whats more effective?

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:20pm

I have a question that I believe might be a good one. Do to my reach disadvantage in most instances of altercation it is necessary for me to get inside up close to a person to even get a chance to strike. This is not allways an easy thing to do especially if someone has a good four inch reach or so on you. Now in the form of mantis we use certain steps to try to close the distance which is good due to my heigth disadvantage but usually takes more than one move to get close due to the shortness of my legs. So I was wondering if anyone could maybe shed some light on closing the gap using preferrably a northern style kung fu method that would cover alot of ground fast while being faced with these obstacles. Or any other MA that may be more equipped to help with this sort of difficulty.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:27pm

"HOW DO CLOSE GAP?" questions belong in Gitmo regardless of the methodology/drill/style suggested to try and achieve it.

Ask your teacher.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:35pm

Originally Posted by Tom Kagan

"HOW DO CLOSE GAP?" questions belong in Gitmo regardless of the methodology/drill/style suggested to try and achieve it.

Ask your teacher.

Just asking on closing alot of space with little work. What would you think is effective in an actual situation? Due to my stature the form Im learning requires me to take more steps than someone else might doing the same thing. I was just wanting to see what the rest of you might think is a good way to close alot of space at one time? That is actually effective?

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:39pm

speaking as someone who is constantly fighting against those with a greater size/reach advantage, the only piece of advice i can give you is that you should get used to taking punches to the face on the way in, so shrug them off and land several of your own strikes once you do get in range.

also diagonal movement is your friend.

**bobyclumsyninja** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:40pm

ok, taking you seriously seriousmantid, the tiger style I studied was a northern one....knuckle punches(eyes or throat) at the same time as a groin kick....then upon landing, a rake to the face...or raking the guard followed by a knuckle shot or rake to the face.

As far as sparring goes(kickboxing or whatnot)...I jab then sort of dip in diagonally..the trick is to finish the jab before you drop your weight, the crispness is very disconcerting to a sparring partner. You can jab dip jab in at them....leaving your good hand free to keep by the jaw, ready for a power shot (overhand right, shovel hook, or straight right) if you do it well, you can chase them into a good roundkick...jab dip jab dip jab, right roundkick.

also, overhand right, left hook, straight right etc...just tuck your chin a bit during the overhand.

one I personally like a lot is switch-step stampkick stiff jab, hard cross to body, works well....depends on how lanky you are.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:49pm

Originally Posted by Ming Loyalist

speaking as someone who is constantly fighting against those with a greater size/reach advantage, the only piece of advice i can give you is that you should get used to taking punches to the face on the way in, so shrug them off and land several of your own strikes once you do get in range.

also diagonal movement is your friend.

Is there any way with out eating a couple to the grill because I am not to good at taking a punch, the slightest pressure usually throws me for a loop.

**seriousmantid** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 1:53pm

Originally Posted by bobyclumsyninja

ok, taking you seriously seriousmantid, the tiger style I studied was a northern one....knuckle punches(eyes or throat) at the same time as a groin kick....then upon landing, a rake to the face...or raking the guard followed by a knuckle shot or rake to the face.

As far as sparring goes(kickboxing or whatnot)...I jab then sort of dip in diagonally..the trick is to finish the jab before you drop your weight, the crispness is very disconcerting to a sparring partner. You can jab dip jab in at them....leaving your good hand free to keep by the jaw, ready for a power shot (overhand right, shovel hook, or straight right) if you do it well, you can chase them into a good roundkick...jab dip jab dip jab, right roundkick.

also, overhand right, left hook, straight right etc...just tuck your chin a bit during the overhand.

one I personally like a lot is switch-step stampkick stiff jab, hard cross to body, works well....depends on how lanky you are.

This approach sounds interesting but I am really short and really looking for a way that uses less steps and gains more distance.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 2:02pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

This approach sounds interesting but I am really short and really looking for a way that uses less steps and gains more distance.

Yellow Bamboo style specializes in this.

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 2:12pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

Is there any way with out eating a couple to the grill because I am not to good at taking a punch, the slightest pressure usually throws me for a loop.

nope, you're going to get hit, so you should get used to it:

http://how-to-box.com/boxing/content...al-getting-hit

but you should work on slipping punches as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00T1O77Iv04

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

i don't know about your kung fu, but i have no trouble using these types of training in my school, in fact they directly relate to the dragon philosophy in my style.

**GoldenJonas** · Posted On: 8/16/2007 2:20pm

Originally Posted by seriousmantid

This approach sounds interesting but I am really short and really looking for a way that uses less steps and gains more distance.

Butt scoot. It is very disconcerting to chase someone around the mat like a fiddler crab only to tie them up in your De La Riva or Spider guard and sweep them with....wait.......what forum is this?

Seriously though, how short are you? Are we talking dwarf/little person, etc....or just a some one say 4'10 - 5'4"? Regardless of the MA or technique you use your stuck with what you have, i.e., your particular physical characteristics, and you need to learn to make it work for you. If the strict use of a particular technique does not work you need to either adapt it to work with your body type or the particular situation OR abandon it all together as an ineffective technique FOR YOU and find one that works.

MA is not "one size fits all", ask your instructor to help you out.