Getting used to face punches

[Karate_is_cool]

hey guys, i just started out muay thai pretty recently. i have a problem with face punches. im usally ok. but as soon as it looks like a big punch is comin my way, i get spooked and well..... lol close my eyes, drop my guard, and lean back for dear life.

i was wondering how long it took you vets to get used to the punches. was it hard overcoming the punching fear? did u get any good training tips on how to overcome it? or was it just hard training and perseverence?

any ideas or oppinions would be greatly appreciated

[jread]

While I have not done Muay Thai, I have done lots and lots of boxing. In boxing, you get hit in the face.... A LOT!

I guess the only advice I can give you is to focus on keeping your eyes open and to realize that being hit in the face doesn't hurt that bad. I promise that getting kicked in the thigh or in the ribs by someone's shin hurts a LOT worse.

The face/head are much tougher than you would think. Humans instinctively hit in the face when fighting... even if we had never had any fight training or had see boxing/martial arts on t.v. We're built for it.

Remember, it's only sore for a little while. It DOES go away eventually. Also, the more you get hit, the tougher your skin will get. Before long, it won't bother you at all.

[gregimotis]

Here's a drill we've done to help get over it:



(gloves, mouthguard etc)

Have the hittee cover up tight (gloves on face, chin down elbows in - like a boxer). Have hitter stand close and begin throwning short punches to the face mainly, but also to the body as availabe.

The hitter is not throwing hard in this drill, but rather hitting constantly and at many angles (hook, overhand, body hook, uppercut, etc). The speed and power depends on how well the hittee covers and responds. The hittee should be getting enough static to be stressed but should not be getting hurt, if you see what I mean. He should not be hitting back or moving his feet.



Benefits of drill:
Hittee gets used to having leather in his face. He also gets to practice 'in-close' blocking and covering while under pressure.
Hitter gets to develop his awareness of openings at this range and should be working on good body mechanics.

[osopardo]

...The face/head are much tougher than you would think. ...the more you get hit, the tougher your skin will get. Before long, it won't bother you at all.

'Cause you'll be punch drunk and nerve-dead.

Hey, I've got an idea! Get your sparring partner to hit you in the face repeatedly until it doesn't bother you. Start out soft and progressively let him hit harder and harder. Eventually, you won't feel anything - 'till they revive you.

Or if you don't have a sparring partner handy, just slam your head into the heavy bag or the speed bag or even the wall. Everybody at the gym will be like totally impressed!

[osopardo]

OK, seriously, gregi's post does make sense. The idea is to gradually become accustomed to an experience which we reflexively avoid. Just go light around the head, man. I mean, some of us have this fragile, iireplaceable chunk of meat in there called a brain which we'll need tomorrow...

[gregimotis]

Yes, maybe I should emphasize:


This drill is not done with hard strikes, 10%-30% power. The speed is also slow at first. the idea is not to knock the guy around, but just to get him used to having stuff coming at him.

[jread]

'Cause you'll be punch drunk and nerve-dead.

Hey, I've got an idea! Get your sparring partner to hit you in the face repeatedly until it doesn't bother you. Start out soft and progressively let him hit harder and harder. Eventually, you won't feel anything - 'till they revive you.

Or if you don't have a sparring partner handy, just slam your head into the heavy bag or the speed bag or even the wall. Everybody at the gym will be like totally impressed!

Hey, if you can't take shots to the head then so be it. Don't try to dismiss my advice because of it, though.

[kengar]

The hitter is not throwing hard in this drill, but rather hitting constantly and at many angles (hook, overhand, body hook, uppercut, etc). The speed and power depends on how well the hittee covers and responds.

I like the drill, you have to work at getting used to being hit. Being hit sucks, but if you're training to fight or to effectively defend yourself then you need to have some understanding of what being hit is all about. Remember, you don't have to try and kill each other. It can be a light workout.

[osopardo]

Hey, if you can't take shots to the head then so be it. Don't try to dismiss my advice because of it, though.

Please refer to posts #5 and #6 of this thread, Punchy.

[bettybizkit]

this is awesome advice. i was doing the same thing osopardo called getting spooked for a while whenever i was sparring a big person. i was also squinting whenever i would throw a cross thinking i'm going to get wapped upside the head. my instructor had me do the same drill gregi mentioned in this thread and it helped me a lot!! bobbing & weaving drills helps a lot too.

[Tant01]

What about footwork and evasion? The hand is indeed quicker than the eye if you're too close, your eye will be tricked by the quickness of the hand but proper distance gives you time to evade. The movement of the foot back is quicker than the hand or the foot moving in. To have time to block or parry (catch, trap, etc...) your judgment of distance and timing must be trained first.

[darrianation]

Damn we used to have a drill for this and I cannot remember what it is off the top of my head, sorry.

But I find getting hit in the face is the best way to over come the fear of being hit in the face. However I don’t let the experienced guys hit the newbies in the face very hard, because then a complex is built up that reinforces the flinch response. The best thing to do is if your partner is hitting to hard ask him to take some off his punching and as you gain more experience and begin to get used to being hit than allow the intensity to increase.

[darrianation]

This isn't the drill I was thinking of but this may help.

1) Using a slip bag or a ball suspended from a string. Push the ball/bag so it swings away from you and allow it to swing back and hit you forehead or bridge of nose, Concentrate on not moving or closing your eyes. It helps to have something to look at and focus on.

2) Have a partner punch at your face, but do not make contact. Concentrate on his chin and do not blink.


3) Now, have him do the same thing only making light contact.

4) Another one is have a friend/partner dip his hands in cold water and flick the water into your eyes you must concentrate to keep your eyes open. he should be standing directly in front of you so you can see his hands flick and feel the sensation of the cold water in your eyes.

[Thai Bri]

You can toughen up your face quite easily. Start off light by, for example, lighlty tapping yourself in the face with long blades of grass, working up to straw. As time goes on, gradally increase the size and strength of the implement you use.

After a couple of years you could be onto the baseball bat. By then you're face should be hard enough but, for further training, get a partner to swing the bat for you, it really helps.

Also he can help you find your teeth after the drill or, at least, some of the biggest bits.

[terr0x]

'Cause you'll be punch drunk and nerve-dead.

Hey, I've got an idea! Get your sparring partner to hit you in the face repeatedly until it doesn't bother you. Start out soft and progressively let him hit harder and harder. Eventually, you won't feel anything - 'till they revive you.

Or if you don't have a sparring partner handy, just slam your head into the heavy bag or the speed bag or even the wall. Everybody at the gym will be like totally impressed!

I wanted to say that