Imitating fighters styles?

TapSD

Killer Bee....1%
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I love the stand up forum..usually one of the more educated places for the posters of Sherdog and I have been reading alot of threads where guys go "Well..i try to imitate Fedor or Shogun or whoever" and IMO this is a bad way to train

The first time I ever trained mT in Pattaya my Kru said "we have to figure out what kind of fighter you are" as in my personal style. I think every fighter has a certain style kind of as unique as a fingerprint and I think imitating a fighter instead of finding your style is a bad way to train.

Anyone kinda agree with me?
 
whole heartedly. Still, there is no reason to try and reinvent the wheel. We should learn what we can from those who went before us without fooling ourselves into thinking that we can become them.
 
I'm pretty new to Muay Thai having only trained for little over a month and I disagree with your statement. I can see why imitating Fedor and Shogun is a bad idea, they are both unorthodox fighters and compete in MMA not Muay Thai. Generally speaking their wild striking style wouldnt translate as well in a kickboxing or boxing context (Rampage has proven us wrong in the past). That said, I find myself imitating alot of the top fighters at my gym, takeing from them what works for me. IMO this method makes alot of sense.
 
"Imitating a fighter" 95% of the time is a horrible idea and could wreck you're career, in my opinion.

Everyone is there own individual and has there own unique points and there own weaknesses.

Say, if I wanted to imitate Shogun's style of fighting, his build is totally different from mine, he could have a strong or weak jaw if it was strong he would most likely take more risks, fight more offencive ect, if he had a week jaw he would probobly fight more defencive, and take less risks or what ever. You're style usually corrisponds to you're strengths and weaknesses.

Thats the way I look at it.
 
Trying to fight like Mike Tyson without good fundamentals is bad, but once you have some knowledge and training, it ain't all that terrible to try to mimick fighters. It really depends on how you're imitating it and who you're imitating.

For example, I try to imitate Pavlik's style of consistently pumping out the jab. There's nothing wrong with staying behind the jab. But I'm not gonna mimick his style of getting hit in order to hit. You also need to realize that some styles aren't going to work for you. A guy with a weak chin shouldn't rely on his chin like Chuck Liddell. You gotta realize your limitations. I'm not about to go around throwing triple left hooks as fast as Roy Jones, because I can't.
 
try everything who knows till you try? bu don't step into a ring with a game plan of fighting like someone other than yourself.
 
Boxing is like any other art. It's good to take influences from people you like, but you shouldn't try to be exactly like this fighter or that fighter. You should find your own style of fighting that works for you. As an example, I am also a guitarist and my major influences are KISS, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and a few others. When people hear me play, they know right away what my influences are, but I don't rip off anyone's style. I play my own way. That's the same way you should approach fighting. Mike Tyson could do things that you might not be able to do, but that doesn't mean you can't be influenced by him and incorporate some of his stuff into your style.
 
Imitating fighters styles is fun and works great - until the heat gets turned up, at which point you go back to "your style" which in my opinion makes imitating a waste of time.

That being said watching the "tricks" and simple techniques fighters use and adding it to your arsenal is a great idea I find.
 
Oh, I thought it was everything the exact same, hence the title "imitating a fighter." Of course its ok to take a few pointers from a good fighter but not every single thing.
 
You need to find your own style and know what your strengths and weaknesses are, once you've done that you can look at fighters that share similar traits and get ideas from them.
Trying to be something you're not will only hold you back
 
You need to find your own style and know what your strengths and weaknesses are, once you've done that you can look at fighters that share similar traits and get ideas from them.
Trying to be something you're not will only hold you back

Exactly the way I look at it..I can see where taking some things from good fighters you admire and trying to incorporate them is a great idea but going into the gym and trying to loop punches like Fedor before you even know how to throw a jab is a horrible idea
 
Well my style was influenced mostly by Andy Hug and Peter Aerts.I was allways found of Hugs "fancy" moves and i tryed to imitate them.I works well.
On the other hand i tryed to imitate Cro Cop and got my ass kicked.
 
you don't have to imitate someone.just try to find your own style.
 
I kinda don't understand what some of you fools are saying, play to your strengths and define your own style (always work on your weaknesses as well), throw in a few tricks from those MMA youtube videos you watch but most importantly, train.
 
Well it depends. I agree that mimicking a "style" is a silly idea, but mimicking something a fighter does well isn't a bad thing. Trying to mimick other fighters sometimes helps you find whats comfortable for you and your style.

Example:Now my jab might be more of a space marker/distraction than a blitz like Ike Quarteys, but training his stutter step technique has helped with my consistency greatly.
 
Imitating fighters styles is fun and works great - until the heat gets turned up, at which point you go back to "your style" which in my opinion makes imitating a waste of time..

That's a great comment. When you get rocked, your going to revert to what comes natural, and if "fighter X" isn't your natural style, your just going to S-can the adapted style for your natural style, which is prob. going to rusty since you've been trying to "fighter X" instead of "fighter-U"

Or if your a wrestler, your going to shoot :icon_chee

Funny I came across this after thinking, " I'd like to strike like Rich Franklen ". ( Save the silva jokes, I'm not built like silva )
 
Ya I kind of agree. I mean your stance is usually pretty set in stone, but actual style you play to your strengths not someone elses that you like watching.
 
Its ok to try to imitate other fighters, but to a point. It's good to pick up little tricks or combos or setups that you've never thought of... But it's not good to completely change your style to fit someone else's.

I love using uppercuts. But I never really knew when to use them. I've started watching more of Masato's fights, and he strings them into combinations very smoothly. So I study his combos and set ups and try to use them to improve my own game.
 
its ok to pick up combinations and some pointers from other fighters..but not to try and imitate completely ...
 
I agree to most of you said. You can only imitate one's style to a point.

I live in the Philippines and I see a lot of Muay Thai fighters imitating Pacman and they always got their ass kicked. Not to mention looking very silly.

Maybe getting 2 or 3 combinations from a fighter then mixing it up with some combinations from other fighter MAY be a good idea if you mix it correctly.
 
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