Hand Techniques

[Piston]

Ok I'm having a little difficulty intergrating hand techniques that are effective with my kicks (I'm a TKD practitioner, ITF). Usually I find that im very much out of range and that kicking is far more effective. This is not only in TKD sparring but also in sparring with a much shorter kickboxer friend.

Any tips?

[camouflage]

Incorporating punches

Similar to kicks its all about creating your openings. Also the element of surprise be quick use faints and angles. IMO being a complete fighter is the only way to be. A drill that me and a few friends do is alternate between kicks and punches meaning we take turns in 1 two minute session I may only be able to punch and he's kicking on the next go around I may be kicking and he's punching.

[Piston]

Yeah I do the same excersise sometimes, I find that really helps, especially when I'm trying to close the distance on an opponent, my teacher always tells us to end a kick combo with a punch as well because not many people expect and that helps too.

[Mr. Graves]

You can be in punching range and still throw kicks by doing a jump away side kick or round kick. Very effective against an agressive apponent. Or a thrust kick works in close. Also a spinning back kick inside their round kick.

[EmptyneSs]

Ok I'm having a little difficulty intergrating hand techniques that are effective with my kicks (I'm a TKD practitioner, ITF). Usually I find that im very much out of range and that kicking is far more effective. This is not only in TKD sparring but also in sparring with a much shorter kickboxer friend.

Any tips?

you may wanna look into using the backfist because of your stance. your stance is completely sideways correct? u can use backfists as nice setups for roundhouse and sidekicks. an example of this can be in the billy blanks video i posted on the mma forum, he got ko because his opponent set up a really powerful kick with a high backfist.

a fast, hard backfist can be devastating and can be used from many different angles and positions.

[Piston]

Yeah I do love using back fists, one technique I find useful is to dummy a hook with the right, tuck it in and follow through the spin lashing out a back fist with your left.

[bigred389]

Your Muay Thai buddy should be OK with this given his rules:

Jab with your weak hand, flow into a spin back fist off your power hand.

If he decided to duck the back fist, you're already in motion to drop an easy down diagonal elbow on the back/top of his head.

If he evaded by going back, then flow into a hard leg kick which of course can flow into something else.

If he just stood there and ate it with his gloves up to guard, flow into a round knee delivered right into his abdomen.

You can vary it further by turning the initial jab into an all out jab cross hook to precede that spinning backfist.

If you find yourself out of range for punches, you might have to just be ready to "eat" a punch on your guard. If it's not a thrust type kick, you can just eat it on your arms then flow right into hand combinations. If it IS a thrust type kick, evade sideways, then hop right in.

A lot of positioning comes of footwork, and that means powerful calves from practicing step in, step out, step side out, etc.

[HtTKar]

I try to close distance as fast as possible and stay inside.
yeah backfists are a nice way to close the distance. Jab with your weak hand, spinning backfist followed by a knee. However this leaves the back of your head open for roundhouse kicks so be carefull there. This (for me at least) usually only works once or twice. It works more by surprise. I had my helmet kicked right off by a well placed roundhouse to the back of my skull while trying this more than once against a great kicker. So I'm pretty cautious now.

Double and Triple jabs are definitely the easiest way for me to close distance.

Another thing I like to do (I'm right handed), is to step far off at a 45 degree angle to the right. Attack them again at a 45 degree angle to the left, stomping on their left hamstring to smother their kicks and follow through with hand combinations. Alot of times people will try to duck and cover on this one, but since you have their leg smothered and them off-balance, all it does is open up their back and side for elbows and rib shots. There's alot you can do here, just keep them off-balance, or get out and start over. Which is easy. Just run past them at a 45 degree angle and turn right back attacking.

I think a mix of double/triple jabs and attacking at 45 degree angles is usually enough to keep them guessing and close the distance. Also I try to attack high and low at the same time whenever possible to keep them busy blocking.

[Tom Yum]

Ok I'm having a little difficulty intergrating hand techniques that are effective with my kicks (I'm a TKD practitioner, ITF). Usually I find that im very much out of range and that kicking is far more effective. This is not only in TKD sparring but also in sparring with a much shorter kickboxer friend.

Any tips?

Learn boxing. Then integrate it.

Use your boxing sparringly though since he's probably going to have the edge over you in punching range for now. Throw a couple of quick punches to set up some of your harder kick. When he throws a punch, you throw a kick.

[Whispers]

One day when you're sparring, oly use your hands. Do this about once a week for a month. Also the day before and after this, donate at least half an hour to training your punches and what not. It'll greatly improve your hands, you'll have a better understanding of how to move into range with them and make better use of them. This information will let you better transfer between the two ranges.

[hapkiyoosool]

Try "baiting" them. Appear weak so they will advance to attack you. Then use their advancing energy against them when they underestimate you.

Or, simply walk away. 99% of the people you will do this too will say, "Yeah!! That's it! Run away! You're not worth my time anyway!"

You already know who won.

Oh, I see. You're talking about inside the school and sparring.
........Nevermind. LOL (comic relief, not a real post)