Reaching: In all combat sports we have a basic need for defensive soundness at all times. Whenever you REACH for an opponent, whether with arms or legs, you lose defensive soundness. Over extension is vulnerability in this game. KEEP YOUR KNEES TO YOUR CHEST AND YOUR ELBOWS TO YOUR SIDES AND ELBOWS AND KNEES CLOSE TOGETHER AND YOU’LL BE DEFENSIVELY SOUND. When you need to make contact, don’t do it so much by REACHING as by MOVEMENT. Use either your motion or your opponents motion to CLOSE DISTANCE – that way you can make contact without compromising your defensive structure. So when you need to make contact – use MOTION to close distance rather than REACHING in ways that create vulnerability
