Tall guy, wicked knees

[THT]

There is this guy who I spar with who is about four inches taller than me who is very controlin in the clinch. He grabs you around the head/neck and with his height/positioning it is hard to get hold of him to pull him in tight. It seems like when ever I tried to grab him back he was able to use that as a way to have me in a better position to throw knees. The guy did this to everyone he sparred with last night. What would be the best way to deal with this? Would pulling my head back and throwing a hard uppercut to daze him and get an inside position with one arm help, or what? This seems to be his best tool and I want to take it out of the box for next time we spar.

Thanks

[THT]

I guess I'll just figure it out...

[swisscom]

are you familiar with the technique. balls are touching so you dont take a knee. Just as it sounds, thrust your body into his, and keep the contact on so he cannot throw a knee... then yeah that's where you figure the rest out for yourself.

[THT]

Yeah I'm familiar... what I was saying is that he just has this weird something that he does that makes it really difficult to even just get him in a bodylock and pull him tight. It's weird. I guess I'll just keep sparring him and figure it out. And keep watching when he fights other people. No one was able to effectively negate his knees, but as soon as someone does, I'm doing what they do...

[swisscom]

I totally know what you mean about that thing that people do that makes it uncomfortable to get close to them... It only happens with some people (to me), I haven't really found out how to eliminate this mental block. But one thing that helped me (with one of these people) is that you just have to remember that they feel pain too, so as long as you're hitting them, you're winning. There's no point in worrying about them hitting you... I mean, there is.. but if you can hurt them first.. then it's all good =D

[Wolverine]

Ok, Let me start off by saying this is just what I might try....everyone is different. First, if this guy is really good in the clinch I would try and keep him on the outside with my teep and jab as much a possible. But things are going to eventually get inside, as they always do. If he is good at controlling your neck I would try and play his game against him. Stay close like swisscom said and let him control the action (or least let him think he is in control and hopefully tire himself out a bit) and when he does throw his knees try and catch his thigh with your knee as a block as much as possible. And when you get the chance to throw your own, don't worry much about perfect form. Just bang him with anything you can (i.e. knee, leg, foot, anything) to slow him down and make him think twice before throwing again. If you can make him hesitate(by blocking his knees or by making him pay for throwing), then you're in control. Ok, that's what I might try, but then again he just might just knee the hell out of me

[chupasart]

advice

hold him very tight every time he goes to knee turn him off balance and knee him, or every time he lifts one knee, knock the other one and throw him....

he'll soon stop tryinh to knee ya


chupasart

[Khun Kao]

Knee Block - As already mentioned, time his knee strikes and bring your own knee or shin up into the inside of this thigh. This technique works best against someone throwing a knee that is curving or looping. If he throws knees straight on, this may be difficult to do.

Elbow Block, Method #1 - Catch your hands in the crooks of his arms (from the outside) like you're trying to pull his arms downwards. This will actually help you get his hands off the top of your head and down onto your neck. The reason you WANT this is because he can control YOUR movement better with a higher grip. You can resist him better if his grip is lower. With your hands grasping his arms, point your elbows straight down in front of you. Try to bring them real close together. In this position, you can simply point your elbow into his knee strike.

Elbow Block, Method #2 - Depends on what you're doing in the clinch. If he's getting you bent over with his clinch, use Method #1, but try to work into something else. You don't want to stay there because you will eventually get caught. When a knee comes, simply spike downwards into the incoming knee strike. Leave one hand up holding on to your opponent for balance.

Knee Escape - Reach deep behind your opponents head with one arm, trying to catch the back of his head in the crook of your arm. You will need to turn your body sideways for this!!! Then lift your knee/shin and place it horizontally across his waist, creating a barrier he will be unable to knee past. (your knee will be on one of his hips, your ankle should be on the other hip) Press into his gut/waist with your shinbone (thrusting with your hips!) while pulling away with your shoulders and pulling on his head. This is going to stretch him out quite uncomfortably. The idea is to break his hold, giving you a very short window of opportunity to reverse the position and get HIM into the clinch.

Elbow Escape - I don't know if this one will work well against someone who already has the grip on you that you've described. You're likely going to have to start this the split second he's attempting to grab onto you. Get into a tight peek-a-boo guard with your hands INSIDE of his, then swim forwards with spiking elbow strikes into his chest. You should walk forwards into this to really drive your momentum into your elbow attack.

But the last one brings up a very, very good point. When you spar with this cat, you need to start reacting to his clinch BEFORE he gets you 'locked in'. Believe me, I know that this isn't always easy, or even possible. But you have to start to recognize when he's moving in for the clinch and counter him before he traps you.

[THT]

Thanks everyone. I will give these ideas a shot this week...

[Khun Kao]

I took some photo's in class today. The guys who showed up were novice students, so you'll have to bear with the fact that the techniques as pictured are not being done perfectly. However, I purposely showed a taller guy vs. a shorter guy.



This shows the beginning clinch position

(cont'd)

[Khun Kao]

This shows the Knee Block. You can block on the same side (as pictured) or a cross block (opposite knee).

(cont'd)

[Khun Kao]

Elbow Block #1. Notice how he has pinched his elbows together so a knee strike will be hard pressed to slip up the middle. The elbows can be directed into the angle of the incoming knee strike.

(cont'd)

[Khun Kao]

Elbow Block #2. Showing the Cross elbow block. Can be done on the same side as well.

(cont'd)

[Khun Kao]

The Knee Escape. See the sideways body position, which gives you the leverage to stretch your opponent out to break his hold. Even if you can't break his hold, your shin across his hips will prevent him from kneeing.

(cont'd)

[Khun Kao]

Elbow Escape, Picture #1 - this shows the beginning position, with your arms to the inside of your opponents arms.



Elbow Escape, Picture #2 - this shows how you press forwards, spiking forwards into your opponents chest with your elbows to loosen his hold on you.