Although many would not believe it, there are only four types of fighters in the world. Many would disagree, but a close look at this statement shows it to be so. The four types of fighters are as follows: charger, blocker, backward runner, and elusive runner. Let's take a look at each.
The charger is the one who attempts to run all over you. He rushes at you with full force again and again. He is the most assertive of all fighters. He directly attacks your centerline quickly. A charger attacks in straight-line attacks and rarely backs up or runs away.
1. Counterattack without backing straight up. Retreat weakens your techniques.
2. Use direct angle counters.
3. If you side step, do so at a 45 degree angle, you can still reach him if he stops. A side step at 90 degrees is too noticable.
4. If you aren't fast enough, take a half step to the rear and then push forward into his critical-distance line. The strategy is to fade back slightly then attack strong. This gives you more time, but speed is still needed.
5. Kicks work well against a charger.
6. If he attacks you with a kick, wait until his kicking leg just reaches the ground, he'll be off-balance.
7. Use broken rhythm, let him push you back for the first couple blows, then fade back and strike hard.
1. Great chargers explode into their opponent.
2. They use their back leg to push off.
3. Keep your head level when you charge. A forward head puts you off balance, and possibly into a fist.
4. Stay on balance as you charge forwards.
5. Keep your head above your body's center and your knees bent.
Most fighters are blockers. The blocker is a stand-and-counter fighter. He waits for you to make a move, blocks, then counters. A good blocker has quick reflexes and a strong stance. His counters are strong because he is planted. The blocker is a between-the-beats fighter. If a fighter steps back and plants when you fake, he is a blocker.
1. You must make the move because a blocker hate to move.
2. Assault him from unusual and unexpected angles. Odd angles force him to step out of his rooted stance.
3. Come in on his blind side. When he picks up his lead leg to follow your motion, strike.
4. Deliver a solid blow on his blind side.
5. Fakes work well in throwing off his timing. Throw fakes with power, but do not overextend your limbs.
6. Use broken rhythm. The blocker relies on timing.
7. Blockers are analytical fighters. If you hit them high, they'll expect that next time, so fake high, hit low.
The backward runner, as his name implies, runs backwards in a straight line from an opponent. It's virtually impossible to maintain balance while running backwards, so this strategy is a weak defense. The backward runner sometimes runs so hard that he will throw his opponent's timing off. Throw any sort of fake and the runner backs up.
1. Don't waste your energy running down the runner.
2. Don't use hard fakes, or he'll take off.
3. Creep closer and closer to him, then assault him with high speed strikes.
4. Chase him with simple combinations at a slow pace. When he thinks he knows your range, speed up and hyperextend to strike.
5. If you chase, do so at a slow speed.
6. Act nervous and hyperactive as you close in, then suddenly push off hard and fast and strike before he runs. This locks his brain into your false speed, then wham-o.
7. Wait him out, he has to do something sooner or later. By doing nothing, the runner becomes nervous and attacks. Then stick him.
If you begin to analyze different fighters you know or have encountered, you will see one of the four emerge, or sometimes a slight blend.