Guard your head vs. control your opponent's arms

[YouKnowWho]

If you

- put both arms to guard your head, your opponent will be hard to go through your guarding arms and punch to your head.
- control your opponent's arms as shown in the following clip, since your opponent's arms are not free to attack you, you don't even need to guard your head.

It seems to me that the 2nd approach is better than the 1st approach. What's your thought?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk06XDR9hPw

[dcrjradmonish]

I think it is better to guard your head than have both arms on enemy unless you are going for a quick throw or push to create distance. The reason and a example In that clip you are still prone for head butts, shoulder bumps to just name a couple of attacks that you leave your self open for.

[GoldenBrain]

I like to control the opponents arms by intercepting and bridging. Turtling up in a boxers guard has it's place, and I will definitely go there, but if you can control the arms before they reach your head then you have so many more follow ups to choose from. Learning how to intercept and work off the bridge was one of those epiphany moments that took my fighting to another level.

[Neeros]

Opening and closing the guard (both hands and feet) for safe entry is a very important skill, so definitely controlling vs guarding, controlling is of a higher level.

[Dragonzbane76]

I like controlling the arms but using a guard is sometimes essential.

Situation, situation, situation....always

[Syn7]

I can't count how many times I have seen people get drilled when engaging the clinch w/o protecting their head. In that clip YKW posted the guy isn't trying to punch him in the face. Closing the gap in an match where striking is allowed is an art in itself.

[SPJ]

The move is called tied up with a godly rope kun sheng shen

Since you use both hands to control his both arms,

he can knee strike you.

depending on facing of course

[YouKnowWho]

I can't count how many times I have seen people get drilled when engaging the clinch w/o protecting their head. In that clip YKW posted the guy isn't trying to punch him in the face. Closing the gap in an match where striking is allowed is an art in itself.

Not saying it's easy to do. It requires some serious training. But the reward will be worthy. You may have to approach to your opponent in a different way.

[YouKnowWho]

The move is called tied up with a godly rope kun sheng shen

Since you use both hands to control his both arms,

he can knee strike you.

depending on facing of course

He can. When he raises one of his legs to do that, that's the best time to take him down. Also since you have controlled both of his arms, his knee strike intention can be sensed by your contact. A little "shaking" can stop his knee striking in the early stage.

[Syn7]

Not saying it's easy to do. It requires some serious training. But the reward will be worthy. You may have to approach to your opponent in a different way.

I hear ya. And when I said closing the gap with striking is an art in itself, I am also implying that closing the gap w/o striking is an art as well. My point is that you should be aware of the variables at all levels. For drilling, it may be useful to break these things up, but in application they must all be considered. In a real fight you need to protect your head and body when you close in and yes, when clinching, controlling the arms is important, but you still need to protect yourself in case they get a hand free. How many times have we seen guys get dropped when they focus too much on a takedown(or preventing one) and forget to guard the head. And how many times have we seen somebody get taken down because they were too focused on striking in the clinch. True martial intelligence is knowing when you can get away with sacrificing one for the other in order to gain an advantage. It most definitely goes both ways.

[Yum Cha]

I like to control the opponents arms by intercepting and bridging. Turtling up in a boxers guard has it's place, and I will definitely go there, but if you can control the arms before they reach your head then you have so many more follow ups to choose from. Learning how to intercept and work off the bridge was one of those epiphany moments that took my fighting to another level.

Well said brother.

[YouKnowWho]

I like to control the opponents arms by intercepting and bridging.

In Chinese wrestling, the "double inward circles" with straight arms is used to achieve that goal. When you do that, you have given away your punching ability. But you have gained the ability to be able to interrupt your opponent's punching in the early stage. This is called to fight in your opponent's territory instead of to fight in your own territory.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mEVfdsRQpM&feature=youtu.be

[MightyB]

I think there's been a formula established which is, if your opponent's arms are free - guard your head to close, then clinch and/or tie their arms up to set up a takedown. After which you sit on their chest and beat the living h3ll out of 'em.

It's probably unwise not to cover your head in striking range.

[YouKnowWho]

It's probably unwise not to cover your head in striking range.

You can guard your head with your arms. You can also send your arms out to interrupt your opponent's punches in the early stage.

In battle, you will have 2 options.

- Close your castle gate and guard your castle and wait for your enemy to arrive.
- Send your troops out to surround your enemy castle. When their soldiers tries to leave their castle, you attack their soldiers right there.

To fight in your own territory or to fight in your opponent's territory, which approach is better? I prefer to use my hands to interrupt my opponent's punch when he just starts to generate speed and power. I don't like for wait for my opponent's punch to have generated speed and power and then deal with it.

[MightyB]

You can guard your head with your arms. You can also send your arms out to interrupt your opponent's punches in the early stage.

In battle, you will have 2 options.

- Close your castle gate and guard your castle and wait for your enemy to arrive.
- Send your troops out to surround your enemy castle. When their soldiers tries to leave their castle, you attack their soldiers right there.

To fight in your own territory or to fight in your opponent's territory, which approach is better? I prefer to use my hands to interrupt my opponent's punch when he just starts to generate speed and power. I don't like for wait for my opponent's punch to have generated speed and power and then deal with it.

One lucky punch is all it takes to say goodnight, and an extended arm is easy to avoid, bridge, or trap.

[YouKnowWho]

One lucky punch is all it takes to say goodnight, and an extended arm is easy to avoid, bridge, or trap.

That's why you need to prevent that lucky punch from happening as much as possible. In spear fight, you use clockwise circle or counter clockwise circle to deflect your opponent's spear stabbing. You don't use your spear to "vertical block" your opponent's spear stabbing.

When your hands are close by to your opponent's wrists, it's very difficult for your opponent to throw his punch out without being wrapped by your arm.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZLi257vPbU

[MightyB]

Drunk People, since this is most likely what it's like on "the street"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSI05tsCRdM

In both instances, of hits, the arms of the receiving dude were extended. I know, these guys aren't trained

[YouKnowWho]

His arms were not in his opponent's striking path. It's very clear to see that his opponent had all the freedom to execute his punch without being interrupted.

If you keep your guard to be close to your

- head, you will give your opponent all the freedom that he needs to throw his punch. If he can't get you with a jab, he may get you with a hook.
- opponent's arms, you can wrap his arm before he can generate a full powerful and full speed punch.

It's called the octopus strategy. Your full intention is not to punch at your opponent's face but to create a clinch ASAP.

[MightyB]

His arms were not in his opponent's striking path. It's very clear to see that his opponent had all the freedom to execute his punch without being interrupted.

If you keep your guard to be

- close to your head, you will give your opponent all the freedom that he needs to throw his punch. If he can't get you with a jab, he may get you with a hook.
- close to your opponent's arms, you can wrap his arm before he can generate a full powerful and full speed punch.

It's called the octopus strategy. Your full intention is not to punch at your opponent's face but to create a clinch ASAP.

Although I can find some value in extending your arms to block a path, I still think the safer option is to learn how to cover and close properly because in the majority of altercations you see always involve crazy head hunting punches.

It would still be an octopus strategy - with the exception being to keep your hands up guarding your head and your elbows down protecting your ribs until you close and clinch your opponent's arms.

[YouKnowWho]

You start by using your arms to guard your head. Here is a simple test.

- Hold your hands into a big fist.
- Put your head behind it.
- You extend both of your arms and aiming your big fist at your opponent's face.
- Run toward at your opponent like a mad man.
- Let your opponent to punch at your head and see how effective his head punches may be.

You will find out that you only need to move your arms (with your big fist) just a little bit, you can successfully "interrupt" your opponent's head punch. You can still punch at your opponent's face with your "big fist" if you want to.

The more that you train this, the more that you will no longer need your big fist. Your arms then become octopus arms and wrap whatever that you can touch.

[YouKnowWho]

The MT guard is very similar to what I'm talking about - to be away from your head instead to be close to your head. This way, it's easy to get into "clinch". In the following clip, you can see that the MT guy can get his "double neck tie" so easily. His opponent doesn't know how to prevent it and also has no idea how to handle the MT clinch. It's a very interesting fight. More than 80% of the fight is in "clinch". It's totally different from the normal boxing approach and that's for sure.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5LqCNbGdhY

[GoldenBrain]

In Chinese wrestling, the "double inward circles" with straight arms is used to achieve that goal. When you do that, you have given away your punching ability. But you have gained the ability to be able to interrupt your opponent's punching in the early stage. This is called to fight in your opponent's territory instead of to fight in your own territory.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mEVfdsRQpM&feature=youtu.be

That's cool for grappling but it's not exactly what I was talking about. I love to grapple but I'm primarily a striker.

I meant that I like to intercept an incoming punch with one hand which creates the bridge and then strike with the other hand at the same time. The flow would be to keep alternating punching and checking hands so I don't loose the bridge. I call them top, bottom, inside and outside bridges. For instance with an outside bridge… an opponent throws a straight right to the head. I check with my left palm on the outside while punching to his head on the inside. From there as a follow up it's easy to bring the right hand down and hook it into the bend of his elbow, moving him to my right to set up a liver shot with my left. If I can I will follow the left to the body with a right over the top. Check/punch face at the same time, hook elbow and sweep arm to the right, punch liver, punch face. Easy right…;) I think the key to this is obviously timing and speed, but more that you have to be willing to let their punch to brush your beard so to speak.

[Dragonzbane76]

drunk guys fighting=funny.

That guy could barely stand up.

anyways he caught the other guy with a good punch before he was leveled. more of a falling into him kinda punch but still connected.

[YouKnowWho]

I'm primarily a striker. ... I check with my left palm on the outside while punching to his head on the inside.

That will be the approach that most of the strikers will take. When your opponent moves in and punches you, if you punch back, your opponent may move back to dodge your punch. That won't be a grapplier's advantage. When a fish swims toward an octopus, the octopus should try to wrap on that fish and not try to scare that fish away.

[GoldenBrain]

When a fish swims toward an octopus, the octopus should try to wrap on that fish and not try to scare that fish away.

Understood, and I like this quote!

It's good to be well versed in both worlds…grappling and striking. I train both, as well as tactical firearms, other hand held weapons…etc. For self offense ;) I train mostly as a striker and counter grappler (meaning I want to stuff take down attempts and stay on my feet) because in the realz you don't want to be on the ground with the attackers buddies ready to issue some boot stomps to your head. Cowards are plentiful here in the U.S. so it's almost always multiple attackers on one person. One on one I'll roll all day long, but in groups I'm gonna try to stay on my feet. As a Kali practitioner I train knives a lot. When we grapple we sometimes wear our training knives in order to understand just how easy it is to get gutted while on the ground. Knives make sashimi out of octopus.:D