Opening move

[red5angel]

Ok, just for the sake of discussion, how would you guys approach a situation where you are going to have to fight.

The two of you are squared off, neutral positions about 3 feet apart, you have no idea if your opponent has any training and they are about your size. Let's assume a pretty obstacle free environment as well, say an empty parking lot, like the park in Tekken TAG.

[MightyB]

Because I would want to error on the side of caution, I'd be moving a lot and I'd try to hide my closing in to striking distance and test him with a toe kick to the shin. I'd want to be within arms length to my opponent because that's where I'm the most comfortable, plus, I'd want to force them into an area that's fairly cluttered and dense without a lot of room to move.

[Nevermind]

For the past several months or so I have been practicing a Hung Gar set called Heart Penetrating Palm. As with all the sets I've studied, I try to find techniques that I feel would be practical in a fight. In this particular set, there are several sequences where you push off of the back leg (from a cat stance) and launch into a series of fire punches (chain punches). As of yet, I have not had a chance to test this in an actual sparring session. However, it seems like a practical attack that wouldn't give the opponent much opportunity to react. Pretty quick and overwhelming. I like the linear strike approach. Seems like it would be a perfect first attack from the square off. Has anyone actually used such an attack in an actual sparring situation? Is it as practical as it appears?

[MightyB]

About 7 or 8 years ago, I fought a Jow Gar/Wing Chun guy in a continuos sparring match at a tourney. He used the chain punch on me and made me a chump. It worked well because I hadn't ever seen it used prior to that. I'd say that it's a good opener, and you're right, it doesn't give your opponent any room to breathe. (Spoken from one who was on the receiving end of it once)

[African Tiger]

If we're talking your average street fight - which usually begins with the posturing and shoving match - I wonder if a high attack would be the most effective way to open?

A friend of mine was trying to be cute and came up to me in that way. I kneed him in the balls to create some space, then I started chopping him down with leg kicks. Needless to say, he didn't do that again...

Truthfully I think that I will always let the opponent make the first move. Once someone commits to an attack there's no way he can back out of it, and me for one, I'm going to exploit the weakness of his technique...if he has any technique at all

[Nevermind]

African Tiger- Its funny that you mention that about waiting for the opponent to attack. I am still new to Hung Gar (1 yr) but it seems that the philosophy on fighting is to wait for the attack. The saying at my school is that "we don't make the first move, but we land the first hit". Or something like that. A snap kick to the groin would, in my opinion, be another good opening attack. Only thing is that it shouldn't be relied upon. I would definitely throw something behind it. Just in case it isn't the fight stopper we always expect it to be.

Mighty B- thanks for the feedback. I hope to test it out soon in our sparring class. If it works for me, I'll keep it in my arsenal for the Great Lakes Tourney in April.

[red5angel]

I am not in the club that believes in waiting. If the guy wants to fight I like to think of myself as a waterfall and him as the rocks at the bottom. I am going to rain down on him like a ton of water, trying to slip attacks past whatever defenses he can throw up. I may open with a front kick to the gut but the minute I step into it I am not going to back off until I am unconcious.

It sounds weird but I have been reading the Nordic sagas a lot lately and it seems that in those stories the guy most ready to commit to action and who is willing to follow through until his enemy is destroyed, is the guy who wins.

By the way, my fights have never gotto the pushing phase, because I never try to push unless I am fighting for sure and if you try to push me we are fighting.

[yenhoi]

Hide my reach. Try and punch him. Then see what happens and go from there.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

jab to the throat/simple boxing combos ... knee to the groin/knee attack combos ... any strike to sternum followe by uppercut/punch combos/knee to groin/knee attack combos.

i dunno ... i think it would really depend on a lot of different things, but the above are techniques i currently feel comfortable opening with in sparring.

[MightyB]

Are you talking about the Great Lakes Kung Fu Championships in Cleveland?

[Nevermind]

Yep, that's the one. I have only competed in TKD tourneys. So this will be my first. I really don't know what to expect. But I am sure it will be a lot of fun.

[MightyB]

Weather, Money Gods, and my wife permitting, I'll be there. I fought in the 140lbs San Shou division there last year and got creamed. This year'll be different. I've had a year to revamp my training and stew on what went wrong. If any of you KFOers want to fight me, that's where I'll be. Most of you'll have to lose weight though.

Nevermind, bring this up again before April and I'll PM you with who I am and what school I'm with.

[red5angel]

Your 140lbs Mightyb? That precludes me fighting you by about 70 lbs or so.....dangit!

[MightyB]

Right now I'm 152lbs. I actually would like to stay at around 155, but, when I start doing roadwork and stuff, I'll drop back to about 142. Been that way since high school. I keep getting bigger, but I don't put on weight. Kind've ruins my plans for being a bad guy pro-wrestler.

Nevermind, don't try the chain punch if you fight me, I'll f_cking kill you. Can you say Suplex? Yeah Baby!

Red5, you going to be there?

[Nevermind]

Mighty B- Suplex, eh? Actually, I wouldn't be in the San Shou division. Just the continuous sparring. I would like to try my hand at San Shou someday. Anyway, I'm about 190lbs, so I doubt we would ever end up facing each other. Too bad.
I still hope to see you there (and anyone else from the forum who will attend). It'll be my first Kung Fu tournament, so I am really looking forward to it. I'll be sure and touch bases with you before then.