Muay Thai Long Guard: One of the most crucial defensive techniques in Muay Thai is the extended guard. This defensive move helps control tempo, prepare for a counterattack, create and maintain distance, and protect you from impending strikes.
One of the most important defensive moves in Muay Thai is the extended guard. With this defensive manoeuvre, you may control the tempo, shield yourself from approaching hits, establish and maintain distance, and get ready for a counterattack.
Basic Hand Positioning And Stance
In its simplest form, the two hand components of the long guard are the front and rear hand positions. For the guard, one might adopt an orthodox or a southpaw fighting stance.
The lead hand is extended forward, fully extended arm at eye level, and moving into the long guard from a shell guard. To further cover the chin and stomach, the back hand is similarly stretched outward and away, but it is closer to the face and torso. This is not a position where you will be standing and waiting; rather, you will move into it when your opponent does.
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Benefits of the Long Guard
When you need to clear some space and are facing an opponent who is storming forward, this is the perfect time to go to long guard. Angles and footwork can be used to break up a fight, deflect blows, block kicks, and become ready for counterattacks.
If you’re up against the ropes, for instance, you’ll either commence the long guard in place or employ it in tandem with a reverse shuffle. With the lengthy guard, putting distance between you and your opponent will be a common motif.
Setting up your opponent, getting past their defence, and then starting an offensive move to score points or knock them out is one fighting tactic. The long guard can be employed to build up an attacking attack or as a defensive tool.
Defence, Attack, And Retaliation From The Extended Guard
In addition to being a useful defensive weapon, the long guard in Muay Thai may also be used offensively and in counterattacks. Teeps and elbows can be delivered from the extended guard as a counter or when your opponent gets closer.
The long guard can be used defensively to hold an opponent at bay and stop them from closing the gap and making an attack. By leveraging the lead arm to deflect the blow, it may also be utilised to block hooks and straight punches. The back hand may also be utilised to set up sweeps and block body punches and trap kicks.
Reverse shuffles combined with extended guards keep opponents at a distance; this is especially helpful and successful against an aggressive puncher. Deflecting or parrying strikes from the long guard is easy.
A powerful defensive weapon in Muay Thai, the long guard may be used to block a variety of attacks, such as the left body hook, left hook, and straight punch. You may protect yourself and your opponent by extending your lead arm and using your rear elbow to deflect blows. Alternatively, you can hold your leading arm up to protect your chin.
This move not only blocks the opponent’s assaults but also sets you up for a counterattack with strong elbow blows with either arm. The extended guard is a flexible tactic that may be applied to offensive and defensive scenarios.
The Muay Thai long guard is a versatile weapon that may be used offensively as well as defensively. For instance, you can drag down your opponent’s lead arm with the long guard, opening their head to a vertical elbow strike or a lead hand hook.
Knee assaults may also be set up while employing the long guard by pulling your opponent’s arms down and advancing. From the extended guard position, you may deliver a broad range of attacks, including shuffling jabs, straight right crosses, uppercuts, elbows, kicks, and knees.
Engaging in Long Guard Practise
Learning a skill requires practise, and learning the long guard is no exception. You will need to add the lengthy guard to your toolkit and take advantage of any chance to practise with it.
The long guard may be practised and drilled as follows:
- Shadowboxing: While shadowboxing, you may practise your transitions into the long guard. Practise entering the long guard while honing your footwork.
- Bag Work: Applying pressure to your lead hand with the heavy bag will assist it enter the lengthy guard with some difficulty. Push the bag, then stop it with the lead hand when it returns.
- Sparring: This is the most efficient way to train the long guard in Muay Thai. You can rehearse the countermeasures and utilise them to fortify your defence during fighting.
You can spar to hone your skills against the many guards and blocks that you can use from the long guard. It is feasible for the long guard to parry, deflect, snag a leg, approach for a clinch, and throw.
Common Mistakes
Having only one defence is the worst error you can make. Even though the long guard is one of the most common defence strategies in Muay Thai, it’s crucial to know how to use the many versions to avoid having your defence gradually undermined.
In every form, the long guard must be employed during a battle. Defence with both hands extended can be accomplished using any combination of these different rear-hand postures and the Dracula guard.
The Advantage Of The Long Guard
In conclusion, the long guard’s ability to create space between himself and his opponent would be his only edge. But as you can see, the Muay Thai long guard is not just good at defence at long range.
Once in your toolbox, you may customise this tool for every opponent. You may counter the long guard to score the winning points by exploiting it to reveal their defensive holes and counter their assault.
