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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

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.