Origin
A distance-management approach from the maai (spacing) tradition - the fight is decided at the moment they cross your threshold, not at the finish.
Purpose
Keep striking distance against a shooter without giving up your posture.
The Walk-through
01
A grappler wins by closing distance. Make the distance expensive. Keep a long lead hand, fingers open and elbow soft, in the space they must pass through to reach you.
02
When they level-change, your hips travel backward while your frame stays forward. Their shoulders meet your palm before their hands meet your hips.
03
Angle off at 45°, never retreat straight. As they reset, meet their entry with a lead-hand strike or a knee. The fight is decided in the two feet before the clinch, not inside it.
Key Points
- 1Frame long, hips back
- 2Angle off, don't retreat straight
- 3Attack the entry, not the finish
Common Mistakes
- Punching down at a level-change - you fall onto their back
- Backing straight up in a panic
- Reaching for their head instead of framing on their shoulders
- Waiting to react instead of pre-loading the angle
When to Use
A wrestler or judoka closing distanceAny opponent lowering their level to shootConfined spaces where you cannot afford to be tied up
My Notes