Intro to Head Movement in MMA

[Jimmy Jazz]

*Back Straight
*Ass OUT <--- [special fundamental 'trick' nobody gets told]
*Bend at the knees (most people have weak legs and don't like to do this, but just practice and strengthen them if so, it's kind of important)
*Don't put your head down(!)/don't look at the floor
*Don't bend way too low, only as much as you need to be barely missed or (ideally)brushed by the punch
*Use those now-loaded springs in your leg(s), point the foot (of the sameside hand you're going to hit him with) at him and make the punch fast and snappy, might as well do a combo since you're close and in a bad position for him

thanks bro! kinda sounds like a squat. I have the bend at my kness. I think I'm just not fluid enough in my movement and I usually don't think ahead to do the punch. Its hard for me to do under pressure.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

thanks bro! kinda sounds like a squat. I have the bend at my kness. I think I'm just not fluid enough in my movement and I usually don't think ahead to do the punch. Its hard for me to do under pressure.

Yep it's very similar to a squat. Squatting while stepping or squatting while staying still- get used to both. Learn to like it by doing it more and more, don't go lower than you feel comfortable with, let your legs and tendons get stronger gradually. You can push your muscles, but don't ever push your joints or tendons' limits- that's an idiot's game. Joints and tendons take a long time to get stronger.

If you practice it a fair amount it gets easy. Probably will take months, that's normal, but you'll feel yourself getting stronger in the legs and more solid. It's a very good feeling if you do it right. If you try to be tough and rush it, it'll just be garbage.

You gotta watch him the whole time, don't look at the floor. That's how you time it.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

Yep it's very similar to a squat. Squatting while stepping or squatting while staying still- get used to both. Learn to like it by doing it more and more, don't go lower than you feel comfortable with, let your legs and tendons get stronger gradually. You can push your muscles, but don't ever push your joints or tendons' limits- that's an idiot's game. Joints and tendons take a long time to get stronger.

If you practice it a fair amount it gets easy. Probably will take months, that's normal, but you'll feel yourself getting stronger in the legs and more solid. It's a very good feeling if you do it right. If you try to be tough and rush it, it'll just be garbage.

You gotta watch him the whole time, don't look at the floor. That's how you time it.

so the duck is the general way to avoid a cross. I don't know much about slips except off the jab.

 

[Clippy]

From the topic title was expecting a video made for Ronda Rousey

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

so the duck is the general way to avoid a cross. I don't know much about slips except off the jab.

Slips are best for straight punches from longer distance/"outside". They 're small and fast and take no effort. You can fire at the same time.

You can duck any punch except an uppercut. It's a little slower to return fire (it takes 2 beats instead of 1 like the slip) unless you're firing at the same time (say, with an overhand). But it does load up your legs for a monster counter, which is why you do it. When they miss and get out of position, you will have a nice chunk of time.

When someone's loading up on you for a right, like he's going to charge in/chase with it, a duck is usually the right answer. You still gotta read him just in case. After the bob/duck/weave he will be out of position, vulnerable and unable to answer without adjusting his feet. If you're looking at him and stay composed while doing it, you'll be able to fire off while he's in an awkward position.

Remember, practice slow. Focus on smoothness and correctness of execution (solid balance and position) rather than "speed" or you'll learn sloppiness and it wont work.

 

[a guy]

I usually try to duck the cross, but I'm not so good at countering after the fact.

 

[aries]

Slips are best for straight punches from longer distance/"outside". They 're small and fast and take no effort. You can fire at the same time.

You can duck any punch except an uppercut. It's a little slower to return fire (it takes 2 beats instead of 1 like the slip) unless you're firing at the same time (say, with an overhand). But it does load up your legs for a monster counter, which is why you do it. When they miss and get out of position, you will have a nice chunk of time.

When someone's loading up on you for a right, like he's going to charge in/chase with it, a duck is usually the right answer. You still gotta read him just in case. After the bob/duck/weave he will be out of position, vulnerable and unable to answer without adjusting his feet. If you're looking at him and stay composed while doing it, you'll be able to fire off while he's in an awkward position.

Remember, practice slow. Focus on smoothness and correctness of execution (solid balance and position) rather than "speed" or you'll learn sloppiness and it wont work.

Good post. I'd like to add to that, you can perform a duck which is actually a slip as well and something you see guys like Mayweather perform a fair bit. As an ortho fighter if you duck and your body is facing a bit to your right and you add a little twist toward your rear foot, you have actually taken your head relative to your opponent not just straight down but to your right as well. So you are actually ducking and slipping at the same time. You have now also perfectly loaded up your rear hand to counter.

And to TS, great thread. We need more quality stuff like this in here.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

damn i want to be able to do this so bad. thanks TS

 

[Kickzilla]

Interesting that he ducks to his lead hip.

 

[ARIZE]

Interesting that he ducks to his lead hip.

When it's done to a right straight, it's pretty safe. But if done a lot of times, he may be baited to do it to a rear hook, and that may be dangerous.

 

[a guy]

When it's done to a right straight, it's pretty safe. But if done a lot of times, he may be baited to do it to a rear hook, and that may be dangerous.

McCallum was very good at varying his head movement. You wouldn't catch him in a pattern easily, and even if you thought you had him slipping into a right hook he would probably be rolling under it like he did to Jackson in the OP. Plus, even if you start slipping and realize it's a hook, you can make small adjustments to go under it or smother it.

 

[a guy]

Interesting that he ducks to his lead hip.

Yea that's how you typically want to slip a right hand when you can--though of course it can't be your only method of defense.

 

[Ilk]

I would like to add that head movement in boxing is mostly bites in ones defence or used preemptively after an attack to defend. I visited Pulevs boxing gym in Sofia twice the last days and they have some excellent coaches. Got private classes on defence and both coaches adviced on drawing slips or doing head movement after a combo.

For example jab +slip right and come with a cross. Or fake a jab + side step + hook. You are basically defending against their left hand and drawing a jab or a hook and have a defence prepared with a counter.

Example for a preemptive defence is weaving after a long range left hook or ducking after a jab or ducking to the right after a cross.

They also gave me excellent advices on how to footwork draws attacks. For example moving to your right draws punches with their left hand and moving to the left right punches. So one can prepare his defence beforehand. The most amazing advice was on how to defend against a cross with a double jab targeted at a chest level by stepping agressively towards their back foot. As the coach named it "free shots". The most amazing private sessions I have ever got.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

Yea that's how you typically want to slip a right hand when you can--though of course it can't be your only method of defense.

so you slip to the outside not the inside?

 

[ARIZE]

McCallum was very good at varying his head movement. You wouldn't catch him in a pattern easily, and even if you thought you had him slipping into a right hook he would probably be rolling under it like he did to Jackson in the OP. Plus, even if you start slipping and realize it's a hook, you can make small adjustments to go under it or smother it.

Thanks for the infos. I train a little boxing, so i got a notion for the basics, but been able to readjust from a slip to a duck seems to me high level stuff. I understand the movement, but been able to do it in the time lap you need to see the punch, start the motion, realize it's a hook not a straight, and be able to readjust...

One other thing i find dangerous is the lead hand been low, while slipping to the left. Obviously he knows what he's doing, but to me it's seems unsafe. Again, if he goes into a hook, there is nothing there to protect him.

 

[a guy]

so you slip to the outside not the inside?

Preferably, most of the time. Gives you a better angle.

 

[a guy]

Thanks for the infos. I train a little boxing, so i got a notion for the basics, but been able to readjust from a slip to a duck seems to me high level stuff. I understand the movement, but been able to do it in the time lap you need to see the punch, start the motion, realize it's a hook not a straight, and be able to readjust...

One other thing i find dangerous is the lead hand been low, while slipping to the left. Obviously he knows what he's doing, but to me it's seems unsafe. Again, if he goes into a hook, there is nothing there to protect him.

It's not that difficult. A rear hand hook is the easiest punch to see. All you have to do to make a slip avoid a hook is dip a little lower or move forward a little to get inside it. Some people will do it instinctively without ever being specifically taught it.

Keeping the lead hand up while slipping is pointless. It slows down the movement and leaves your hand in worse position to hit the other guy once he misses. Note that nobody in any of my examples is keeping their hands up the whole time. It's not efficient or practical.

 

[ARIZE]

OK. For me the dip and the slip are two completely different movement. I don't have in mind to slip against a hook. But as i said, i am fairly new to boxing, and in MT you don't duck under a punch, and the slip is different. More of a lean to the side with your head, and not so much of a rotation of the shoulders...if that makes sense...

I am a fan of Mike Tyson, and i loved to watch his head movement. So for me, his style was the perfect example of great defense. Hands glued to the chin, head movement and jabs until he gets under and inside, then unleash the hard punches.

 

[Kickzilla]

Highlights of two guys who heavily used ducking as part of their defense.

Joe Frazier


Henry Hank

 

[a guy]

Highlights of two guys who heavily used ducking as part of their defense.

Joe Frazier


Henry Hank

Sneak peak of part two, one example of ducks being used very effectively and the other...not so much: