Another Quiz - General MA Knowledge - Muay Thai and Kickboxing

Question

1) What is "pummeling" with regards to martial arts? When and why do you do it?

2) The Plum - Where do your hands go, and what do you use this for?

3) What's this "changing levels" all about? How do I do it?

4) When closing the gap on an opponent, what is linear entry vs. angle entry? What are the virtues or weaknesses? Do you have a preference?

5) Which stance do you prefer when sparring? (right hand lead, left hand lead, Muay Thai, etc.) Why?

Answer 1

1) Not sure

2) I do know this is the so called Muay Thai clinch. Not sure exactly where the hands go.

3) Basic concept really in any martial art, being that you never want to throw any two techniques back to back at the same heigth. We have this same concept in Okinawin karate, and if you watch a kata, each technique that follows the last is at a different height. One reaso is to make blocking mor edifficult, but another is it helps use the opponents own reaction against them. For instance: Low punch into the hip followed by a high palm heel. the punch into the hip socket will cause him to bend forward, right into the follow up palm heel.

4) Not sure in what context you are using it, but in self defense we are taught to move in at the 45, hopefully to the outside of whatever he is throwing. Obviously this will not work if his technique is rounded as oppose to linear. By moving to the outside 45, it places you in one of his weak spots, an also means he has to actually turn to throw anything else with power.

5) I tend to favor left side forward.

I don't do Muay Thai or kickboxing, I do Isshin-Ryu karate.

Edit- Pretty bad when this has been up for 20 hours, and with all the Muay thai people on eher, there are only 4 answers and one is a mistaken BJJ person who was eager and  another is a  traditonal artist who doesn't take Muay Thai. HMMMMMMM makes you wonder huh?

Answer 2

1. Fighting to get inside on an overhook/underhook situation, also useful for MT, as you can pummell underneath and get your own clinch. Basically swimming your arms inside or underneath an opponents to get a dominant grip.

2. Plum Clinch, hands on the back of the neck/base of the skull, used for controlling a persons body, keeping tight position, and loading them up to deliver knees, you can also do throws and sweeps from this position in MT competetion.

3. Changing levels applies to MMA and MT, or any striking art. It means head movement, keeping your opponent off balance by constantly shifting your center of balance up and down, you feint takedowns by level changes, you keep your head from getting knocked in by the head movement and constant level changes. You are changing your level/elevation from the ground, usually by lowering your hips, and using your legs to drop, or do your movement.

4. A linear entry is a straight shot, directly forward in a straight line. An angle entry is coming in off an angle, normally outside of the straight shot of their weak hand. Both can be quick, The positivies to a linear lets you get directly under the center of gravity, they are great for charging opponents, or coming underneath an opponents strike. but the negatives gives a person a chance to resist by placing weigh backwards and sprawling. It also allows a person to get a chance to land a strike at you, as it is head on. An angled entry allows you to enter off angle, making it awkward and impossible for your opponent to land any solid shot on you, it also makes defending it much harder, as they have no real anchor point, and in order to sprawl they have to step out at an angle to counter it. The negatives is that it is hard to do in a quick scenario, as you have to step off at an angle shifting your weight one way, then having to drive another if a person is charging you. Also an angled approach can be bad if are circuling towards a strong hand (it can get you knocked out before you shoot), and it requires time to set up.

To me it depends on the situation, I rarely shoot as I prefer to use upper body clinches and takedowns. When I do close the gap I normally set it up with strikes off an angle, however I will drop low on an opponent rushing me, or will meet them in a linear fashion to throw them.

5. When sparring I use a left foot lead, normal right hand boxing stance, modified more towards MMA. (It is wider and lower than a conventional boxing stance), when I clinch I immediately switch stances to a strong right hand wrestling/Judo stance, so I shift stances and my feet a lot of time during sparring, but I prefer to to spar with a modified boxing/kickboxing stance. I like Muay Thai stances, but they are too wide for me, and not great if you are using 4oz gloves, and not down for taking a ton of body shots, or defending straight punches.

Great quiz! Look forward to your feedback, hope there is a lot of participation!

Answer 3

i was about to answer when i read that this pertained to muay thai...Consequently, all these terms except "the plum" apply in BJJ. sorry i cant help.

Answer 4

1. Pummeling refers to fighting for over/underhooks, in drills takes the form of "swimming" motion. As soon as you feel a losing hook, immediately "swim" over or under to regain the position.

2.The Plum is a clinch, hands are cupped on the back of the opponent's head. Singe plum 1 hand, double plum 2 hands, used to control. (i dont do muay thai).

3. If i were to disect a person's body into 3 section: head level, body level, legs level. Changing levels refers to routinely attacking different sections of the body - I generally use this for takedowns and closing in.

4. linear vs. angle entry is pretty self explanatory. Going linear opens you up to strikes because its easier to telegraph your intentions. I don't have a preference, I let the opponent's actions determine the best outcome. Generally, I use a mixture of feints, changing levels, and angles to close.

5. Judo training has gotten me comfortable with fighting from both stances. Generally, left hand, left leg leads until something dictates the need to change such as opponents angle/stance and whether or not I can do a takedown.