[kranker66]

-How would you defend against jabs, hooks and crosses?
I don't know if any of them is more or less tricky to defend against than the next, but I've been thinking about it, and have yet to come to any conclusions.

all comments welcome.

[Gong||Jau]

Are you looking for an answer purely from a Muay Thai perspective, or in general?

In Muay Thai what I've been shown is that you "catch" jabs with the hand on the side that it is coming towards you on (i.e. he throws a left jab, you catch with your right hand). For crosses, we parry, just sort of using the palm to push the hand/arm away as it comes towards you. It's important on both of these that you use the correct arm, else you'll eat a hook to the side of the head. To defend against a hook you lift your hand as though you're putting a phone to your ear, keeping your elbow completely bent and bringing your arm back until it covers the side of your head. Sort of the motion you would use if you were brushing hair back off the side of your face.

Naturally, these are all "ideal" responses, in other words what you do during drills. In a fight, you do whatever stops you from getting hit.

[Ninja Kl0wn]

Jab:
Basic parry
Catch
Slip
Elbow the fist
Knock down - Counter cross
Forearm parry (lead switch) - left cross

Cross:
Basic parry
Catch
Slip
Elbow the fist
Shoulder roll - Lead leg kick
Pull arm across - knee
Pull arm - round kick body
Forearm parry - counter cross

Hook:
Basic cover up
Bob n weave (if your opponent isn't knee crazy)
Clinch
Cover w/ simultaneous counter (10381038057104812304812 options here)

[kranker66]

Gong Sao

-Thanks again. I'm training MT myself, so that's why I possed my question here.
In class we have done most of the stuff your describing, but I guess I was getting a memory lapse.

-...if you don't 'catch' the jab, then what?...I'd sidestep to the outside, and strike to the exposed body.

[confusingDot]

stop hitting, and staying out of range, slipping, bob and weave, yeah that junk.

[binhdinhboy]

personally, for jabs i catch them or slip. crosses i parry or slip. crosses i cover up or bob and weave.

[asag2]

Othet then catching the jab you could also side step it and keep them at a distance with kicks to the legs or midsection. This will likely cause someone to go n the defensive then you will be able to drop them with a hit (elbow or roundhouse).

[supersayin]

You have to do a dragon punch! NA why dont you pick up a copy of tao of jeet kun do there is many counters to jab hooks and crosses in the back of the book.Or you could always pick up boxing.

[EvilScott]

You hit forward,forward, and A+B at the same time for a fireball. Then finish him by hitting A,B,X,Up,Down,Y,Y,START

[Gong||Jau]

Fireballs are quarter circle forward, punch, Scott - what are you thinking??

Anyway, in my opinion there's nothing in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do that you can't get at a qualified martial arts school. I train in what appeals to me, then I train in arts that fill in the gaps in the ones I'm already training in, but I don't consider myself a JKD guy.