lots of good and competitive fighters, is that no one will train you because that means training you is time lost to fighters who are allready building fame for their gym.

If you want to get more technically competent, I recommend checking out other gyms and trainers who will start you from scratch.

Best of luck.

Just my 2 cents.

[b-spar]

geez guys thanks for the help! this is a really great site to give u that extra bit of help you need. im going in on thursday to spar and im going to see how things workout and ive been working on my weaving and footwork, i do have rhythm, but i havent been using it as much as id like, so ill be working on that too. also i must say to myself DUH!!! as for moving your head i of all people should know that a moving targetis harder to hit because im a freaking hunter! as for the gym im at yes its great! not too many fighters though about half a dozen, but man can they throw a punch, and ive been doing my best to hold my own because each fighter fights WAY differently IE some are trying to box me, some are trying to take my head off. but i am thinking about checking out other gyms as well and i am also interested in taking ju-jitsu, i definatly am going to work on my defense as well as my offense... thanks for everything guys!, im glad this forum is here, i love martial arts, i just plain love fighting. im a big UFC fan as well .....GO ICEMAN!!!

[HtTKar]

forwarning, I wouldnt take advice from me.
But here are some things I could think of that might help.

Everyone has an advantage if they know how to use it.
Taller fighters have the reach, shorter fighters have the power. So what you want to do is take away their strengths. The only way is footwork. Stay away from them and relax (Breath) until you see openings and explode in at angles. Once you get close, stay there. Some things I like to do, for example; if the guy throws a right, move in at an angle and throw a right over top of their right hand at an angle. opposite for a left punch. This closes the gap, allows you to hit them, and prevents them from following up with the other hand. Once you get this close, try to stay next to their elbows to smother their one arm while making it hard for them to hit you with thier other arm. Stay low and move around. You will have to use more energy than they, so be in better shape. If they start to attack downwards attack them high at angles over their arms. If they try to take your head off, move in on angles and work low/high combinations. Develop ways to close that gap, work on your double-jab and footwork. But most importantly develop ways to move around without telegraphing your intent. You want to keep them guessing what your going to do and hopefully make them think they have to change their methods.

Oh, and to keep your nose from hurting so much. You know to tuck your chin in, but your head should also be angled so that punches will slide off easier. You wont see everypunch and even a light punch to the face can break your nose. So angle your head to be slightly sloping from left to right (If they're right handed), chin tucked in, and keep your foreheand in front.

Stick in there for at least 6 months before you try taking on another art. Its hard enough learning 1 thing at a time.

[b-spar]

wow sounds like im getting some great advice here... but when you say come in on angles like are you talking about coming in from the side like not striaght ahead on my opponent? because all this stuff sounds really useful and if i get it down, i believe i will have a good advantage going into my next sparring sessions...thanks!

[Blue Wave Gym]

Yes

wow sounds like im getting some great advice here... but when you say come in on angles like are you talking about coming in from the side like not striaght ahead on my opponent? because all this stuff sounds really useful and if i get it down, i believe i will have a good advantage going into my next sparring sessions...thanks!

Exactly, never stand directly in front of an opponent unless you want a mega slugfest, even if you're the stronger puncher it only takes one well placed shot to the jaw or nose to stun you, then if he's smart he'll jump all over you to try and finish. So hit and don't get hit is probably better in the long run.

[TerryV]

Like blue said, the object is to hit and not get hit. Body position is key, take a full sheet of plywood and stand it up long ways. Then stand back about 50 feet, you can throw a rock and hit it with out much effort. But then take that plywood and turn it on edge and aim at the edge of the plywood and try to hit it. It much harder now, same applies to body position.

[HtTKar]

another thing to think about on body position.
Imagine you square off with a taller opponent and both stretch out your arms. He will be able to touch your nose, but you cant reach him. right? Now if you turn to an angle you can touch his nose. This is another reason you angle your body.

Now when we say attack at angles, you move in at angles (usually) toward their dominant hand to smother his powerfull attacks and make it a long reach with their other hand. You come in at angles (so you can reach him), go out at angles, and attack at angles. This makes you a hard to reach, moving target.
Once you get close (being shorter) you stay there smothering his strong attacks while limiting his jab.

Does any of this help? Tell us how it goes thursday.

[Tameo]

TWC deals with the short reach problem because it teaches to climb up oponents arm reducing the distance and angling so that its harder for person to attack you.