The Art of Feinting

**Trainer Monkey** · 01-20-2009 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Nagel

Any responses are welcome TM. There's a lot to it. One thing that I can think of that reminds me of how feinting works is when you're stopped at red light, and the car next to you rolls backwards a little. You might get the impression that you're moving forward so you might push a little harder on the breaks because of it. Feinting in a lot of ways works off of perceptions and our reactions. I think that's why it's important to have a "feeling out process" to start out with so you get feel for what kind of knee-jerk responses you can get out of your opponent.

If I was fighting me in my prime,I would NEVER bite on the first thing I made you think I was throwing,because 99.9% of the time that was total bs,I just wanted your hands to move so I could hit you easier.
Like I said,I feint because its easier then setting up a four shot combo. So if I dont have to throw it to get my result,I wont,its more work.Im very lazy at any martial style,I want to outhink not outwork.
I have no problem teaching high output fighters,but I know Im not one,and have never been one. Of course that did cost me the difference between a silver medal and a gold one on at least one occaision(martial arts,the guy kept biting on a leg fake so Id throw a hand strike,the freaking judges kept calling it a clash even though I was drilling the guy,even my sensei said after he watched the tape said I got screwed)

**Rocky Balboa** · 01-22-2009 07:58 PM

Great post, I really need to start focusing on practicing feinting

**Zelley** · 01-23-2009 08:34 AM

Good topic! Feinting is one of the important moves in boxing.
The real damage is when you attempt to counter a feint,you are likely being suckered into walking into a heavy counterpunch.

**Trainer Monkey** · 01-23-2009 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Rocky Balboa

Great post, I really need to start focusing on practicing feinting

Really you do,its all kind of little twitches. But when you have no time to react, you bite on the meat your being fed.
Its a little shoulder roll,purposely looking at where you have no intention of throwing to,a quick step when your not trying to engage.
But if you do it well enough you can either get the hands to move or get them to freeze and turtle,your letting them do your work for you.

**southpawed** · 02-05-2009 07:58 AM

do you think feints should only be used when you know you can land the follow up shot? it seems like the only time they are most useful is right in beginnings of the round or when you have your opponent respecting the punch you're going to feint. i always heard and read that you have to work off the feints, or its just kinda wasted i guess. or perhaps the opponent would time it if he caught on.

**Chris Nagel** · 02-05-2009 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by southpawed

do you think feints should only be used when you know you can land the follow up shot? it seems like the only time they are most useful is right in beginnings of the round or when you have your opponent respecting the punch you're going to feint. i always heard and read that you have to work off the feints, or its just kinda wasted i guess. or perhaps the opponent would time it if he caught on.

I think that there may also be more to it than simply feinting to find an opening, it can also have a part in affecting how your opponent fights you. I believe that the most frequently used feints are tied to the jab. If you mix in stiff jabs, or hard jabs you can make your opponent react to the rest of your jabs, including jab-feints. In this case it, you can then feint the jab even if it's not for the sake of a follow up shot, because your opponent is eventually going to react to it since your harder jabs have their attention.

I also think that it's important to get into a 'feeling out' mode to begin with so that you can get a feel for your opponent's reactions. Scrap and Thomas mentioned shadow boxing with a partner, I think that this would would be an excellent way to get into the feeling out process as well as becoming more aware of what's happening. I've tried it a couple of times and found that it was good way of getting a feel of where to move and even working on feints. I'll write something up on it sometime soon.

El Kabong · 02-05-2009 08:30 PM

I guess I use the "shift feint" damn if it don't work everytime! If you set the right hand up it will work like a charm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8x14b9az1M

That's the guy to follow if you like feinting

**Scrap** · 02-05-2009 09:48 PM

I remember Willie Pep, after watching me Spar come up and say, He who fights and runs away Lives to fight 270 times. I remeber thinking at the time, what the F**k is He talking about

**Youngblood** · 02-05-2009 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Lyle

I guess I use the "shift feint" damn if it don't work everytime! If you set the right hand up it will work like a charm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8x14b9az1M

That's the guy to follow if you like feinting

What a character.

That's great Lyle.

**Trainer Monkey** · 02-07-2009 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by southpawed

do you think feints should only be used when you know you can land the follow up shot? it seems like the only time they are most useful is right in beginnings of the round or when you have your opponent respecting the punch you're going to feint. i always heard and read that you have to work off the feints, or its just kinda wasted i guess. or perhaps the opponent would time it if he caught on.

Youve got to have a follow up in mind,its just saving you the time energy and effort of having to throw a throw away punch.
Lets face it,a full combo has this in mind,if I throw to A) his hands move to block so B) is open now,and thats really what I wanted to hit anyway.
A good feint makes sure your punch gets to B) alot faster