How to Blitz

Date: Weds, 17 January 2007

In my experience, two of the biggest mistakes people make when they spar is 1)  they tend to let the other person take the initiative far too often, and 2)  they throw single strikes instead of combinations.

A simple cure for this is learning to blitz.  A blitz is basically running at your opponent with a series of fast punches.  You can do this a number of ways, and you can include kicks.

Here's a simple blitz you can practice:

From a right leg back fighting stance with the weight on the balls of your feet and leaning slightly forward, slide your left foot back a few inches then "fall" forward on it about twelve inches., throwing a left punch as you do.  Immediately step through with your right as you throw a right punch.  Immediately throw a left punch.

The combination is left, right, left for the punches, and left (about a foot) right (step through) for the footwork.

To make this really happen, I suggest you bounce around, in and out, side to side to hide your angle and distancing.  Try not to launch from a set position.  If you want to add a kick, try a left leg roundhouse following the third punch.

Blitzing teaches you to fight in combinations, and to take the initiative.  Don't worry too much about target availability or the perfect opportunity.  The idea is to train yourself to stop simply reacting and to follow through.  It develops a "here goes" attitude, which a lot of students lack.

Tips:  practice in the air and on the bag for dozens and dozens of reps so when you take it to sparring class, it's automatic.  Use control.  You're hitting with a lot of forward movement, so don't flatten anyone you didn't mean to.

If you want to see exactly how this is done, blitzing, bursting, and a ton of other stuff is covered in my DVD "How to Hit Faster Than the Other Guy" at www.kungfufightingtips.com.

Take care and train like you mean it.

Rob LaPointe