- Joined
- May 19, 2013
- Messages
- 171
- Reaction score
- 0
After a violent first 7 minutes that left Diaz bloodied and swollen, Mcgregor is still feeling confident and sits in the pocket with Diaz.
At 2:54 of Round 2, all that confidence was flushed out the window by a basic boxing technique known as a "Trigger Step." A normal Jab is not a punch that will turn fights around, generally it hides or sets up other punches.
Moreover, in order to get power into a typical jab; your entire body weight needs to be moving forward; making it both predictable and adding moments to the time it takes to deliver the punch. All this means that a typical jab is very unlikely to blow your opponent backwards- it'll either be a light punch or something they see coming.
But add a Trigger Step? That Jab now has power similar to a straight, with no set up motion required.
"Failure to teach the FALLING STEP ("trigger step") for straight punching has resulted in the LEFT JAB being used generally as a light, auxiliary weapon for making openings and "setting up," instead of as a stunning blow." -Jack Dempsey
So what is a Trigger Step? Most people will find a trigger step extremely awkward feeling and Difficult to do. Basically you do this:
1. Get in a normal boxing stance, lead foot 18 inches or so ahead of the rear foot.
2. Put as much weight as possible on your lead foot without leaving your stance.
3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot.
More from Dempsey:
"You unquestionably will be tempted to shift some of the weight from the left foot to the right foot just before you step. But don't do it. Do nothing with the right foot, which is resting lightly on its ball, NO PRELIMINARY MOVEMENT! Just lift the left foot and LET THE BODY FALL FORWARD IN A LONG, QUICK STEP. The left foot should land flat and solid on the floor at the end of the step. It is a quick, convulsive and extremely awkward step. Yet, it's one of the most important steps of your fistic life; for that falling-forward lurch is the rough diamond out of which will be ground the beautiful, straight knockout jolt. It's the gem-movement of straight punching."
The basis of the trigger step is a way to get all of your weight suddenly falling by putting all the weight on the front foot then catching that falling weight with a quick step forward from the same foot. Done correctly your lead foot will slam the ground louder than a hard slap. Done incorrectly, your instincts will shift your weight onto your back foot before you lift your front, and so your weight will be moving backwards and add nothing to the Jab. Your back foot will do its job on its own- when you trigger step your back foot comes to the rescue by pushing your weight forward. It cannot be overstated how necessary it is to let yourself fall and catching yourself with the lead foot.
You don't jump off it, you don't rock- you just lift it up and your back foot will automatically push you forward as your lead foot catches the weight again.
Conor had just thrown a Jab that fell short. He is already back to balance but still inside Diaz's range.
People make a lot of how Diaz keeps weight on the front foot, but it's why his seemingly half effort straight punches have such dramatic effect. When your heavy on your front foot, you can trigger step at any time- just lift your front foot and your weight is falling hard and fast.
So out of no where with no sign it's coming, Nate trigger steps while at the same time quickly lifting his jab out so that the falling weight is caught by Conor's chin.
This is the punch that initially rocks Conor, blasting him off balance. From here on(2:54 Rd. 2) he is wobbly, spent and his confidence is shot.
When thinking about how and why the trigger step works, the biggest thing to remember is there is no movement that gives away its coming. If you take a moment to practice a trigger step, you'll notice your front foot smacks the ground extremely hard when you catch yourself. If a jab catches your weight before your foot does, it will have the same amount of power behind it(which is all of your body weight in a sudden freefall.)
This type of Jab has KO power and is lightning quick. The down side of this is that being heavy on your front leg opens you to other strikes in MMA- but its a trade off the Diaz bros have been more than willing to take.
If you haven't read Dempsey's Book, 'Championship Fighting,' you definitely should. One last bit from Dempsey:
"Learn now and remember always that in fighting you cannot afford to give your body the luxury of a useless preliminary or preparatory movement before shooting a punch. In the first place, your target may be open for only a split-second, and you must take advantage of that opening like a bolt of lightning. Secondly, preliminary movements are give-aways-"tell-tales"-"telegraphs"-that treacherously betray to your opponent your own next action."
Now look how fast and powerful Nate's Jab is with no tell at all. That's the beauty of the trigger step.
You can read "The story of the fight; Mr. Diaz Opus" Here on sherdog.
Edit: FIGHT IS UFC.COM: http://www.ufc.com/media/ufc-202-free-fight-conor-mcgregor-vs-nate-diaz
At 2:54 of Round 2, all that confidence was flushed out the window by a basic boxing technique known as a "Trigger Step." A normal Jab is not a punch that will turn fights around, generally it hides or sets up other punches.
Moreover, in order to get power into a typical jab; your entire body weight needs to be moving forward; making it both predictable and adding moments to the time it takes to deliver the punch. All this means that a typical jab is very unlikely to blow your opponent backwards- it'll either be a light punch or something they see coming.
But add a Trigger Step? That Jab now has power similar to a straight, with no set up motion required.
"Failure to teach the FALLING STEP ("trigger step") for straight punching has resulted in the LEFT JAB being used generally as a light, auxiliary weapon for making openings and "setting up," instead of as a stunning blow." -Jack Dempsey
So what is a Trigger Step? Most people will find a trigger step extremely awkward feeling and Difficult to do. Basically you do this:
1. Get in a normal boxing stance, lead foot 18 inches or so ahead of the rear foot.
2. Put as much weight as possible on your lead foot without leaving your stance.
3. WITHOUT REMOVING WEIGHT FROM LEAD FOOT, lift your lead foot.
More from Dempsey:
"You unquestionably will be tempted to shift some of the weight from the left foot to the right foot just before you step. But don't do it. Do nothing with the right foot, which is resting lightly on its ball, NO PRELIMINARY MOVEMENT! Just lift the left foot and LET THE BODY FALL FORWARD IN A LONG, QUICK STEP. The left foot should land flat and solid on the floor at the end of the step. It is a quick, convulsive and extremely awkward step. Yet, it's one of the most important steps of your fistic life; for that falling-forward lurch is the rough diamond out of which will be ground the beautiful, straight knockout jolt. It's the gem-movement of straight punching."
The basis of the trigger step is a way to get all of your weight suddenly falling by putting all the weight on the front foot then catching that falling weight with a quick step forward from the same foot. Done correctly your lead foot will slam the ground louder than a hard slap. Done incorrectly, your instincts will shift your weight onto your back foot before you lift your front, and so your weight will be moving backwards and add nothing to the Jab. Your back foot will do its job on its own- when you trigger step your back foot comes to the rescue by pushing your weight forward. It cannot be overstated how necessary it is to let yourself fall and catching yourself with the lead foot.
You don't jump off it, you don't rock- you just lift it up and your back foot will automatically push you forward as your lead foot catches the weight again.
Conor had just thrown a Jab that fell short. He is already back to balance but still inside Diaz's range.
People make a lot of how Diaz keeps weight on the front foot, but it's why his seemingly half effort straight punches have such dramatic effect. When your heavy on your front foot, you can trigger step at any time- just lift your front foot and your weight is falling hard and fast.
So out of no where with no sign it's coming, Nate trigger steps while at the same time quickly lifting his jab out so that the falling weight is caught by Conor's chin.
This is the punch that initially rocks Conor, blasting him off balance. From here on(2:54 Rd. 2) he is wobbly, spent and his confidence is shot.
When thinking about how and why the trigger step works, the biggest thing to remember is there is no movement that gives away its coming. If you take a moment to practice a trigger step, you'll notice your front foot smacks the ground extremely hard when you catch yourself. If a jab catches your weight before your foot does, it will have the same amount of power behind it(which is all of your body weight in a sudden freefall.)
This type of Jab has KO power and is lightning quick. The down side of this is that being heavy on your front leg opens you to other strikes in MMA- but its a trade off the Diaz bros have been more than willing to take.
If you haven't read Dempsey's Book, 'Championship Fighting,' you definitely should. One last bit from Dempsey:
"Learn now and remember always that in fighting you cannot afford to give your body the luxury of a useless preliminary or preparatory movement before shooting a punch. In the first place, your target may be open for only a split-second, and you must take advantage of that opening like a bolt of lightning. Secondly, preliminary movements are give-aways-"tell-tales"-"telegraphs"-that treacherously betray to your opponent your own next action."
Now look how fast and powerful Nate's Jab is with no tell at all. That's the beauty of the trigger step.
You can read "The story of the fight; Mr. Diaz Opus" Here on sherdog.
Edit: FIGHT IS UFC.COM: http://www.ufc.com/media/ufc-202-free-fight-conor-mcgregor-vs-nate-diaz
Last edited:
