Content

• Part 2 of 4: Dodging a Backward Punch
• Part 3 of 4: Dodging a punch to the face by moving forward
• Part 4 of 4: Absorbing the Force of Impacts to the Body
• Tips
• Warnings

1 Keep your fists in front of you. Keep your fists in front of your face to protect it. Keep them around the level of your cheeks to protect as much of your face as possible.

• Clench your fists so that your thumb is outside, not inside.

2 Keep your elbows at your body. Your arms and shoulders should be relaxed for easy movement, and your elbows pressed against your torso for protection.

3 Lower your chin. With your chin down, your face becomes less of a target and also protects your neck. Do not lower it too low, otherwise it will be difficult for you to follow your opponent.

4 Adopt a defensive stance. Turn slightly sideways with one leg (usually the right leg for a right-handed person) further away with the other so that your torso is not facing directly towards your opponent.

• Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
• Keep your knees bent so you can stay balanced and mobile.
• Don't turn too sideways; if you stand perpendicular to the enemy, then he will be able to knock you to the side.

5 Be careful, but don't look at one point. Your eyes detect movement faster with lateral vision than with direct vision, so an unfixed gaze will serve you better than a fixed gaze on your opponent's hands.

• Watch the movements of your opponent's shoulders, eyes, and legs as well as his arms. If a particular opponent always steps forward before striking, you can use this information to react more quickly.
• The more you practice, the faster your movements will be.

Part 2 of 4: Dodging a Backward Punch

1. 1 Combine these steps into one movement. If you successfully dodge with this method, you will be outside your opponent's punch and ready to move on or land your own long-range punch.
   • Remember to keep your fists in front of you while dodging to maintain protection.
2. 2 Turn to the back leg. Rotate your hips and torso clockwise (if your left leg is in front) and put some weight on your back leg.
   • If desired, you can take a step backward with your hind leg as part of this movement.
3. 3 Rotate both feet in the same direction. Keep your knees bent and your torso over your hips for maximum balance.
4. 4 Use the movement of your knees and hips to duck your head back. You can also lean back a little with your neck, but the main movement should remain the lateral rotation of your feet and torso.
   • Minimize bending at the waist as you can seriously lose your balance.
5. 5 Move only as much as necessary. You only need to move a short distance to dodge the blow. Small movements keep you in balance the most and give you more time to make the next move (regardless of whether it is a counterattack or a blow to your opponent and an escape).
6. 6 If you cannot avoid hitting the face, substitute your forehead. Tilt your chin even lower so that the blow hits the hard part of the skull and not the nose or jaw.
   • At the same time, move backward or turn your head in the same direction as the impact to maximize its strength.

Part 3 of 4: Dodging a punch to the face by moving forward

1. 1 This only works for dodging a headshot. The purpose of this dodge is to be on the inside of your opponent's punch (near his body) in order to then apply a strong counterpunch. If your opponent is aiming at your body, you will end up exposing your face directly to his fist.
   • This dodge works best against a straight, hard right punch.
   • The stronger the blow, the better you can dodge it, as your opponent will lose balance and spend more time recovering.You can block or dodge shorter hits or maneuvers by moving farther rather than closer.
2. 2 Turn towards your front leg. Rotate your hips and core counterclockwise (if your left leg is in front) and put more weight on your front leg.
   • The main movement should come from the hips, but not from the waist.
3. 3 Rotate your back foot in the same direction. Keeping your core in line with your hips keeps you balanced and mobile.
4. 4 Bend down quickly with your knees and shoulder. Move your shoulder abruptly downward and inward at a 45-degree angle to your chest to dodge your head. Also bend slightly with your knees.
   • Don't go overboard with this movement. You only need to move your head about 15 cm to dodge a direct hit.
   • Do not lean too far forward, as it will be difficult for you to balance and observe the enemy. You should use your knees and shoulder more than your back.
   • If you are the same height as your opponent or even taller, then you can dodge the blow by raising your head up, and thus the fist will pass below your chin as you rotate to the side.
5. 5 Raise your back hand slightly. Be prepared to use it to block or deflect a subsequent blow from your opponent's other hand.
6. 6 Come closer (optional). If necessary, use your leading foot to take a short step towards your opponent. This is useful for limiting their movement for the next strike, but mostly for creating a counterstrike.
7. 7 Counterstrike (optional). Once you've dodged the punch, you can use your closest position to strike back on your own.
8. 8 Bend at the back in a "U" shape. Once you return to the starting position, bend in a "U" shape around the kick. If you just move with your back straight, then you may stumble upon another blow.

Part 4 of 4: Absorbing the Force of Impacts to the Body

1. 1 Contract your abdominal muscles. This will protect your internal organs from injury.
2. 2 Exhale sharply through your nose just before hitting. Breathing out a short, quick breath will automatically force your abs to bend and further protect itself.
3. 3 Block the blow with your hands. Try pushing your opponent's hand away to deflect the blow, or at least get hit on your knuckles rather than directly on your stomach.
4. 4 Move with the blow. Take a step back or turn your body in the direction of impact. If the point of impact moves in the same direction as the impact is moving, then its force will be significantly reduced.

Tips

• Stay fit. Exercise regularly so you can stay on your feet at all times.
• You will reflexively react to a blow to the face by closing your eyes. Try to keep your eyes open as long as possible to see where the next hit is coming from.
• Don't dodge too often in the same way. A cunning fighter can fake a thrust and then land a real blow exactly where you moved your face.

Warnings

• Always keep your mouth closed and your tongue away from your teeth to minimize jaw injury.