Master Jab Combinations With Benson Henderson
Timing, angles, and quick combinations; all are imperative when it comes to good, technical fighting. Waiting for the right moment to strike, jumping into the pocket and landing a quick combination and then getting out. This is what every good fighter trains to be able to do, and there are so many techniques out there to get the job done.
One of the most useful strikes one can use to set up these types of combinations is the jab. The jab often is your quickest and most effective option when diving into the pocket. Additionally from the jab and the creation of an angle, the options for attacks are almost endless.
Who better to take technique from then Benson Henderson. This Bellator competitor and former UFC and WEC Lightweight Champion holds wins against some of the top athletes in the game including Donald Cerrone, Nate Diaz, and others.
Benson’s mixed martial arts career began at age 9, and was twice named an NAIA All-American while wrestling in college. With a 28-9 professional mixed martial arts record, Benson has spent years dominating in World Extreme Cage Fighting and in the UFC.
With a black belt in TaeKwonDo and Jiu Jitsu, holding two bronze medals in the International Brazillian Jiu Jitsu Federation’s gi and no-gi World Championships; he is at the top of the game.
In this video, Benson uses pad work to demonstrate a jab counter combination. Check it out below!
Benson begins the video by explaining that he is going to be demonstrating this technique from being in the southpaw stance while his partner is in a traditional stance. He briefly clarifies that this technique can easily be translated into a traditional stance by understanding how the jab changes depending on which foot you have forward.
He starts off by having his partner throw a jab in which he slips to the right. Being in the southpaw stance, his slip then loads up his left hand for him to strike with a left cross while slipping. This initial slip and cross is where he begins to create his angle.
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Using your body's momentum is everything in the fight game, and is something that you have to get good at taking advantage of. When he counters his partner's jab with the cross, he uses that cross to take a step to the outside with his right leg to begin creating an angle.
Once he has shifted his weight by stepping outside to the right, he has loaded his right arm to strike with a right uppercut, which then loads him to finish the combination with another left cross. When you break this combination down slowly, it proves to be a perfect example of capitalizing on your body's momentum to land quick and effective strikes.
Another characteristic of Benson that makes his teachings so practical is his explanations of relating and using these techniques in a real fighting situation. For this combination, he shares that it is not realistic for you to slip and counter every jab in a fight, so you should not even try to do it.
He explains that a jab is the most commonly used strike in a fight and may be used perhaps 45 times in one round. Although every time your opponent throws a jab they are opening themselves up, you have to look for those lazy jabs and perfectly timed opportunities to go in for the counter, rather than trying to counter 45 times in a round.
In a real fight situation he applies this technique by saying maybe your opponent throws out 3 jabs fairly quickly. In this case you may try to perry the first one, slip the second one, and when he goes for the third is when you jump in to counter. You have to make yourself unpredictable, and timing your counters is one of the first steps in achieving this.
It is wild to think how much useful technique can be packed into just a two minute clip of his demonstration...can you even imagine what all would be included in a multi-part instructional? Here is what else you can expect to find in Benson’s instructional:
- Angles
- Southpaw and traditional body and leg kicks
- Multiple counter options
- Fake kick variations
- Clinch work
- Sweeps
- Speed drills
This instructional touches on nearly all aspects of the mixed martial arts game. With a resume and experience in so many different fields of fighting, Benson has to offer what is going to make you a better fighter. To gain a comprehensive perspective in the art of power kicking, countering, creating angles, and more, don’t miss out on this amazing instructional.
