Man Week: Throwing and Taking a Punch
Last lesson monkeys. For the lovers, the haters and the master debaters.
Eddie will show you how to throw and then I'll take you home with how to take... a punch.
Taking a punch should be avoided at all costs, but once faced with the prospect risk management is key. As Eddie points out, hands are very easy to break. The skull is generally a lot tougher and more durable than the fist. For the most part, it is a lot easier to get hit and minimize the damage than it is to one hit a quitter. Keep the following steps in mind if/when you find yourself about to be hit:
1) Set your jaw
You may recall this suggestion from earlier in the week. Jaw setting is a technique used by soldiers and fighters since the dawn of time. Needless to say it is no longer popular, but still very useful. Jaw setting gives your whole head enough tension to absorb a blow with minimal impact. It decreases the likelihood of a broken jaw and knocked out teeth by helping limit impact displacement. Most importantly, a set jaw helps to keep you from biting your own tongue. The majority of coughed up blood in a fight comes from guys biting through their lip or tongue. This is why referees will stop a boxing match the second a fighter loses his mouthpiece. If violence is imminent, you want to do your best to protect yourself and this is the first step. Some fights you just cannot win, jaw setting will always help you minimize the damage to your face and decrease the likelihood of being knocked out cold.
2) The sideways stance
Eddie addresses the issue in the video, so I won't go crazy with elaborations. You want to give your opponent the smallest possible target. Squaring up to your opponent makes you a bigger target, give him less to aim at. Also, remember to stay on the balls of your feet. If someone is approaching you in an aggressive fashion or starting to get loud and demonstrative, it is a good idea to loosen your knees and hips. Move them around a bit, no need for full blown dancing. Combining these suggestions may buy you a split second and could prove very useful in case you are dealing with multiple attackers.
3) Point your head towards the ground and focus on his chest
The majority of knockout blows to the head are caused by one of two things: Either you will take a direct strike to the temple, nose, throat, jaw line or jaw tip (a.k.a. the button) OR the violent snapping back of your head resulting from a hard blow (usually an uppercut) will cause you to momentarily lose consciousness.
Pointing your head toward the ground will make these sensitive areas harder to aim at. In conjecture, staring at your opponent's chest rather than his eyes or whole body will help you judge which way he will throw his punch. Eye and head fakes are common in fighting. Observe boxers, MMA fighters and martial artists in action...almost all of them move in while bobbing and weaving. This is done to disorient the opponent and disguise the coming attack pattern. Focus on the torso and you will see the shot coming a split second sooner. This can make all the difference in an adrenalized setting.
4) Tuck your neck into your shoulders
You know that motion you make when it's raining and you don't have an umbrella? That's what you do. Pull your head down and your shoulders up, Quasimodo. Expanding to the point brought up in #3, your neck is your enemy. If you are a giraffe type of guy in terms of your neck, pay closer attention to this point. If we were to take a survey of fighters across disciplines we would find that many have absolutely no neck, their heads practically extend from their chest. This is due to the fact that the aforementioned neck snap effect can cause serious brain damage. Fighters perform neck exercises since their earliest days of training to toughen up their neck region. It is arguably the most crucial area to develop for a career scrapper. Since I assume most of you guys do not wear 50 lb steel chains around your neck in preparation for the 0.7 times you may need it in your lives, I recommend the next best solution. Protect your neck as much as possible. A combination of a neck tucked into shoulders and a head pointed down is your optimal hedge.
5) Keep your elbows close to your body and your abs contracted
There is a temptation to lift your arms out wide, bench press style. Do not give into it. Your body is susceptible, as well. Since this isn't a full street on guide I am omitting suggestions for dealing with weapons, groin shots, being jumped, etc. After all, most of you guys are finely dressed and manicured gentlemen of class and culture...
who would ever want to attack you?
I am only giving one point to body blows, as the tendency to go for knockout head shots is ever prevalent. You want to avoid having the wind knocked out of you at all costs. I have both been dropped and dropped guys with pretty tame body shots. The key is to breathe hard, shallow and fast. Notice that hissss sound boxers make? It helps them get more power behind their punches, but also helps prevent getting the wind knocked out on a counter-punch.
Now make sure that your elbows are in tight. You can't protect both your face and your entire rib cage simultaneously. You can, however, place those elbows close enough to your torso where you can easily block attempted body shots by bending down or moving your arms lower with the coming blow.
There they are boys. Five tips to helping you take a punch. Combine them with Eddie's video instructions on how to throw a punch and you should be able to hold your own in a fight even if you've never experienced the pain and panic of it all.
Remember, the goal is not to be a hero or to pummel your opponent into submission. The goal is always to live and fight another day. Memorize this quick and simple guide, you never know when it may come in handy. Good luck and kiss Man Week goodbye.
never stand sideways because of the balance and leg exposure you dont want to hit with all knuckles but the last two
funny video
Uncle Eddie, The next Bas Rutten?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/D3K-mrlYG7Y
when he says "Pooeeshing down as hard as I can" at 3:08, he has a boner.
Some of these comments were in need of a no homo well before you showed up, but are simply screaming for it with this fruitful addition.
by funny i mean good
Lol
You left out a step.
This ought to be the least controversial Man Week post from either of you. Oh wait, it's WSO, everyone will find something to argue over regardless.
Maybe the most hilarious video I've ever seen. Eddie your technique is borderline terrible, I would love to go a few rounds with you. No one follow this.
LOL. Whatever you say, tough guy.
I'm betting I've stepped over tougher guys than you on my way to a fight.
eThug.
Sucks--after fracturing my knee and tearing my ACL last summer, my days of being able to fight (men) is over. I can't run, jump, bob, or lunge. This pretty much means that if my girl gets insulted, she'll just have to deal with it.
You guys are just trollin now lol (I hope so anyway). Good advice if you're fighting an armless person standing 10inches in front of your face though.
Nerds teaching nerds how to properly punch jaja :)
I do appreciate the effort to explain this stuff. But, you're dropping your hands when you're punching and your hooks need work. Good info overall though.
Hard to take fighting advice seriously from a guy with that many crayon drawings on his refrigerator.
Lol! I took karate lessons and salsa lessons,, eddie, your punching reminds me more of the salsa lessons hahahaha!
You may have the moves Braverman-san but, can you take out these guys?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/QiLXx-0W8Q4
Most of the things Eddie points out are fairly accurate. In fact, it reminded me of when I started boxing. You point out all the basic things correctly, Eddie, but I have to say, with all due respect you are way off on your uppercut. From the way I train, and what I've been taught is that you never telegraph your punches. What differentiates boxing from brawling is you throw short, accurate, powerful punches that are not telegraphed. Now, I know you are simply demonstrating how to throw punches and not how to box, but still, I don't think that's an effective way to throw an uppercut.
Oh and you should always breathe out when you punch. That way, you won't gas out and if you're hit with a counter to the body, breathing out will help you brace your core.
What's the paradox? Reading being fun-da-mental?
Clearly, I was only responding to Eddie's video. And I see we both made the same point. So, that's that.
Lol this is funny.. Good stuff but, just take a couple classes whether it be jiu jitsu, muay thai, stand up, etc. You won't learn anything until you spar and shit
Eddie I hope you're not teaching your kids what you demonstrated in that video, because if you are they're going to be in for a rude awakening on the playground...
You're not serious man...
Mike tyson and lenox Lewis could have made an hour long special on the jab for WSO and bitches would still be correcting shit.
Haters gonna hate, bro.
Wish I watched this before last night. Got into my first fight in a long time and I'm pretty certain I broke every bone in my left hand.
i agree there is lots of hating going on. All im saying is that standin the way he does in the video is not smart. Especially if it is in a bar or somewhere where it will very likely end up in a "wrestling match". You stand sideways you will get pushed/pulled on your back. THere is a reason the first thing you learn in boxing / kickboxing is always to stand shoulder-wide.
I don't feel like debating this because there's a lot wrong with it. Suffice it to say that if you stand shoulder wide facing your opponent, you're not only completely off-balance and presenting a huge target, but you're highly vulnerable to a double-leg takedown. What then? Cross-face the shit out of him and hope for the best?
Sorry, bro. You can take all the personal digs at me you like; I'm a big boy and I can handle it. But don't spew bullshit that could actually get someone hurt. Seriously.
.
I'm a former thai/kickboxing champion and current MMA fighter, so hopefully I can add to this discussion.
The sideways stance that Eddie shows works in straight boxing, because only hands are allowed. However, we need a stance for street fighting where anything goes. Unfortunately I'm lacking a video camera, but Bas Rutten has provided a proper instructional:
Side Note: I actually trained under Bas Rutten's protege for several years, and believe it or not I have partied with Bas himself. For the record, Bas is crazy, and no one on the planet can party like him. No one.
Now that I realize this is not a joke, I am concerned. Why am I reading fabricated war stories and watching an old guy give borderline retarded boxing lessons in his kitchen? Why are these 40 something year olds saying "bro" and "hater" lol? Why are they acting like they are giving out worthwhile advice? Is the front page just for entertainment purposes? Is man week just a big troll fest? What am I missing here? I thought you guys were like accomplished industry professionals writing to inform/entertain college students/young professionals with topics related to the finance industry. Have I just misunderstood the purpose of this site or what?
I apologize if my post just comes off as mean, I'm just confused.
you sir are an idiot.
+1
nice kitchen
gay video
You have to be kidding me, get off your unicorn and come back down to reality.
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