Analyze my skillz, or lack thereof!

**Yimchaloi** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 12:06am

Hey, all! I'm looking for some constructive advice/analysis of my technique so I can improve. The majority of my martial arts experience is in WTF Taekwondo, but I've been really working on my hand game to prepare for my next fight. I already know at least 10,000 things I need to work on, but by putting it up here it means I can get a many more pairs of experienced eyes that may see something that I don't.

I should be clear here, tho', since this is teh intarwebz. I've got thick skin and I always try to keep what I call a "white belt mentality" as far as learning things. So by all means, be honest. But please don't be a dick and just try to steal my fight confidence. I know I'm no master or a pro fighter, and this is just me'n a friend hitting eachother and having fun through training.

I'm the smaller guy. I'm 5'9", and I'm about 150-155 right now. My last fight and now for my next fight, I have to weigh in under 145. Thanks in advance!

**DLL** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 12:36am

Your stance looks a bit to long/narrow, which is a normal thing for TKD'ers. That was something I had to fix when I went from TKD to Kyokushin because my lead leg was getting destroyed by low round kicks.

**wingchunx2z** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 1:48am

Three things that jump out at me you might improve on would be

Don't try to block kicks with your hands and reach down for lower ones consistently. This will not serve you well when dealing with harder muay thai style kicks.

Use more punching combinations and angle a bit more after you finish.

Your distance management is a bit too conservative. Alot of times both of you punched at the other and were too far away to land even with no defensive response.

Hope that helps. Looks like you had fun keep it up.

**Team Python** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 3:24am

Originally Posted by Yimchaloi

Hey, all! I'm looking for some constructive advice/analysis of my technique so I can improve. The majority of my martial arts experience is in WTF Taekwondo, but I've been really working on my hand game to prepare for my next fight. I already know at least 10,000 things I need to work on, but by putting it up here it means I can get a many more pairs of experienced eyes that may see something that I don't.

I should be clear here, tho', since this is teh intarwebz. I've got thick skin and I always try to keep what I call a "white belt mentality" as far as learning things. So by all means, be honest. But please don't be a dick and just try to steal my fight confidence. I know I'm no master or a pro fighter, and this is just me'n a friend hitting eachother and having fun through training.

I'm the smaller guy. I'm 5'9", and I'm about 150-155 right now. My last fight and now for my next fight, I have to weigh in under 145. Thanks in advance!

Learn Muay Thai

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 9:27am

I'll let the other guys provide analysis, I just appreciate you throwing your stuff up there. Not to many people do that. Keep working.

**Yimchaloi** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 9:34am

Thanks for the feedback! Those are all things I've been working on. I'm still trying to find my range for my hands and to be comfortable when in close. And I still have this bad habit of "chasing" punches and kicks, like what you're saying. My instincts want to shoot out a low block for those kicks, but you're 100% correct: it leaves me way open and will plain hurt if I catch a Muay Thai kick.

**Azatdawn** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 9:45am

What kind of fight (what ruleset) is this fight going to be?

**Yimchaloi** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 9:58am

Wisconsin doesn't have a set governing body for kickboxing yet. We finally got a MMA charter thing here with rules, but there's no set standard for kickboxing here. So the promoters came up with the rules they wanna use. It's not quite Muay Thai rules, and it's not quite American Kickboxing rules. It's like a modified ruleset:

3 rounds of 3 minutes with a 1 minute break between.

Kicks to the leg, body, and head are allowed. Punches to the body and the head are allowed, including backfists. Obviously no groin shots or rabbit punching.

No elbows allowed, but knees to the body and the leg are allowed. No headbutting.

No sweeping or holding the leg. If you hold the leg for a second or two, the ref doesn't stop it. But you can't hold onto the leg and start pounding him over and over.

3 knock-downs in a single round results in a loss.

Only protective equipment allowed are 14oz gloves, mouthguard, and a cup. No shin or instep guards, no headgear, no hogu/chest protector.

**Azatdawn** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 10:12am

Alright. Well. I feel like you flail around with your hands a bit too much, this doesn't only concern trying to catch kicks, but also the way you try to parry punches. Very often just staying in your guard would be more effective, especially when the other guy is not even close enough to hit you anyway.

That being said, you drop your hands a lot, both when you're just standing there and when you're kicking.

I, personally, would also suggest not leaning back so much when avoiding punches. I used to do it; however, when I switched gyms fast guys would exploit this, since leaning back means a weaker balance and not many places to go.

I'd also try to use the jab more to control the distance.

Last thing... try to set up your kicks a little more. Jab, cross, leg kick. Very simple, still, in variations (outside leg, inside leg, etc) still works pretty well.

Again, keep your hands up. The guard you're using a lot works when you're a good boxer; I'm afraid someone with more (thai-/kick-)boxing experience than you will capitalize on it a lot.

**Yimchaloi** · Posted On: 1/02/2013 2:40pm

Excellent, excellent advice. I'm still trying to get over some muscle memory from point-sparring and get used to full-contact. This is great advice. I should really keep a better guard and flail less; leaves me open to gettin' knocked the **** out.

I've noticed that I need to set those kicks up, especially the roundhouses. I gotta try to bring it all together, the hands and the feet.