Let the incredible power of combinations take your game to a new level: Imagine you knew literally nothing about punching. You found a competent boxing coach and in your first lesson he taught you one punch – a basic jab to the head. At the end of your first class you are excited to have a little knowledge of one punch. In your second class he teaches you another punch – a straight rear hand to the head. now you are pleased to know a little about two punches. On your way home you reflect on your progress and wonder how many punching attacks you could use on an opponent. You know TWO punches, but you can throw FOUR attacks off just this tiny amount of knowledge you have. You know two moves – jab and rear straight – but you can use them in four ways – jab, rear straight, jab followed by rear straight and rear straight followed by jab. So you in your second class you DOUBLED the number of punches you knew, but QUADRUPLED the number of different blows you could throw by doing so. THIS IS THE MAGIC OF COMBINATION ATTACKS IN A NUTSHELL. Even a small number of moves can be worked together in combinations to create limitless combinations that opponents will find extremely difficult to stop. Now add a few more moves, double jab, jab to the body, rear straight to the body – and suddenly the number of different striking attacks rises EXPONENTIALLY as the combinations of a few similar moves creates massive numbers of potential attacks that even very skilled opponents will really struggle to keep up with. EXACTLY THE SAME LESSON APPLIES TO GRAPPLING. My students have some the highest finishing rates in Jiu Jitsu, yet Ninety percent of our finishes come from combining just six submissions holds. You must learn to make the incredible potential power of COMBINED ATTACKS work in your favor. Don't just drill and spar with single attacks in mind but always ask what will be your follow up if this should prove insufficient – start with it as a mental habit and then it will become a physical habit that will greatly improve your success rates.
