Intermediate
Unit 13: Open Book
Hand Fighting
Advanced Open Book Drills
Mastering Hand Fighting
The Chess Match of Hand Fighting
In an open stance (Orthodox vs. Southpaw) matchup, the lead hand battle is everything. At an advanced level, it's a constant chess match of parrying, trapping, and controlling your opponent's lead hand to create openings for your power side. These challenging drills are designed to develop the sensitivity and strategic thinking needed to dominate the hand fight.
Challenging Open Stance Hand Fighting Drills
Drill 1: The Lead Hand Pass
This drill focuses on creating a dominant angle.
1. The Feed: Your partner throws a slow jab.
2. The Pass: Instead of parrying down, use your lead hand to "pass" their jabbing arm across your body, pulling them slightly off balance.
3. The Counter: This pass exposes their entire rear side. Immediately fire a powerful Rear Cross or Rear Kick.
Drill 2: The Trap and Frame
A close-range control drill.
1. The Trap: Use your lead hand to trap or "pin" your opponent's lead hand.
2. The Frame: With their hand trapped, use your rear hand to frame against their lead shoulder, pushing them to create an angle.
3. The Counter: This frame opens up the inside angle for a sharp Lead Hook or Lead Elbow.
Drill 3: The Strip and Rip
A counter to your opponent's grip.
1. The Grip: Your partner establishes a controlling grip on your lead bicep or wrist.
2. The Strip: Use your rear hand to reach over and grip their hand/wrist. Forcefully "strip" their grip off your arm by pulling downwards.
3. The Counter: The stripping motion naturally loads your rear side. Immediately fire a powerful Rear Cross or Rear Kick.
Keys to an Effective Open Stance Game
- Win the Outside Foot Position: The ultimate goal is to get your lead foot on the outside of your opponent's. This creates a dominant angle for both offense and defense.
- Constant Hand Fighting: Never let your lead hand be lazy. It should always be touching, parrying, or controlling your opponent's lead hand.
- Circle Away From Power: Always circle towards their open side (away from their rear hand and leg).
- The Rear Straight is King: In an open stance matchup, the rear straight punch and the rear kick to the body are your most powerful and effective weapons.
Hand Play
Advanced Hand Playing Drills
Winning the Hand Fight
The Art of Hand Playing
Hand playing is the constant, subtle battle for control that occurs at striking range. It's about more than just blocking; it's about using taps, parries, and grips to measure distance, create openings, and disrupt your opponent's rhythm. These advanced drills are designed to build the timing and sensitivity needed to turn a simple hand tap into a devastating offensive sequence.
Challenging Hand Playing Drills
Drill 1: The Parry Counter
1. The Tap: Striker and pad holder tap lead hands three times to set the rhythm and range.
2. The Parry: On the third tap, the striker parries the pad holder's hand down and away.
3. The Counter: Immediately fire a Cross (Head) -> Lead Hook (Head) -> Rear Mid Kick.
Drill 2: The Knee to Kick
1. The Tap & Parry: Tap lead hands three times, parrying on the third.
2. The Knee: Step in with the parry and throw a powerful Rear Knee to the body.
3. The Kick: Bring back the knee and immediately fire a Rear Mid Kick or Head Kick.
Drill 3: The Elbow Entry
1. The Tap & Parry: Tap lead hands three times, parrying on the third.
2. The Elbows: Step in with a Rear Tomahawk Elbow, followed immediately by a Lead Horizontal Elbow.
3. The Finish: After the second elbow, secure a Rear Cross Grab on the neck and finish with a powerful Rear Knee.
Keys to Effective Hand Playing
- Feel the Rhythm: The initial taps are not just for show; they are to get a feel for your opponent's timing and rhythm.
- Explode After the Parry: The parry is the trigger. Your counter-attack must be an immediate, explosive reaction to the opening you've created.
- Commit to the Combination: These are multi-strike attacks. Flow seamlessly from one strike to the next without hesitation.
- Control the Center Line: Hand playing is about controlling the space directly in front of you and your opponent. Dominate this space.
Hand Slipping
Advanced Hand Playing Drills
Winning the Hand Fight
The Art of Hand Playing
Hand playing is the constant, subtle battle for control that occurs at striking range. It's about more than just blocking; it's about using taps, parries, and grips to measure distance, create openings, and disrupt your opponent's rhythm. These advanced drills are designed to build the timing and sensitivity needed to turn a simple hand tap into a devastating offensive sequence.
Challenging Hand Playing Drills
Drill 1: Step Slip to Uppercut-Cross
1. The Tap: Striker and pad holder tap lead hands three times to set the rhythm.
2. The Step Slip: On the third tap, the pad holder throws a jab. The striker performs a **step slip** to the outside.
3. The Counter: As you land, throw a **Lead Uppercut**, making a small pivot with your rear leg to complete the angle, then follow up with a powerful **Rear Cross**.
Drill 2: Step Slip to Side Clinch
1. The Tap: Tap lead hands three times.
2. The Step Slip & Cross: On the third tap, the pad holder throws a jab. As you perform the **step slip** to the outside, throw a simultaneous **Rear Cross**.
3. The Counter: Use the momentum from the cross to flow directly into a **side clinch** and finish with a powerful **Rear Knee** to the body.
Keys to Effective Hand Playing
- Feel the Rhythm: The initial taps are not just for show; they are to get a feel for your opponent's timing and rhythm.
- Explode After the Slip: The step slip is the trigger. Your counter-attack must be an immediate, explosive reaction to the dominant angle you've created.
- Commit to the Combination: These are multi-strike attacks. Flow seamlessly from one strike to the next without hesitation.
- Control the Angle: The step slip is superior to a simple slip because it takes your head off the centerline *and* moves your feet to a better position. Own that angle.