How To Effectively Close The Distance With Kyle Bochniak
One of the most important aspects of MMA or other combat sports is successfully closing the distance between you and your opponent. Whether you have a striking background or you excel in ground fighting arts like Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling or Judo, if you cannot close the distance then you can expect to be picked apart by your opponent.
These days in MMA, fights are becoming a more strategic battle of striking technique, as opposed to the old brawling mentality of the early UFC. Fighters must use a more calculated approach in order to get close enough to their opponent so they can inflict a more effective brand of strikes.
Closing the distance on your opponent, especially if you're the smaller fighter, you have to rely on a combination of footwork, head fakes, slipping, sliding and rolling under punches. These kinds of unique movements will get you inside the range of your opponent, giving you a vast array of options in damaging and finishing off your opponent.
That’s why we have brought you the opinion of a professional mixed martial artist like Kyle Bochniak, so you can master his techniques on closing the distance.
Who Is Kyle Bochniak?
Kyle Bochniak is a professional mixed martial artist and a UFC veteran holding a record of 8 wins and 5 losses. He brings an exciting style of striking to the octagon along with a brown belt level of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The American born fighter is an extremely fit martial artist and is well known for his aggressive style of fighting.
Kyle's instructional is available NOW! Click Learn More!
Check Out These Techniques For Closing The Distance Below!
In this video Kyle Bochniak explains his unique style of closing the range on his opponent. He talks about his fights and that he usually fights larger opponents, being the smaller fighter forces him to utilize head movements, triggers, feints and slides, so he can get inside his opponents range.
The Technique!
The first thing you want to do is establish your range, you want to occupy your opponents guard by reaching out to him and at the same time creep your feet in. This is called stretching and shrinking, stretching out your front leg and hand to occupy your opponents guard, then shrink your back leg in closer to your front leg this will sneakily bring you inside your opponents range.
The next step is to trigger an action, for example; throwing a left jab then anticipate a reaction from your opponent like his left jab. Slip or roll under that punch and now you have closed the distance, you can then set up for jab, cross, hook combinations.
Once you have delivered a punching combination you can then grab hold of your opponent's neck in a Thai clinch, throwing knees and elbows will certainly enhance your ability to finish the fight. If you feel you have an advantage in the clinch, stay there and be devastating.
You have many options when getting into this clinch and maybe you don't feel comfortable in this position, so you can set them up for a takedown. Using the same setup, initiate the clinch then throw knees to the body and head, when your opponent looks up to avoid the blow you can easily level change. One you have dropped low with your level change, grab your opponent’s hips with your double underhooks and drive them to the mat.
Another option you have when you're in the clinch is to catch your opponent with a kick on the exit out of the clinch. This can happen naturally if your opponent tries to back out of the clinch, otherwise you can set them up for it. Utilizing the clinch you then throw knees to keep your opponent engaged, when you're ready you can push their chest forcing them backwards, then go to town on a low, medium or high kick as they have exited the clinch.
Now you can see first hand the exceptional level of these techniques from Kyle Bochniak and how they have helped him master his craft inside the octagon.
Learn More From UFC Veteran Kyle Bochniak!
Take your striking to the next level and master Kyle Bochniak’s exciting techniques for closing the distance and more by purchasing his series Crash Course: Striking For MMA by Kyle Bochniak Available exclusively on Dynamic Striking!