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SUREFIRE SCORING TECHNIQUES
By Bill Wallace
Web Site
In my February 2004 column, I explained
why it’s important to find a few techniques that work really
well for you, which you can then polish
and use in the ring. In this month’s installment, I will identify
the three moves that I personally consider
surefire ways to score.
The
backfist is my No. 1 technique in point
sparring because it’s
very safe to execute. It’s also very difficult for
an opponent to block because it’s so fast. The backfist can
be thrown from the same stance as the front-leg
roundhouse and used both offensively and
defensively. In the ring, anyplace the
strike lands will score you a point. I
don’t recommend
that you use a backfist - or a jab, for
that matter - if you’re
close to your opponent. The technique will
not be strong, and if the other guy moves
in close while you’re
trying to strike, he can come from underneath
and clock you with a real strong counter
of his own.
Next up
is the front-leg roundhouse kick, a fine
offensive technique and probably the easiest
kick to execute. It’s
also very deceptive. The best time to do
it is when you’re moving
into your opponent. Since your leg doesn’t have very far to
travel to hit a target and it’s thrown from the side, you can
fake it low or high. As you bounce up and
down, you’re not covering
any distance, and he’ll be busy trying to figure out what you’re
doing. He won’t see you coming at him or know whatyour plan
is until you blast him with the kick. You
can also throw the technique several times
in a row without losing your balance because
the only thing you’ll
have moved is your leg. And when the kick
lands, there’s a definite,
audible thump. Even judges who may not
have seen you throw it will hear the noise
and think, That sounds like a point to
me. You shouldn’t
use the front-leg roundhouse if your opponent
is standing sideways. As you throw it to
his body or his head, he can get you with
a hook kick because you’re
wide open to the side as soon as you extend
your leg.
My final scoring technique is
the front ridgehand, a great countermovement
that’s primarily
thrown to the chest, ribs and head. It’s executed with the inside
edge of your hand where your thumb is,
not the meaty part near the heel of the palm.
Unlike the backfist, the front ridgehand
can be used when you’re standing close to your partner. You
don’t want
to throw it from too far away because if
you have to reach out for the target, the
other guy can counter your strike.
These
three techniques can also be used effectively
in combinations. A good sequence might
include the backfist and front-leg roundhouse. For example, if your
opponent assumes a fighting stance, holding his hands in front of
his chest, you can throw several roundhouse kicks to his stomach.
As he lowers his hands to protect his midsection, you can unleash
a backfist to his unprotected head. The effectiveness of any technique
depends on your distance from the target.
When you set up one of
these moves perfectly, your opponent
won’t be able to block
or defend against it. Sparring isn’t
just about throwing a technique; it’s also about defending against
your opponent’s counter. For instance, if I know when I throwsomething
what the other person has to do to hit
me back, I feel confident because I know how to defend against that.
Remember that if you can throw even one technique well offensively
and defensively, it’s almost
guaranteed that you will score.
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