We all know about the capabilities of Tang Soo Do when we have room to move and fight, keeping a good distance and using it to our advantage we are a awesome fighting style. Now put the same awesome distance fighter in a confined space with obsticles that prevent mobility and room to make use of long range kicking and blocking. What do we do? we must close the distance, take control of the opponant and finish quickly, how ? we all have learned to close the gap to get inside the range of a fighters punch , if we get in tight we can use reverse punch/elbows/ knees, to "soften" our attacker then apply joint locks or sweeps to bring our opponant to the ground,ow you have the option to escape the situation or finish off the attacker . The joint locks in our Hosinsool will effectively drop the attacker as long as we have trained correctly, by correctly I mean in class the uki or training partner my not simply tap for no reason they must only tap when the lock has been effective, too many students simply go thru the motions of the locks without really trying, simply just getting them overwith, I want my partners to only react if the lock works, give pain make them tap, explore the circle movements that make the lock more effective, watch the distance between you and your partner, dropping your center, take them down in practice asthey go down, follow them by dropping your center, never over extend your upper dody to follow leaving the head out and over balanced etc. these are good training guides to aid the close in fighting.
What are yor thoughts, do I make sense or am I off here.

Tang Soo!
b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Yes, how is going from distance to inside happening?

pieter

Peter,

Good question, there is not a all encompassing answer that will fit every situation, I use different way for different scenarios, basically you will just have to use your judgement , when an opening is there take it like catching him in midstep, a round house punch leaves plenty of oppertunities or a even glance at his friends, if you are bum rushed you may want to attack the attack, or pivot and turn, do a fireman toss, it is endless. maybe someone else has a better explanation than mine.

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Good answer, Bernard, I like stepping into the attack usually this throws your attacker off, he thinks you will retreat.... from there make do with what is presented.
In practicing use your own natural movements, then in a real situation this will be movement without thought

MikeB

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Mikeb,

Exactly , how many times do you see people stop in mid technique during a drill and say "OH, I messed up let me start again" Ahhhhh, I have always be taught to flow thru it and not stop,so you didn't do exactly what the tech was, finish the attack , if you keep doing it in class it will become an ingrained gross motor skill, and just when you don't need it UH uh, I will just run thru a sequence if I'm wrong on the moves, I 'll tell my partner "hmm well that wasn't it though, let me try the right way now" but I'm completing an attack, and it is better to have a sponanious combo that works for your body, because you reacted naturally , and thats what you are really training in drills for!!

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

In sparring I use to be the bad guy had to get the first blast off I get a warning,,,my opponant gets the picture, this usually told my opponant i came to win...in getting in close i would wait until i seen his leg come up for a kick and then charge straight in...I now had the advantage I was solid on both feet...he was ballancing on one leg as I went straight in with combonations. usually taking him off his feet.
MD

Martial Art Style www.michigantsd.com

I still do it that way Master D, mwahahahaha

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

In closing the Gap there is no simple answer I have found, for what works in one situation may not work in another.

There are 4 ways I usually use to close the Gap.

1) Quickness and Speed - No hesitation, wait for that sign, that tell that will say..."my weight is on the front foot I cant lift it up...or I am relaxed and not ready" When that tell comes explode without thinking and keep him off balance.

2) Wait and let him come to you - Set him up retreat as if you are running...run run run...trick him into over extending...make him kick or punch where he expects you to be...then don't move(save for possible laterally if the situation permits or dictates)...meet him as he attacks...his blows will be less effective if they land as they will be met early before they have built up power..often they will trip over their own legs and stumble as they try to backpedal and slow their advance to make up for the fact you are not where they expected.

3) My favorite and the favorite it appears of everyone on the board, wait until they begin to attack and attack right then...the second the foot lifts...the second they move...attack and beat them there. No hesitation, just cease the moment...

4) Illusion, trickery, deception - Stutter Steps get you a whole step closer to the person without appearing to have moved, fakes many will relax right after a fake...one fake and go...what we used to call Fade Kicking and Punching...start the kick or punch out slow..then change speed to fast and close the distance...he will react to the slow and be surprised by the sudden speed... or start the kick out fast and slow down...he will react quickly often allowing the slower blow to strike him...this plays with timing and allows you to close the distance after the strike....put all your weight on your front leg a moment before you attack while in a defensive stance such as a back stance....if you do it right and conceal it he will think you are still defensive...causing him to think he is safer than he is (Note....don't get caught...if you get caught doing this see method 3...a smart fighter will simply attack and eat your lunch knowing your front leg is pinned and immobile you are preparing for a burst to close the distance...and no longer able to counter as effectively...advantage him should he catch you--ie practice in a mirror learning to conceal such a weight shift...their can be no outward sign or it will not work and moreover will get you killed) Look like you are going to flee and stand, look like you are going to stand and flee only to attack the second his attack loses momentum...do the creep...slowly invade his circle enough to make him uncomfortable...if he retreats by putting his weight on one leg only attack the second that leg is pinned.

There are more ways of course, but these are the categories in my mind I break them down into. The circumstances dictate which will be used...for example a guy who is at his best when he attacks...even if you are at your best when defending...it would be better not to use number 2, but to use perhaps the first or 3rd method...a guy who is at his best defending and does not attack often or in some cases hardly at all....you may be best at 1 and 3 but really selecting 2 and forcing him to attack or 4 using some sort of illusion or trickery is best... and so on and so forth.

Once we get to a certain level, closing the distance or fighting is no longer how to execute a technique or how to move our feet...what becomes more important is reading the opponent, the situation and having the knowledge and wisdom to use the tool or method that fits that particular situation and recognize that one tool does not always fit every situation...we need to maximize our chances of closing the distance and to do that we need to develop the ability to choose the right method and that means learning to read people in class and practicing doing just that..closing distance and when closed insuring that we are in the strong position and they are in the weak position.

Jamie

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

"cease the moment" err seize the moment :)

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do