…Be Patient. Right now, my two big weaknesses are terrible footwork combined with a habit of leaning into my punches.  Derwin happily exploits these as we spar – he stands patiently, just beyond my reach, waiting for me to get frustrated and move closer so I can hit him with a jab/cross combination.   As soon as I do, he responds with a flurry of punches, swing-kicks, or my personal “favourite” the thip – a straight-legged kick right to the chest or stomach.  Derwin says any fighter can punch and kick, but the good ones have the patience to wait for a chance when their blows will do the most damage (remember the Rope-a-Dope?).   You just watch, pay attention and wait…most times, an opponent will grow impatient and create an opportunity for you to do damage.  This particular approach has led to long periods of the two of us just dancing around each other, punctuated by some flailing from me that is quickly and abruptly ended by one of Derwin’s blows.

The Famous Rope A Dope. First you wait until he throw so many punches he tires himself out...

...and then knocking him out is easy.

…Going Big Can Be a Bad Idea. Every once in while, I might get lucky and land a punch, but it seems feeble and ineffective.  Not to worry, says Derwin – any punch that lands can do damage,    “Everyone loves the big hits, but they rarely win a fight”, says Derwin. Most times, those “macho” punches are low percentage shots – they’re easy to anticipate, they require a lot of power and leave the fighter exposed to a counterattack.  If someone gets knocked out, it’s usually with awkward punches that just happen to land in the right spot.  Most good fights are like little wars of attrition – quick, regular shots that, over time, break a man down.  A great example is the Josh Koscheck/Georges St. Pierre fight last December.   Koscheck has a thunderous right hand, and in order to prevent him from using it,  GSP kept landing quick jabs straight in Koschecks eye, effectively neutralized Koscheck’s right. Not sexy, but effective.

actually, that looks less like a jab than a bitch slap

…Be Adaptable. Derwin has fast hands and feet, and I still have a terrible time anticipating what he might throw.  If I dwell on his hands, he senses it and hits me with his feet.  I try to defend against the feet, but he feints and goes upstairs with a jab or hook.  If an opponent senses you’ll do the same thing over and over, they’ll start defending against it – or worse, move out of the way and hit you someplace vulnerable.  Long story short: adapt.  Always keep them guessing by changing it up.

…Relax Already! “When you’re not relaxed, your muscles tense,” says Derwin. “When you tense your muscles, you tire faster, and when you’re tired your technique slips, you let your guard down, and next thing you know some guy is force-feeding you his toes.”  The lesson: a relaxed fighter is an effective fighter.

…Don’t Get Emotional. With each session, there seems to be more and more to remember – so much so I’ve barely noticed that I still lack a Killer Instinct like Angry Geek – that desire to inflict pain.  Derwin insists it’s the last thing you want.  Naked Blood lust is just an emotion, and as sensai says  ”emotions cloud your judgment.”  What wins fights is not a killer instinct so much as the lightning quick analytical skills of a computer..studying a situation dispassionately, assessing what needs to be done, and applying it.  Sometimes you get it right, and that brings rewards, and sometimes you get it wrong, and that comes with consequences (just like real life).  By taking the emotion out of it,  fighting becomes less like a barbaric bloodsport and more like a sweaty, stand-up version of chess. With that kind of attitude, you can punch almost anybody in the face and not feel bad about it.  You can even get kicked in the head and not feel hurt or angry.

That is perhaps the greatest lesson so far…don’t take things personally.   Derwin says the smartest thing to do in Muay Thai is when you get punched, you immediately respond with a punch.   That way, the person doesn’t get too cocky, or thinks he has something on you (unless, of course, you want him to feel that way so that his cockiness leads him to make a mistake – a terrible strategy unless you’re Randy Couture).  It also helps when it comes to shaking off the blow…dwelling on it leads to more judgment-clouding self-recrimination.   It can also lead to anger, which also inspires bad choices.  Ali would exploit his opponent’s anger all the time – a brilliant strategy, and the smart fighter knows how to both exploit an opponent’s emotions (i.e. my impatience) while not to giving into them.  When I screw up and get mad at myself, Derwin says “Don’t beat yourself up. That’s my job.”

Let’s be clear – I’m YEARS away from mastering the basic mechanics of Muay Thai, but so far I’ve learned that you need to be relaxed, patient, and adaptable without going too big or letting your emotions get the better of you.  Oh, and move your feet.  Great advice for both Muay Thai fighters and Better Men.

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