I've been a boxer for about two years coming on three and I started training in BJJ and MMA about two months ago and when we train stand up I do pretty good with my punches but when I bob and weave(I duck down pretty low and I always get caught in the Thai clinch. Any advice on how to ethier bob and weave without getting caught or another tactic I could replace bobbing and weaving with. Thanks in Advance.
Bobbing and Weaving will not only get you caught in a clinch but you will also find that your face is going to take some knees too. The best thing you can do (IMO) is to use your feet to keep good distance. And not just forward and back, move to the left and to the right - this will open up good opportunities to counter punches and leave openings for kicks. I'm assuming since you're a boxer this is not hard for you, give it a try and see if you can stay out of your opponents grasp.
Whats the fastest way to break the clinch? Duck/spin out of it? Just wondering as I havent sparred a MT guy before.
You can still bob and weave, you cannot rely soley on it, and you had better be punching every time you do it. You also have to go a bit more shallow than you are used to and keep hands glued to face while doing it, as a shin could be coming your way. it has a place though, you just cant be predictable with it (same for any defense). As for the quickest way to break a clinch, ducking and spinning is a good way to spit teeth. It can work, but it is a move that relies on the incompetence of the opponent, in other words the sort of stuff that fails catastrophically against a skilled opponent. IME a clinch that is really on, there is no easy or fast way out, but the most reliable is to battle up with your posture and try to hug the hips close and either for a reset on the clinch (by juking the shoulder past his elbow) or try to trip him. Bullrush in that clinch CAN work if you are close to the rope/wall/cage, but is very dangerous as a good clinch guy is going to fling you about when you start trying to do it.
Please note that I've never sparred a MT person, nor have I seen a MT match irl, just on TV. AKA- I'm a MT noob here, so be informative. So when the MT guy has you in clinch, what stoped the person from simply uppercutting the MT fighter to break away? It looks like both fighters are really close when they put someone in the clinch.
You might find some of these suggestions helpful: http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f11/strategies-techniques-thai-clinch-789339/
The same thing that stops you from kneeing him or getting out, he has complete top control of your head and can pull it down into your body any time you try to hit him with anything. You CAN effectively counter an ATTEMPTED clinch with an uppercut, but in my experience this is usually more a case of the guy throwing the upper cut simply out classing the other guy rather than being something I would look to do if I were being clinched. Once its on, if the person is competent, forget an uppercut, but in transition fighting for position that's a different story. Watch anderson Silva and Wand Silva when they clinch guys, not too many uppercuts or punches from the victim, because they are good at it.
Hmmm interesting. Make me want to spar/work with a MT guy and try some ideas out. One of these days....
That is the exact opposite of what you should do. It is the natural thing that most people do who don't know what they are doing, but it will get you killed. It's hard to explain, but you should posture up, among other things. Ducking will get you KO'd by a knee.
don't throw out bobbing and weaving just yet, some of the best Kickboxers use it effectively, but sparingly. Tyrone spong does it So does Hoost, Hunt, Zambo and alot of others. Though i rarely see it used in full-muay thai rules, it is definitely way useful in MMA, and to a lesser extent kickboxing.
You've gotta learn to Thai clinch yourself. If you try to duck out of it, you WILL get KO'd with a knee, I'm totally serious.
I am new to muay thai, but so far, one way I've learned to deal with the clinch is to close the distance completely and grasp the waist of your opponent. This sets you up to break the clinch in various ways. If the guy is taller than you, you can apparently leverage your own shoulder to break the clinch by twisting sideways somewhat. I don't quite understand how this works but it does indeed work. another effective way of dealing with the clinch is promptly soiling yourself as soon as your opponent grabs you. the resultant shock should give you a window of opportunity.
depends on how deep you get caught. IF a MT guy extends his hands out in a non-puncing effort...UPPERCUT!!! If caught....hands on his hipflexors and come back with your own knee. If he lets go then front kick to get your space.
the way I learned to break it was keep a good posture, chin tucked but not bending over. Bring your hands through his elbows. Not inbetween his triceps mind you but his elbows.
