TIMING AND YOUR FIGHTING STYLE

Four fighting timing styles to help you understand what may work best for you.

VIDEO: SPEED DEMO AND ADVANCED SPEED DRILL

The first ten seconds of this video shows me doing the first set of Pekiti-Tirsia Seguidas at full speed at a 1988 demonstration. The remainder of the video shows the way we were taught the 1st set back in 1980. This is probably the most unimpressive of the three drills shown in my essay on speed training*; but if you want to know how I got so fast in my Seguidas demonstrations, this is the way.

I had an interesting question come in recently about my advanced speed drill video:

Q: “Not trying to be disrespectful with my question; I have no experience in this art: Couldn’t an uneven tempo be harder to defend against? “Quick-quick-slow-quick?”

I replied: “Excellent question. I think it depends on your fighting style. If you are firing like a sniper, one attack here, another there, then an uneven tempo can work. However, if you are firing like a machine gun, then the total rate of fire should be fast. Rounds per minute counts.
If the average human reaction time is 1/4 second, then having each different move firing at quarter second intervals or less, will make it difficult for the opponent to anticipate your angles of attack and counter effectively.”

To continue the firearms analogy further; you could divide timing of your attacks into four categories:

1.  The Sniper: Separate, accurate attacks from range, using footwork to avoid your opponent's attacks and create openings for your own.

Video: Muhammad Ali's Footwork & Jab - TECHNIQUE BREAKDOWN

2.  The Machine gun: Multiple, quick attacks to overwhelm the opponent through numbers and aggression.
Video: What Makes Mexican Boxers So Great?

3.  The Shotgun. A small number of powerful attacks from close range.

Video: Tyson's Arching Uppercuts & Leaping Hooks Explained - Technique Breakdown

4.  The Assault rifle: Good generalist in a wide variety of situations. An excellent style for a smart, technical fighter. 

Video: Manny Pacquiao's Agressive Combinations & Footwork Explained - Technique Breakdown

 
What are your thoughts on the subject of timing as part of your own fighting style?

For more on this subject, see my essay ”How to find your personal fighting style.”
https://pekiti.com/blogs/news/how-to-find-your-personal-fighting-style

Train Hard, but Train Smart,

Tuhon Bill McGrath

Also see my essay* "Three Drills to Increase your Speed"