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Distancing Skills – Zones
(Picture courtesy of Dan Green at www.muaythaionline.net)
In
order to be effective
at sparring you must
be able to hit
your opponent without
being hit yourself.
To achieve this consideration
must be given to
the distance between you
and your partner,
both in respect to
your techniques and his.
This can be broken
down, for easier
understanding, into
three zones.
The
first and most important
zone is the safe
zone. This is
the zone when you
are out of reach
of your opponent’s punches
and kicks, where
you can move around
unhindered in order
to strategically plan
the next attack,
or most importantly
to rest.
Moving
closer we have the
technical zone. At
this distance you
can strike your opponent
and vice-versa either
with punches or kicks.
This is the range
where either party
can start an attack.
This is the range
where most exchanges
take place.
I
call the final zone
the danger zone.
Other names for this
could be grappling
or milling zone.
Here you are in
direct contact with
your opponent, and
can clinch or attack
with circular punches,
knees or elbows (depending
of course, on
the Rules).
Now
the three zones are
defined, we have
to consider to use
them for best effect.
The best fighters
always appeared to
float in across the
zones, deliver their
techniques, and then
float away without
being struck themselves.
Possibly the best example of this was the light-continuous
kickboxer George MacKenzie. All he seemed to use was the jab and lead leg side
kick, floating in and out delivering these two strikes with accuracy to win. He
hardly ever seemed to get caught himself. I guess this accounts in part to the
fact he was a top international fighter until well into his 40’s – he just
wasn’t getting the damage us mortals receive!
These
fighters remain in
the safe zone until
an attack can be
initiated, moving into
the technical zone
to deliver their shots, before retreating
back into the safe
zone. These fighters
have great consideration
to timing in order
to avoid being hit
themselves.
Entering
into a zone should
be your decision.
You should control
the fight so that
you dictate when to
engage or disengage.
During
training, when interacting
with a partner such
as trading strikes
into each other's
gloves, kicking shields,
or even just shadow-boxing
or using a hanging
bag, try to
give consideration the
to the zones.
Move it from a
safe zone inwards,
through the ranges
to deliver your techniques,
and then back out
again to move around.
Practise your footwork
to achieve this effectively.
Once
this movement becomes
second nature, you
can utilise the zones
for optimum effect,
at all stages of
sparring. These principles
of fighting zones
apply to all
sparring, whether inside
a boxing ring,
or competing in an
open matted area.
It
must be remembered
that the actual distances
applied
to
these zones alter
depending on the opponent.
What is considered
a safe zone for
one opponent may
be the technical zone
for another. These
dimensions alter with
the ability and physiology
of you and your
opponent. A simple
example - tall people
have longer reaches.
Therefore this extra
range has to be
allowed for. Consideration
should also be given
to how fast opponent
can close down your
distance and how far they can reach with
their techniques. If your opponent
has better distancing skills
than your own,
you must allow for
this when considering
if you are safe.
Also be aware of the
different ranges associated
with punches and kicks.
For example, to
be safe from a
kick usually requires
a greater distance
than a punch.
Once
you have an understanding
of these zones,
they can be used
in combination with
footwork to move your
opponent around the
ring. By constantly
moving into his technical
zone, your opponent
could either respond
by an attack,
or move away. If
he stays in the
same zone, then
you have initiated
the move and will control
the interaction.
By moving back into
the safe zone,
you may be able
to draw your opponent
on into the technical
range. Therefore,
even by the brief
examples listed,
you could manipulate
the strategy of your
opponent. Laurie Glossop, former
Great Britain Ju-Jitsu Team Coach, encouraged his
fighters to use this
principle at the start
of every round.
He encouraged the
fighters to always
step forward into
the technical zone
at the start of
a fight. This
would either force
the opponent back
into a defensive mode
or cause an attack
to be initiated from either party.
By stepping forward
in a prepared
manner the first and
most effective strike
usually went to his
fighters.
As
always, utilising
the zones takes practice.
Zones work in combination
together with many
other skills. With
practice, you will
be able to recognise,
and implement zonal fighting to hit more
effectively - and probably get hit less at the same time!
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