commiting to the combo

[shs101]

I boxed for a while, and MT. 1-0 boxing. And looking for MT fights. But the concern is, i cant commit into any of my combos. Jab, cross is fine. But when i want to go in a throw a combo, something just says no.And i know other people have this problem, people work hours on heavy bag combos and pad work combos, but when it comes time to use them strikes, they dont.I know im not afraid to get hit, but any help with getting in and throwing shots?
Ive heard footwork is a big part, in the combo and out. But any help with that? dont understand really

thanks

 

[Luke Bucknell]

are you referring to combos in sparring? and combos with kicking and punching or just punching?

 

[shs101]

Yes combos in sparring and with punches,kickes,etc. I work the pads and bags perfect. But when sparring comes around it seems like theres only a 1-2 in my arsenal..

 

[Luke Bucknell]

1 - 2 is still good... i rarely throw more than 3-4 punches/kicks in one combo when sparring, for me the magic number is 3. jab, cross, inside thigh or right upper, left hook, right outside thigh etc. I think the trick is to keep your eyes on the other guy when throwing your 1-2 and look for an opening for your 3rd/4th strike. so many people throw combos blindly that never land and subconsciously they start thinking 'my long combos never land but my 1-2 does so i'll just keep doing that'

im reading a good book on budo mind and body by nicklaus suino atm and in it he says that everything you do in the dojo becomes a habit whether u realize it or not

 

[The KenShamrock]

What kind of combination striking and training is necessary to do this to someone?:

 

[ThunderousWrath]

I think the trick is to keep your eyes on the other guy when throwing your 1-2 and look for an opening for your 3rd/4th strike. so many people throw combos blindly that never land and subconsciously they start thinking 'my long combos never land but my 1-2 does so i'll just keep doing that'

Absolutely agreed. I'm a beginner, but my combos tend to work pretty well in sparring... I throw a 1-2 and then look for my 3rd shot. Could be almost anything, depending on how the 1-2 went. I pretty much never throw anything beyond the 3rd shot, and have never gone beyond 4.

If there's one punch I throw more than any other after the 1-2, it's the left hook. Depending on where the 1-2 takes me, though, I'm always on the lookout for my chance to throw my uppercuts.

Obviously, taking stock of the situation during / after your 1-2 also means knowing when NOT to attempt to combo up. I've been knocked down by counters after my 1-2, heh.

Hope this helps.

 

[ssullivan80]

I boxed for a while, and MT. 1-0 boxing. And looking for MT fights. But the concern is, i cant commit into any of my combos. Jab, cross is fine. But when i want to go in a throw a combo, something just says no.And i know other people have this problem, people work hours on heavy bag combos and pad work combos, but when it comes time to use them strikes, they dont.I know im not afraid to get hit, but any help with getting in and throwing shots?
Ive heard footwork is a big part, in the combo and out. But any help with that? dont understand really

thanks

3-4 or more strikes in a combo is usually because 1-2 or more of the strikes are set up punches or your using a high volume of low power strikes to find oppenings for power shots. If your throwing at full power, using full rotation and follow through, more than 3 shots is going to require you to be very quick, have your opponent pinned, or have exellent footwork to use effectively. Longer combos are usually the product of using a couple of set up punches, to find an oppening for a power shot. I.E: jab, jab, slapping lead hook (arm punch to get opponent to open up the middle), big right cross down the center (full power). Chaining together multiple shots is difficult and requires you to have good defensive skills to avoid counters as well (slip, parry, check kick)

(Guys who do this well: Paul Williams- boxing, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping & Spencer fisher in MMA, Badr Hari in K1, Jerome LeBanner was great at throwing 3 or more power shots in a row.)

good drill for this: One person is defense, the other offense. At a lighter power (50% is about right in my opinion), but with full speed, 1st person throws a 3-4 shot combo using both hands and feet while 2nd person just defends. Then vice versa, back and forth. Drill works well to help you develop set-up punches to chain together combos. It also helps you develop defense to block 3-4 shots in a row.

 

[devante]

3-4 or more strikes in a combo is usually because 1-2 or more of the strikes are set up punches or your using a high volume of low power strikes to find oppenings for power shots. If your throwing at full power, using full rotation and follow through, more than 3 shots is going to require you to be very quick, have your opponent pinned, or have exellent footwork to use effectively. Longer combos are usually the product of using a couple of set up punches, to find an oppening for a power shot. I.E: jab, jab, slapping lead hook (arm punch to get opponent to open up the middle), big right cross down the center (full power). Chaining together multiple shots is difficult and requires you to have good defensive skills to avoid counters as well (slip, parry, check kick)

(Guys who do this well: Paul Williams- boxing, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping & Spencer fisher in MMA, Badr Hari in K1, Jerome LeBanner was great at throwing 3 or more power shots in a row.)

good drill for this: One person is defense, the other offense. At a lighter power (50% is about right in my opinion), but with full speed, 1st person throws a 3-4 shot combo using both hands and feet while 2nd person just defends. Then vice versa, back and forth. Drill works well to help you develop set-up punches to chain together combos. It also helps you develop defense to block 3-4 shots in a row.

nice post

 

[ambertch]

ssullivan80 brings up an excellent point. Watch pro boxing or K-1 - you don't often see guys unloading a 5 or 6 punch combo unless it's for flash. Even when they do as a flurry, it often doesn't do much damage (flurrying to get out of a corner for example)

I would like to add:

- Also watch your distancing. One of the reasons why it's hard to throw more than 2 or 3 shots at a time is that normally when you practice on pads or the bag, striking distance changes predictably. You know the padholder is moving forwards or backwards, and if the heavy bag is swaying you know how it'll sway. But during an exchange distance will change dynamically because you don't know whether your opponent will move forwards, backwards, or stay still - so you gotta consciously either adjust range or consciously create angles to continue a combination.

This is something I myself am working on, and it is definitely frustrating. It's not easy since this is something I can't practice outside of sparring.


If you watch Badr Hari and Paul Williams and Bisping, Diaz, like Sullivan mentioned, notice that all those fighters are excellent at dynamic distancing. They will throw a punch but then push their opponent or step out, step back to continue the combo. So yes, the footwork to adjust distance is def important!

 

[devante]

ssullivan80 brings up an excellent point. Watch pro boxing or K-1 - you don't often see guys unloading a 5 or 6 punch combo unless it's for flash. Even when they do as a flurry, it often doesn't do much damage (flurrying to get out of a corner for example)

I would like to add:

- Also watch your distancing. One of the reasons why it's hard to throw more than 2 or 3 shots at a time is that normally when you practice on pads or the bag, striking distance changes predictably. You know the padholder is moving forwards or backwards, and if the heavy bag is swaying you know how it'll sway. But during an exchange distance will change dynamically because you don't know whether your opponent will move forwards, backwards, or stay still - so you gotta consciously either adjust range or consciously create angles to continue a combination.

This is something I myself am working on, and it is definitely frustrating. It's not easy since this is something I can't practice outside of sparring.


If you watch Badr Hari and Paul Williams and Bisping, Diaz, like Sullivan mentioned, notice that all those fighters are excellent at dynamic distancing. They will throw a punch but then push their opponent or step out, step back to continue the combo. So yes, the footwork to adjust distance is def important!

great post