Ride the Wave

What to do when someone comes in with a barrage of attacks?  One way to deal with it is to cover up, evade and parry as best as possible and when the opportunity presents itself, counter attack.

How do you identify that opportunity?  The most obvious way is to look.  If they’ve stopped throwing punches for a moment, that is the opportunity.  Unfortunately, by the time you see it, realize you’ve seen it and then decide to do something about it, it’s too late.  Thus, it would be better if you could be actively pursuing that opening.

How do you actively pursue the opening?  While weathering the storm of attacks, don’t think of what you’re doing as survival or even defense.  Instead, put the following thought in your head “When is it my turn?”  Seek out that turn.  Anticipate it.  Relish it.  Feel for it.  The moment your partner’s pressure lets up on you, seize it!

What does any of this have to do with the kids punching pads?  Well, if they can’t punch properly, they can’t deliver any pressure and if they can’t deliver any pressure then nobody can “feel” that pressure and nobody can seize the moment when that pressure fades because there was never any pressure to begin with.