the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

If we define "switching hand" as:

- You punch with right hand. Your opponent blocks it.
- You use left hand to take over his blocking.
- You then continue punch with right hand.

It's like in football that

- You carry the ball. Your opposite team member tries to interrupt you.
- Your team member interrupts your opposite team member.
- So you can carry your ball and keep running.

We just don't see this move used in UFC. Why? Your thought?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6F7FVq ... e=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVw26rT ... e=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhR3fnj ... e=youtu.be

The following clip shows an interested way to train the switching hand. It's 8 moves combo that switching hands are applied 3 times in 3 different directions.

Switching hand 1 (3 clockwise circles):

1. Right hand strike, opponent blocks with right.
2. Left hand take over opponent's blocking (from your left).
3. Right hand strike again, Opponent blocks with left.

Switching hand 2 (2 counter clockwise circles):

4. Left hand take over opponent's blocking (from your right).
5. Right hand strike again. Opponent blocks with right again.

Switching hand 3 (3 linear):

6. Right hand take over opponent's blocking (pull back).
7. Left hand take over opponent's blocking (pull back).
8. Right hand strike again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_cAgYr ... e=youtu.be

Slow speed with 0.125x:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAwed6t ... e=youtu.be

In the Yang Taiji system, there are many switching hand such as:

- step out deflect, grab, and punch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m0t38k ... e=youtu.be

- shoulder extend to arm, snake extend tone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw8tJfl ... e=youtu.be

- turn around hammer, fetching arm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3StLUa ... e=youtu.be

- ...

But we don't have much discussion in this area. Why?

It's too slow. What do you think your opponent is doing with his 'non-blocking' hand while you are 'switching hands'?

Looks good on a mannequin though.

Finny wrote:It's too slow. What do you think your opponent is doing with his 'non-blocking' hand while you are 'switching hands'?

I don't think your opponent's non-blocking hand can reach you. In this clip, he is almost moving to his opponent's back side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVw26rT ... e=youtu.be

The switching hand is always used in the side door (blind side).

- I punch my right. You block with your right.
- If I slide my right arm back along your right arm and control your wrist area (this part is not needed if I don't intend to clinch),
- use my left hand to push on your right elbow joint, and
- move your right arm across your body,
- your right arm will jam your own left arm. Your back left arm won't be able to punch right at that moment.

IMO, if you can't guide your opponent's leading arm to jam his own back arm, you should not use this move.

I find opportunity to do this is more rare against people that have trained boxing since:
1) They tend to parry outside-in and not from the same hand as attacker.
2) They prefer to keep hands close and dodge or block instead of reaching out and parry. This changes the typical contact distance that varies vastly from common demo-style switch hand. That means adaptation is necessary.
3) Their focus on hand retraction is way too quick for common demo-style switch hand to work. They're actively trying to avoid bridging.
4) They tend to change relative distance on contact, forcing you to adjust in order to make things work.
5) Demos tend to not account for resisting force on contact, but that matters.
That said it's not impossible to pull off, but you'll need to modify what you're doing base on these factors. That means your solution may also not look recognizable from the original even though they're based off the same principals.

johnwang wrote:

Finny wrote:It's too slow. What do you think your opponent is doing with his 'non-blocking' hand while you are 'switching hands'?

I don't think your opponent's non-blocking hand can reach you. In this clip, he is almost moving to his opponent's back side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVw26rT ... e=youtu.be

Yes - when the opponent stands perfectly still and does nothing, it is possible.

For the reasons Q cited, it is incredibly low percentage. Not impossible, but if you are fighting anyone other than a punching bag or dummy..

maybe not switching but fedor did plenty of knocking, slapping, or pulling guard hand away to either knock your block off or get the big throw (to then knock your block off on the ground)

everything wrote: not switching but fedor did plenty of knocking, slapping, or pulling guard hand away to either knock your block off or get the big throw (to then knock your block off on the ground)

Exactly - not switching. He would occasionally clear the guard with the lead hand before launching his 'casting punch' as you say. Reinforcing my point - the two-step process involved in 'switching hands' is exceedingly slow in comparison.

Finny wrote:Exactly - not switching. He would occasionally clear the guard with the lead hand before launching his 'casting punch' as you say. Reinforcing my point - the two-step process involved in 'switching hands' is exceedingly slow in comparison.

Agree that switch hand was designed for "clear the guard". I also agree that 1, 2 (pull guard with right, punch with left) is faster than 1, 2, 3 (pull guard with right, left hand take over, punch with right).

The only issue is when you pull guard with right (such as to pull your opponent's wrist), when you punch with left, since his elbow is free, he can bend and raise his elbow with his right arm to block your punch. In order to prevent that, you need to use your left hand to control his elbow joint. This make it a 1, 2, 3 combo instead of 1, 2 combo.

It's so important to be able to control your opponent's leading arm elbow joint. When you have that control, whether you want to punch, or throw will be up to you.

In the following clip, is it slower than the pull guard, punch (1, 2). It is. Is there other way to obtain your opponent's leading arm elbow joint control? I don't know any better way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhR3fnj ... e=youtu.be

John, I agree that these techniques are extremely practical. The problem is that most people just train forms and do kick-boxing. They don't actually use the style that they claim to practise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_cAgYr ... e=youtu.be

Do you have a clip of this technique being used?

MaartenSFS wrote:John, I agree that these techniques are extremely practical. The problem is that most people just train forms and do kick-boxing. They don't actually use the style that they claim to practise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_cAgYr ... e=youtu.be

Do you have a clip of this technique being used?

I don't have application clip right now. When I go back to Austin, I can make one. It's not that difficult to figure it out with your training partner.

MaartenSFS wrote:John, I agree that these techniques are extremely practical. The problem is that most people just train forms and do kick-boxing. They don't actually use the style that they claim to practise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_cAgYr ... e=youtu.be

Do you have a clip of this technique being used?

Most of us would agree that the more control the better and would like to see a video of this against a resistant opponent at normal speed. It may "not be used in UFC" in that exact way because of the problems .Q. and Finny brought up (e.g., opponent moves, retracts his punch or block, doesn't block, etc.).

I have also brought up the same questions about the rhino guard and still waiting for the promised video . . .

johnwang wrote:

marvin8 wrote:before the arm is retracted?

This is why the arm wrap should be done when your opponent tries to punch you. The window can be small and special skill/strategy will be needed.

marvin8 wrote:Both videos you posted are demonstrations where "opponent tries to punch" without retracting. Watch the feeder, not the demonstrator. . . .

Your definition of rhino guard is undebatable. If you can arm wrap a punch before it retracts, it is ideal. I just don't picture there is enough time to do it. Nor am I sure I understand the timing and steps correctly. . . .

Do you have a normal speed video of anyone (e.g., you, your students, anyone else) using this "special skill/strategy to arm wrap during this small window," before the arm is retracted?

I don't have such clip at this moment. But I promise that I'll put one up the moment that I can get one.

Fedor hand trap:


Lomachenko hand traps (although grabbing is against boxing's rules). More trapping is done in UFC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql5AdlYigUw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl3nVafPJoY

I believe MMA is still evolving and the future may bring more extensive, functional, CMA type trapping and other skills.

at about 0:45 - 0:47 of that second lomachenko video, is it not a switching hand example?

seems like it is?

That hand trapping worked fine when I used to spar/fight(Karate style). Trap/push opponents leading hand/arm inward, creates an opening same time makes it difficult for opponent to strike out with rear arm. Although effective I snapped/broke a finger ones in the opponent’s GI-jacket sleeve going for the trap....so beware of sleeves