Coping with speed

[wayne hansen]

Ali,s foot shuffle only works when your speed and intimidation is already superior

[johnwang]

the "Rhino defence"........ So that would be nr 4? No?

The "rhino guard" will be a good strategy to deal with your opponent's fast attack too. As long as you can force your opponent's right arm to be on your left side, his left arm to be on your right side, you can attack his center.

[Dmitri]

I'm smelling an entry for a... HEADLOCK!!

[johnwang]

I'm smelling an entry for a... HEADLOCK!!

First you define your goal, you then find all different paths to reach to your goal.

For example, if you want to spring your opponent's leg (goal), you can use the following different set ups (paths):

- waist wrap,
- head lock,
- neck press,
- elbow crack,
- under hook,
- over hook,
- ...

If you look at TCMA this way, your training can be very interested. It forces you to find all possible paths.

[MaartenSFS]

My master also does something like the Rhino attack. He applies some Anjin when he does it. It's quite devastating. Need to try it out one of these days..

For me, dealing with speed is quite simple (but not easy). The first is Pianfa (tricking method). Second is Tingjin. Third, when you have tricked them or used Tingjin to make or find an opening, one should launch a relentless attack and overwhelm them. Keeping the attack going with many combinations also requires Tingjin and Pianfa. Fourth is to attack from different angles and to not follow a set pattern that can be predicted.

Oh, and using the elbow to blow punches and the knees to block kicks is evil and effective..

[HolyChaoMu]

Something that my teacher is drilling relentlessly:
GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Draw the attack into a void, when the timing is right, step outside and in. You always enter from a 45° outside angle. This takes away his power. You attack his central line, not his front center. It forces your opponent to readjust.
It is hard to get around someone when they are riggt in your face, so preempting his movement is crucial, when you see them beginning to move you go.
Standing in front of someone is the best way to get killed.

[HolyChaoMu]

Correction about the angle: It's not always a 45° angle, that is just the first good angle to cut an attack from the outside.
I have only trained with him for about 6 months, so my explanation of this might be severly lacking, apologies.

[Steve James]

GET OUT OF THE WAY!

Sage advice, imo.

[johnwang]

GET OUT OF THE WAY!

To "get out of the way" is like to "push your opponent away". As long as your opponent is still alive, he will keep coming back again. It only solves 1/2 of the problem.

IMO, the best solution is to

- wrap on your opponent's body,
- take him down, and
- ...

[Greg J]

Great thread, with some great responses!

As an older guy, more and more of my training partners are now faster than me. My strategies for dealing with this are:

1. Train to be smooth, train to be fast
- With sticks, one method is to run through a basic striking pattern slooooowly and smoothly with a steel pipe. This is not a warm up! It is a drill that helps engrain the movements, and when you move to an actual stick you will be moving quickly and smoothly. There are other exercises (overall conditioning as well as more specific drills) that can help build speed which should, IMHO, also be a regular part of one's training.

2. As mentioned, maintain composure and fighting spirit
- This has been one of my challenges. Training with people better than me (going harder than comfortable has helped with this. Being able to take a strike, and handle exhaustion have also helped.

3. Try to gain/ maintain angular advantage
- This refers both to your body position, and where your strikes are coming from.

4. Be aware of range
- The Dog Brothers system has 7 ranges within which the fight takes place. Knowing where you are in relation to your opponent range-wise, having at least one or two high-percentage techniques specific to each range, and trying to keep the fight where you are naturally dominant can make all the difference against an opponent who is faster than you.

5. Be able to hit with power
- We should be doing this anyway.

Thanks for starting this interesting thread, Middleway.

Best,
Greg

[Steve James]

First protect yourself. That is the primary goal. Then counterattack if necessary. The only way to really make sure your opponent never comes back is to kill.

[HolyChaoMu]

Agreed john, this is what I train.

To elaborate:

Get out of the way, while still moving toward your opponent. 45° out to either one of his sides, then in.

Follow up with your excellent points, wrap the opponent, take him down.

I didn't clarify that, thanks. You are right, retreating out of range or pushing him away will only buy you half a second.

[RobP2]

I'm late to the thread, some good responses already, including the idea of "unusual" angles, smooth movement and relaxing under pressure. I posted this a couple of weeks back which touches on this subject to. In fact I'd argue that in some cases "martial arts" training conditions people to be slower as it puts them into a reactive state rather than an opportunistic one

[johnwang]

Old Chinese saying said, "Everything have counters. Only speed and hardness have no counters."

Do you agree with the above statement?

[wayne hansen]

No