Can someone help me with learning how to counter attack better in fighting with martial arts?

Question

Im currently studying this book learning martial arts. Learning weak points, moves, what to hit and with what, what points to go for first etc. Learning how to do this because i have been bullied all my life and learning this will help my confidence as well as my self esteem, and allow me to feel more safe but smart enough to stay aware. Anyways what im reading now does not teach me when to use the moves, or how to get better at countering.. I'd like to know how to expect the oponents movement sooner and easier, if you have any help please let me know!!

Answer 1

Simply reading a book will not help with martial arts, you need practice and hands on experience, the best thing to do is go to a martial arts school and take classes and then you will also gain some experience through practice and sparing.

Answer 2

It sounds like you are reaching the point where you need at the very least a sparring partner. Of course there is no substitute for a good school,. You have to already know that and must have some very good reasons for not being able to participate in a formal class at this time.

If this is a case consider getting a friend or a cousin to do some very light sparring with you. Two people working together can accomplish twice as much and you will learn at the very least what it is like to get popped in the lip or nose.

Also, different styles teach different areas to focus your attention on. After studying the martial arts for nearly 40 years now my own opinion is to focus on the hips up to the solar plexus and trust your peripheral vision to see the rest. The most important spot to focus on is probably the center of the body to anticipate the next move. The more you train with the same people you will easily pick up on what they do prior to a strike or a shoot.

If you look at the eyes a trained martial artist will notice this and will use it against you. As you advance further along you will learn ways to conceal your movements and a match is often a chess game of sending false signals to confuse your opponent.

Regardless it sounds like you are ready to start training with another human being.

Answer 3

The best martial arts to take is the one you will stick with. The best exercise is the one you will do. The best diet is the one you will follow. Sure, if you get down to straight stats, one might rise about the others in different situations, but if you just don't like that style and won't stick with it - it doesn't do you any good. I took tae kwon do for a long time because a) I had fun b) it was great exercise c) it was located close by I've taken a LOT of other styles for a short time here and there but I never stayed with it due to a combination of the instructor, the time of the class, the cost and the location. So for me, Tae Kwon Do was the best. So shop around, find the one you like the best that gives you the best chance to stay with it. That's the best one for you. Realistically, the odds of you NEEDING it are low and in those cases, your opponent is usually not trained, so if you are well trained in ANY style, you have the edge. As as my instructor used to say, In a fight situation, turn and run. After 3 miles, if he is still chasing you, stop. You should be in better physical shape and can then easily defeat your tired, sore opponent. :-D

Answer 4

wait a minute....you're learning from a book?! That's your first problem, books don't offer much in learning a martial art.

As for learning to counter attack better, go to a dojo and spar a few times. The more the better.

I take three martial arts and 2 of them involve good sparring.

Answer 5

There are several ways to tell that. First is his balance-is it on his heels or on his toes. If its on his heels he cant punch very hard and he will have to shift it forward to attack with his hands or kick with his rear leg-he will only be able to kick with the leg in front. Any forward attack will take more time for him. If his balance is forward-on his toes-he is mobile, can rush forward using his hands and striking with much more power and speed and he can kick with the back leg; but if you are vigilant you should be able to see it coming. If his weight is in the middle and he is standing flat foot he has a strong base but can not react to changes in distance; he will be harder to wrestle and grapple with but easier to hit and kick, especially if you move on your toes in and out of his effective range.
Sometimes opponents give away their intentions by "looking" first. An example of this is a person looking directly down towards your groin or stomach just before throwing a low kick. A good fighter will not "look" so that it is obvious for you to see.
Another give-away is his facial expression. A good fighter's facial expression pretty much stays the same lest he give away that he is about to press the attack. His breathing also sometimes but that is much harder to decypher.
Street sitautions only last an average of 10-20 seconds and then its usually over so you have little time to size up your opponent and the situation and decypher his actions and there are no referees yelling "break".
Thats where training with skilled, knowlegable fighters, trainers, and instructors comes in. Some people have the ablity to learn a technique from a book or video-learning how and when to apply it comes with practice and training and more practice.
Along with this is your mental attitude which you also develop through drilling and fighting with others. While hesitation or indecession will cost you a trophy in competition, or maybe get a rib broke or get you knocked out it can be even worse in a street situation these days. Good fighters are both mentally tough as well as physically tough. You have taken the first step in trying to learn-now complete the circle and seek out a good school/instructor and get started on the rest.

Answer 6

my best advice for you , because it sounds like u really want to learn, is to enroll in a martial arts class. self defense is a great way to strengthen yourself physically and mentally. the only real way to feel confident about what you learn is to practice, and that means as close to the real thing as possible, you will get more out of one class than reading a "how to" book.

i have been taking brazilian ju-jitsu, and basic karate, for about 2 years now, and i can say i now react faster to defend from atackers than i ever thought i could, and i am able to render an atacker almost harmless with basic moves learned in the first month, but it takes more than a month to make it second nature..the stuff i learned in these classes were more beneficial than any book could teach,

if u are interested in grapple and ground techniques, try jui-jitsu.

you sound very enthusiastic about learning so you shouldnt be steered away by how difficult and repetitive it can be to master a technique. instead of thinking you can, you will know you can...and with knowing, you will have more confidence than you ever though possible.... best of luck i hope this helped

Answer 7

I am not certain you can become skilled at martial arts by reading a book. But as far as anticipating a move is concerned, watch the eyes.

Answer 8

Gotta disagree with Hutmiktt: Do not watch the eyes! you'll miss the strike comin and when you try and react, get knocked. Watch the hollow of the throat (right where the collar bones connect). From there you can "see" the shoulders move as they start to launch a punch. As soon as you see that, jam 'em or strike to the face/head and don't stop til he drops. Just don't over do it, no permanent damage.

Answer 9

Actually, watch the shoulder. About 95% of all untrained people will wind up their punches. You can see the windup if their shoulder moves. Then, duck down, spear the guy, throw him to the floor, get on top, and start hitting him. That is probably the safest way to avoid getting hit and to win the fight.

Answer 10

One thing you can do is FEINT to draw an attack or block that you know you can counter. If you let them attack first they may be much faster than you, or they may feint a blow to draw you out. Throw a blow that you DO NOT expect to land but will if it is not blocked, FORCE them to protect themselves then attack when they commit to your first strike.