Hey guys. Ive been doing muay thai for some time now and I feel really comfortable with a straight right but very uneasy about using it at a distance. What are your thoughts about really extending this punch and "reaching" for your opponent. It leaves me feeling open and off balance. Also, when is the best time to throw your head level roundhouse. Ive tried setting it up but I guess Im doing it wrong or not as well as I should be because I keep getting jammed. How do you set yours up? When and at what distance do you feel comfortable throwing this? Thanks for the help which Im sure will be quick. P.S. Sorry for the double post
You should almost never be reaching with a punch -- it's one of the most basic flaws. You need to have your feet under you when you're punching. If you reach, it takes away most of your power, puts you off balance, and removes your ability to throw a combination. Basically the reaching straight right is the classic non-striker strike. It doesn't hit very hard, it's easy to avoid, it has no follow-up, and it leaves you exposed. You need to bring your feet with you, so that you are punching off a stable base. Footwork!!! This is one reason it's hard to hit somebody with a true straight right -- it doesn't have that much reach or speed. If you connect with a real straight right with your feet under you, it should be devastating to your opponent.
You might be over extending on your punch. For the high roundhouse, it is best used when your opponent is stunned or has his guard down. Don't expect to connect everytime. It takes practice to develop the timing and accuracy.
for the roundhouse, first you have to make him fear some other weapon. make him think of your cross, hook, etc. all the while you're already imagining how his neck will snap when you connect with your high roundhouse. you can start for example by throwing a few leg shots and when he's consciously afraid of your leg kick, suddenly chamber your next kick into a high roundhouse, kyokushin style. he'll never know what hit 'im. as for the straight, you should not over extend your punches and/or reach for your opponent. besides making you look like a sissy girl, the power will be diluted by the extra effort you're putting into reaching your opponent. just my two cents... they worked for me.
Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever reach, you will get punished for it!! Get quicker with you feet & move in. If you're having trouble landing your kick, dummy it & sting them with something else a few times. Then belt one in when their not so sure what your doing.
Just answered your own question here, dude. :wink: Head level roundhouses are inherently risky. You can perhaps set one up by putting it at the tail end of a 3-4 kick combo thrown low so as to draw your opponents' guard down, but they're better when deployed as an opportunity shot wheere your opponent is, say, stunned or off balance or otherwise off his gaurd.
