A (wannabe) Inside-Fighter's questions

[Benserker]

Thanks, this has already explained a lot.

So generally, inside fighters tend to stay in a wide stance, but the rear leg isn't behind so much, and outside fighters have a more narrow stance, with the rear leg a good step behind? I hope I got that right. It does feel easier to throw hooks when I stand wide.

And when being inside I guard my temples with the gloves held high?

[Andre]

Gee thats a No , a sometimes and a sometimes.

Thing is you cant throw any good shots from having your gloves up higher than your chin and yet if are going to peek a boo your way in you need to protect those areas if your head is inside his guard.You are open to hooks,open to alot actually.

Timing is the key. Watch Tyson his gloves come down before he launches but he launches at the right time.

You cant just expect this to work its not a formula its something that can be made to work to turn a fight into your style of fight.

I wouldnt go for a wide stance you'll get flattened the first time someone hits you dead center and you wont be able move as fast. Have a comfortable in between stance.

[KO_Gee]

Can I add a question to this regarding footwork...should your foot twist as you throw??

[Andre]

Can I add a question to this regarding footwork...should your foot twist as you throw??

A hook ?

A few ways depending on the varying situations at launch, but generally yes.

1 none, just catch them with it. If they are falling forwards just get it in there and what happens, happens naturally with your feet, even bend your legs collapse your stance or pull your back leg around and turn it into a following cross.

2 think like; undo a screw with your front foot on a front hook.

3 turning the rear heel in can even work at times on reach and power in a front stance.

Standing square they throw a hook ,you turn away into their center line and go with the flow but follow their hook with one of your own around the outside of their hook. Its a cheeky trade off. you are getting touched but you bend in the wind ,they cop it alot harder. Your heel can flick out or your toe can turn a screw down/both; or your right foot can pull around behind you so the left screws in under the hook,that gets your head out and your arm in.

[Andre]

There is so so much more to the art of in fighting, I wish others would comment here on their own experiences.

I think if you are serious you are going to have to try and become as ambidextrous as you can too.

You are going to have to know when you can hit with both and he can only reach with one! Thats the key to inside domination. knowing down pat your limits and his limits.

Also spar with someone and maybe tie elastic around both your waists or something and start slow and learn to feel what is about to happen in close.

To stand fixed and spar with a trusted partner nose to nose and play with balance and rolling around arms and seeking holes up their guard as they move to your reaction and action; until you get to feel their intentions and their balance through their arms.

You need to feel it more than think it the closer you are in the fray.

[Andre]

For just an exercise in ,inpositioning; have someone just grab you by the scruf of your shirt front with both hands and hold you close to them so that if they released they could hit you easily with any hand, right on your beak.

Just start with your feet in neutral stance like you would if you were faceing them with your hands on your hips.

Ok now just imagine that you have bolts through your feet so your feet cant move at all back or forwards ,but you can pick them up and turn them on angles around the bolts.

Pick them up one at a time and turn on a 45% angle with your wrists at their forearms and bend you knees as you land and see what happens to them and feel what they could reach you with now and what you can reach them with now.

Then do it so you can adjust your fet outwards as you do it and see the difference.


If you get to practice that weight shift and feel equal going either left or right you will gain an advantage in in fighting feeling.

You will feel an opening arise in their guard and more as they react to you, you can slip their arms reaction and use your turn and landing to launch the uppercut unseen or a high hook instantly if they dont react. Low hook ,high bomb ..whatever.

You will realise that you have moved your center line off of their center line of attack.

You can explore it all further by bending legs pulling one leg back behind you slightly and relaunching up the opening.

Tread on their foot as you attack around under or over that same side arm; see what that does to him.

You can even shove an arm of his across ,before or even after it has been fully spent hitting your face! "Just shove his elbow across his center line" You know dam well he will reactivity go against it the complete opposite way that you have just pushed it! And you slip around it ,move in, or under his arm right at that point and fire straight up the opening and your feet will automatically back you up (as above) to make him pay even harder.

Its a different game, if they are into in fighting too, you need alot of tools.

[Benserker]

Thanks for all the answers!

I've been trying your tricks on the heavybag. I can't use them in the gym because the trainer keeps telling me to use the other hook technique (pivoting the foot where the punch comes from) and we never do inside fighting ...

I'm still not 100% sure how to use my hooks to maximum potential. I try to study all fighters with great hooks, but it's hard. Any tips on that would be really appreciated.