A Farewell to Arms

[shanmonster]

I think I used my arms so much today that they're about to fall off. Due to the incessant filing, sanding, and polishing I did in metals class and the chain punching I did in kung fu, I'm having a difficult time typing. My arms feel like jelly, and they're all red and hot.

Kung fu was both educational and frustrating. It was good in that I got to see the value of a relentless chain punch attack, but not so good in that I don't think I have a chance sparring against Justin. He stayed late after class to spar with me, and it didn't get very far. He's literally almost twice my size, and all he needs to do is get one hit in and I'm doomed. The only way I can think to not get creamed by him is to claw his eyes, throat, and balls out, and then break his knees. None of these things are very nice to do in a friendly sparring match. If I try to sweep him, I hurt my foot and leg. If I try to catch one of his punches, I practically get whiplash when he yanks his arm back. I feel like David to his Goliath, only I don't have a nifty little slingshot.

I'm not so fast that I can dodge all his hits. So what do I do? I'm flummoxed!

Comments

[thisblogsucks.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'd go for the balls. No male can survive a good punch to the testes. It's not pretty, but it works.

[f00dave.livejournal.com]

She says "you're missing the point: it's *FRIENDLY* sparring!"

Yeah, and a friend of mine was a *LITTLE* pregnant. :-P

[thisblogsucks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and this can be an *accidental* punch to the groin. If nothing else, you'll elicit a Pavlovian fear response next time you spar, giving you that much needed edge. And if he starts to lose it? Another accidental hit to the gonads will put him in his place.

I believe that Bruce Lee said the eyes and groin were the primary strike zones, followed by the neck, throat, solar plexus, and ears. Joints and the temple came in third, with general body and head hits a distant fourth. If you won't take me up on the eyes/groin, maybe a shot to the solar plexus would work?

Stick-y suggestions

[(Anonymous)]

Hmmm, sounds like a toughy. I had the fortune of being small and quick when I sparred against the giants in my classes. Plus, deception is a wonderful thing. If you can feint well, you have a decent chance.

Other things to consider -- how is his balance? If you can take that from him even for an instant you can land some hits. I'm unfamiliar with kung fu sparring, but if you can work your way behind/beside him and "dump' him, you can get in a few hits while he's on the floor. Of course, if he has good balance and speed this works poorly.

Perhaps the best suggestion I can offer is to take away his size advantage by cultivating infighting techniques. This scared the hell out of me at first, because you have to have the presence of mind and fortitude to move right up to your opponent. Get inside of his range, close enough to prevent either of you from kicking and punching. WHat do you do when you're that close? Use your elbows and knees in the same techniques that you would normally use with your hands and feet. Essentially, "punch" with your elbows and "kick" with your knees. You have the advantage of being in close, where he can't hit you and probably isn't expecting anything more than a clinch, and you have the added advantage of knees and elbows normally not being padded.

Like I said, infighting is kind of scary, because you're so close. But it is effective. It just takes practice (and likely a few pops to the nose, to "learn" where your head doesn't go...). I hope this helps a little. Good luck.

Hi shan.

[(Anonymous)]

I discovered something sparring with the larger fellows in my old classes. They somehow seemed to get by my defenses without using speed or direct raw strength.
I soon figured out what it was...For me, it was in the blocking. imagine if you will a harrowing punch targeted somewhere on the upper torso, you do your best to block, not to stop the blow but to force it away (downward works wonders in fact, any direction away from your body is handy--you need rock hard blocking arms for this though, gotta toughen up!)...The switch in momentum is often enough to send the attacker off balance, and then you follow up with whatever your style has for a quick retort. My style, TaeKwonDo (quiet you, i like it.) The response is a wicked fast back side kick to the whatever's open...generally the diaphragm.
another option i've seen in movies and i've done in real life is known in the olympic style, as "Jamming." you present your arms in such a way as to scissor the attackers arms close to his body, while charging forward (this is a very similar move to the embrace that boxers exhibit as they grow weary or need a break.) providing you sidesteped instead of walking into something deadly beforehand you should catch his arms, close the distance and you get his legs too...keep the pressure up, try to get him to give ground a few steps so he can hit you...at the last second push off and kick swiftly. you might just score a hit as he's rocked back. I've seen it work wonders against someone who likes to machine-gun you with attacks. It's frustrating to defend against it too...

Movie reference: Legend of the Drunken Master (final fight scene..jacky races forward and jams the kicking foe.just after consuming LOTS of industrial strength hooch)

A word of caution: I also have seen what happens when this doesn't go well...it sometimes results in knockouts, as the person pinning doesn't approach fast enough and meets foot with face.

That's my go.
Please pardon the spelling and grammar.
-Jody,