Difference between revisions of "Maai"

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Tall people have a natural “reach advantage” in karate, because they have longer arms and legs, which encloses a larger circle than a shorter person. Because of this difference in “wingspan,” there exists a small region where pockets do not overlap, and a tall person can safely attack shorter people, while being out of range of their techniques. This best demonstrated by the video to the right. Shorter or stockier people can still become excellent karateka, but they must become extremely good at closing the distance.  
 
Tall people have a natural “reach advantage” in karate, because they have longer arms and legs, which encloses a larger circle than a shorter person. Because of this difference in “wingspan,” there exists a small region where pockets do not overlap, and a tall person can safely attack shorter people, while being out of range of their techniques. This best demonstrated by the video to the right. Shorter or stockier people can still become excellent karateka, but they must become extremely good at closing the distance.  
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[[Spaceballs-the-Karate-Instruction-Video.gif|right|Lone Starr holds a reach advantage over Dark Helmet, who is shorter. Because  Dark Helmet did not close the distance to compensate for their height mismatch, Dark Helmet is inside Lone Starr's pocket, while still being out of range to strike Lone Star with his large Schwartz.
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*[[Front-foot punch]]
 
*[[Front-foot punch]]

Revision as of 07:02, 3 June 2019

Placeholder


out of range

kicking

striking

The pocket.

Having an opponent “in the pocket” (i.e., 1-2 arm’s lengths away) places them in-range of most kicks, and one step (i.e., a 7-3) away from punching/striking range. Most of the action takes place inside the pocket.

Tall people have a natural “reach advantage” in karate, because they have longer arms and legs, which encloses a larger circle than a shorter person. Because of this difference in “wingspan,” there exists a small region where pockets do not overlap, and a tall person can safely attack shorter people, while being out of range of their techniques. This best demonstrated by the video to the right. Shorter or stockier people can still become excellent karateka, but they must become extremely good at closing the distance.

right|Lone Starr holds a reach advantage over Dark Helmet, who is shorter. Because Dark Helmet did not close the distance to compensate for their height mismatch, Dark Helmet is inside Lone Starr's pocket, while still being out of range to strike Lone Star with his large Schwartz.

The Clinch

"The clinch” refers distances less than your arm’s reach away, where you can grab your opponent without reaching. Most punches and kicks are jammed up and are rendered ineffective or impossible in the clinch, so specialized strikes must be used instead. Takedowns, wrestling, and grappling moves are only possible from the cinch. There is no room to think inside the clinch; you must act immediately, because your opponent will.

Karateka with stocky body types are more successful once they close the distance and enter the clinch, because taller fighters are more prone to takedowns, and they lose their reach advantage in this region. Most of a taller fighter’s techniques will be jammed, so they must evade or retreat to reclaim the maai.

The following techniques work well in the clinch:


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