Bao wrote:”...stop the retraction..”
So people here believe that bridging is about stopping the retraction of punches? And because you don’t see anyone catch a fast jab, TCMA doesn’t work? Wow.
Well I can't speak for C.J.W. or other people but I don't think what you just said above is what people are referring to exactly. For sure that's NOT what I meant at all.
What I said was:
"Not everyone likes to bridge and stick with eachother...which is at the very HEART of why allot of Traditional Kung Fu fails vs a more MMA pursuit which usually strikes more WESTERN in nature. I.e. they punch and retract their arm (in order to hit again) very quickly and efficiently.
* You can see when a TMA guy...who is used to dealing with opponents who like to ALSO bridge and stick out there arms >>>>>>> all of the sudden he faces someone who will NOT play his game. This is why you see allot of INEXPERIENCED TMA holding their arms out (reaching out) and not effectively covering themselves vs. a good striker. They are at a loss because they have not learned to deal with it.
Most TMA fail at being able to create a stick point or bridge with a non compliant opponent because of that retraction....
Hence, initially the most obvious way that people would "...drag a boxer out of his comfort zone by using strategies and techniques that are not found in boxing." would be to grapple and take him down... duh!
Aside from that aspect of taking a boxer off his feet (which is a proven method)...if you want to fight with him standing up, you have to STOP HIS ABILITY TO PUNCH. One way is to intercept, catch and / or deny his ability to RETRACT his punch. This can be wrapping him up or getting some sort of hand control... at the very least, tying him up some how.
Notice that I said:
1) for punching,
"MMA strikes are usually more Western in nature", (hence Boxing). So if you consider a boxers basic tools they are:
- Jab
- Cross and
- Hook
You don't leave a Jab out...it should retract
You don't leave a Cross out once fired...again it should retract
same with a hook or most other punches.
2) Then I said,
"Most TMA fail at being able to create a stick point or bridge with a non compliant opponent because of that retraction...."Ergo...
3) In the underlined section above I give just "
One way...." which was to intercept (Jeet)....or deny his ability to RETRACT his punch.
- This topic of retraction was my attempt at giving some possible answers. Is that all of them? NO of course not.
* I come from a Hung Gar ( which uses bridging ) and Taiji back ground. Both styles rely on creating a stick point OR usually some sort of connection for a bridge.
** I should note that "Stick Point" and where the "Power Point" is are not the same) For example, in HG if you grab my wrist using Jai Kiu i.e. Grab controlling type bridge. The stick point is definitely at the place at which you are grabbing me. But, how or where I apply my power, be it hard or soft is not necessarily in the same place, i.e. the same wrist....it could be elsewhere.
While I respect Alan's opinion...he is Wing Chun and he doesn't define my interpretation of bridging. IMO, NO contact No fight...and I don't believe in "controlling the Bridging" without Contact. To me it's just
positioning or what others call "Ghost bridging" (I.e. No touch Bridging). If we're not touching, (even in the slightest way) then we both still have equal and fair chance.
What I saw him doing was just positioning right up until contact was made. But still, the way we learned was there is no bridge technically until contact is made. In taiji, same thing...from the moment I touch you or you touch me (obtain a stick-point of some sort), I begin to understand how good you are. But before that, it's all different skills other than bridging.