13. Range
You should understand and appreciate "range" before you learn punching from the whirl or from the surge.
When you're in a normal punching position, RANGE IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR RIGHT FIST AND YOUR NO. 1 TARGET: YOUR OPPONENT'S CHIN. The right fist determines the range; for if you haven't punching room for the right, you certainly won't have punching room for the more forward left.
There are three general classifications of "range" (Figure 17A, B, C):
1. LONG RANGE. That's the range for explosive sharp-shooting. It's the range at which most leading is done. At that range you're far enough from your opponent so that you can step in with a full-fledged straight punch. It can be either a lead or a counter-punch. You've already learned that the falling step is used for launching your weight in long-range hitting.
2. MEDIUM RANGE. That's the range for rapid-fire, straight-punching exchanges. You are rarely at medium range when not exchanging. At that range you have room to throw straight punches, but you lack the room to step. For those straight punches your weight is given motion principally by the shoulder whirl instead of by the falling step. If you're lucky, you may be able to develop a knockout straight punch from the shoulder whirl, BUT YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO DEVELOP FROM THE SHOULDER WHIRL A STRAIGHT PUNCH THAT'S AS EXPLOSIVE AS THE LONG-RANGE, STEPPING BLOW.
3. SHORT RANGE. That's the head-to-head slugging range. You're at close quarters. You haven't room for straight punching. So you use hooks or uppercuts. Hooks are powered by the shoulder whirl or by a combination of the whirl and upward surge. Uppercuts are powered chiefly by the upward surge. The hook is a legitimate shoulder-whirl blow, and it can be just as explosive as a long-range straight punch. However, hooks usually are more easily evaded than straight punches. Uppercuts also can be extremely explosive, if delivered correctly. And a genuine uppercut is difficult to evade. You, or anyone else, should be able to hit harder with a hook or with an uppercut than with a medium-range, shoulder-whirl straight punch.
When you investigate the short-range blows, you'll learn why the ideal hook and the ideal uppercut would be delivered at such close quarters that stepping would be impossible. However, I'd guess that about one-third of all hooks and uppercuts are delivered with a step, in order to reach a target that can't be nailed by a straight punch. But the step usually is so short that it doesn't enfeeble the blow.
While we're considering ranges and their blows, let me stress one extremely important fundamental: A STRAIGHT LINE IS THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS. Either fist, in its normal punching position, has less distance to travel on a straight line to its target than on the curve of a hook or an uppercut.
Consequently, a straight punch always should be used when (a) it has just as much chance of nailing the target as either of the others, and (b) when it will be just as explosive as either of the others. In other words, don't be taking long steps with hooks or uppercuts when you should be sharpshooting with straight punches.
On the other hand, if you're in so close to an opponent that you're almost in a clinch, it would be silly for you to be rearing back and trying to stab your opponent's face with straight punches-when you could be exploding hooks or uppercuts on his chin, or digging them into his body.
Your understanding of range will enable you to practice landing the correct blow for each distance. And it will help you to "judge distance"-to anticipate exactly where the chin of a moving head will be at a certain split-second. Also, it will help you in your "timing"-landing your punch at the exact split-second when your target reaches its designated spot.
Timing and judgment of distance are extremely important in a fight, where the range is changing constantly and you are using a variety of blows to suit the openings and the distances.
14. Straight Punching from the Whirl
You give whirling motion to your body-weight by whirling the shoulders. One shoulder whips forward while the other whips back. Muscles of the shoulders, back, stomach and legs cooperate in achieving the whirl. Also, the process is assisted by shifting the weight from one leg to the other. You need concern yourself only with the shoulder motions. Nature will supervise the assisting muscles and movements.
You can best understand the straight-punching whirl by feeling it out-without using a target. Stand in the middle of a room with your feet even (on sideways line) and comfortably separated. Place your relaxed hands in easy guarding positions before each breast (Figure 18A).
Turn your shoulders easily to your own left and, at the same time, extend your right fist to the chin of an imaginary opponent. As your right fist moves toward the opponent's chin, turn the fist so that it will land palm-down.
Meanwhile, your left shoulder is well back, and your relaxed left hand is still in front of your left breast. Aim at left hand at the spot occupied by your extended right fist.
Now, SUDDENLY WHIRL YOUR SHOULDERS TO YOUR RIGHT, AND LET THE SHOULDER-WHIRL SHOOT YOUR LEFT FIST STRAIGHT AT THE SPOT JUST OCCUPIED BY YOUR RIGHT FIST.
Be sure you let the whirl shoot your fist instead of letting your projecting left arm pull your left shoulder around. As your left fist shoots at the imaginary target, turn your hand so that the fist lands palm-down. Meanwhile, your right hand returns to its relaxed guarding position before your right breast.
Practice that shoulder whirl on the bag. Shoot one fist, then the other-bang!-bang!-bang!-bang!-until you are striking out with a rhythmic motion of the shoulders. Your shoulders should be swinging back and forth like the handle bars of a bicycle. Do not move the feet. Be sure that you explode each punch, MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOUR SHOULDERS ARE DRIVING THE PUNCHES; THAT THE PUNCHES ARE NOT PULLING THE SHOULDERS.
That position-with the feet on an even line-is ideal for throwing straight punches from the whirl.
Unfortunately, however, that ideal position is not your normal punching position. Consequently, we'll have to return to your normal punching stance and try the whirling straight punches from that position.
In the middle of the room, take your normal stance, with your hands in normal guarding positions. Practice the shoulder whirl easily at first, without the bag. As your shoulders whip from side to side, you'll note that your left leg acts as a pivot, above which your torso and shoulders whirl (Figure 19A and B).
If you toe-in slightly with the left foot, you'll get greater freedom in the whirl from left to right-the whirl that shoots out your left fist. And that particular whirl needs any assistance it can get. When you're in normal position, your guarding left shoulder is so well forward that you can't give it much whirl in shooting the left jab. You can't unless you draw back the left shoulder. And if you do that you may get your brains knocked out.
It's okay to use a slight toe-in with the left foot; but keep it slight. If you toe-in sharply, you may sprain or break your left ankle when you do the falling step. Moreover, the more freedom you give the whirl for your left jab with the toe-in, the less freedom you allow the reverse whirl for your straight right. That's true despite the fact that your left leg is serving as a pivot.
EACH SINGLE STRAIGHT PUNCH OF THE WHIRLING TYPE WHETHER A LEAD OR A COUNTER MUST BE DELIVERED FROM THE NORMAL PUNCHING POSITION.
However, the instant you get into a rapid-fire, straight-punching exchange with an opponent, your good old right foot again will come to the rescue. That right foot will creep up until it's even or nearly even with your left. You'll be blazing away with both fists from the ideal whirling position. You'll be getting just as much whirl for your straight lefts as for your rights. Practice the normal and the ideal on the bag.
WHIRLING STRAIGHT PUNCHES FOR THE BODY ARE DELIVERED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THOSE FOR THE HEAD. The fists land palm-down.
You recall that in straight stepping punches to the head, the fist landed in an upright position, but that in whirling straight punches to the head the fist landed palm-down. Why the change?
The reason for the change is this: the average whirling straight punch is not straight. It's usually looped slightly or considerably. And the fist approaches its head target from at least a slight angle. Because of the angle, greater solidity is achieved by landing with the fist palm-down. Some instructors favor the palm-down landing for straight head blows "because turning the fist while in motion gives a snap to the punch." That's true. For a chap who doesn't know how to explode properly, that turning snap would inject a little dynamite into the blow. However, your explosion is not dependent upon a wrist turn.
What did I mean when I said whirling straight punches are not straight?
I meant that the non-step whirling straight punch is an impure punch, and that the harder you hit with it, the more nature tries to purify it by giving it a loop. I'll explain that.
TBC...  |