Need help keeping my hands up

NasDestiny · 05-06-2008, 01:03 AM

I was recently sparring lightly with a friend of mine, having not sparred for months having worked on my jiu-jitsu. To my shock I've noticed that I can't keep my hands up - when they were about to go for mid-kicks I would lower my hands to block/grab, and even worse, would keep it down there even when they were just feinting.

I've had this problem before - originally I was practicing Taekwondo, which had you lower your hands to block. However, I started learning boxing and to keep my hands up, chin down, and above all, don't leave my hands down to try and grab but rather block with my arms. I know that if I were against a muay thai fighter that they would be able to probably level me with a high kick because I would drop my hands to block a kick that wouldn't be there. Does anyone have any recommended ways to help me out and make me break the habit?

andrewbc · 05-06-2008, 01:08 AM

make a habit of tapping yourself on the forehead while sparring. it will be like a mental note to yourself to keep your hands up

NoviVavilon · 05-06-2008, 01:25 AM

slap yourself...neah..seriously..it will come in time... in a year you wont recognize yourself

ssullivan80 · 05-06-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NasDestiny

I was recently sparring lightly with a friend of mine, having not sparred for months having worked on my jiu-jitsu. To my shock I've noticed that I can't keep my hands up - when they were about to go for mid-kicks I would lower my hands to block/grab, and even worse, would keep it down there even when they were just feinting.

I've had this problem before - originally I was practicing Taekwondo, which had you lower your hands to block. However, I started learning boxing and to keep my hands up, chin down, and above all, don't leave my hands down to try and grab but rather block with my arms. I know that if I were against a muay thai fighter that they would be able to probably level me with a high kick because I would drop my hands to block a kick that wouldn't be there. Does anyone have any recommended ways to help me out and make me break the habit?

Get hit real hard sparring! Your hands will learn to go up! Honestly, I used to do the same thing until I started sparring harder with better guys and got rocked a few times.

I had a really good boxing coach who made me take the thumbs on my boxing gloves and tap myself in the temples every time I finished throwing punches and during shadowboxing and footwork drills. It really did help alot learning to keep my hands up.

Curtis Gibbs · 05-06-2008, 10:16 AM

Try holding a piece of paper to you're cheeks or temples with your knuckes, and then practice footwork, head/upper body movement, and such. drill that for say 3 rounds of 2 mins

Vector_X · 05-06-2008, 10:42 AM

getting kicked in the head will certainly make you aware of where your hands are. That was the big tipping point for me.

DrBdan · 05-06-2008, 11:06 AM

When Tito Ortiz was a coach on the Ultimate Fighter he had one of his guys hold a basketball to his forehead to get used to holding his hands up. If I remember correctly it helped but then you'd look pretty funny walking around your gym like that. I thought it was pretty clever though.

I think tapping yourself on the temples is a good idea. I've seen people do that and always wondered why.

TheHammer · 02:38 PM

When you do footwork drills, take a coat hanger, turn it upsidedown and hold it in your elbow pits. When your arms start to go down, you'll drop the coat hanger. Feel free to punish yourself with push ups.

EDIT: Upon thinking about it, this may have more to do with keeping your elbows in, either way it'll likely help.

Flboycanscrap2 · 05-06-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBdan

When Tito Ortiz was a coach on the Ultimate Fighter he had one of his guys hold a basketball to his forehead to get used to holding his hands up. If I remember correctly it helped but then you'd look pretty funny walking around your gym like that. I thought it was pretty clever though.

I think tapping yourself on the temples is a good idea. I've seen people do that and always wondered why.

beat me to it, if all else fails tape them to your head.

ssullivan80 · 05-06-2008, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBdan

When Tito Ortiz was a coach on the Ultimate Fighter he had one of his guys hold a basketball to his forehead to get used to holding his hands up. If I remember correctly it helped but then you'd look pretty funny walking around your gym like that. I thought it was pretty clever though.

I think tapping yourself on the temples is a good idea. I've seen people do that and always wondered why.

That was clever, I think the problem with doing that is your not teaching yourself to keep your elbows down to protect your ribs. You see alot of MMA fighters lift there hands and elbows straight up into earmuff position. Maybe it is usefull in MMA, I don't know. However, if you are sparring with a good boxer/kickboxer, your ribs are going to get hammered for bringing your elbows up that high!

Whoever used the coathanger analogy below: That would be a much more effective way of learning where to keep your hands....... Not to mention, if your keeping the hanger in your armpit and your hands up high it is going to force you to put your chin down to stay covered up!