Modern Self-Defence: Changing your Tactics for Different Types of Gloves
In the world of modern martial arts, self-defence strategies are continuously evolving, and Icy Mike from Hard2Hurt is at the forefront of this evolution. I recently stumbled upon an intriguing video on his YouTube channel, titled “Big Gloves vs. Little Gloves Defense for Kickboxing and MMA”. In this video, Mike had a practical and insightful discussion with Gabriel Varga, a six-time world champion, about the difference that the size of gloves can make in self-defence. Gloves in martial arts aren’t just for the protection of the fighters but also serve a strategic purpose. A point made evident by Gabriel during the video is that the size and type of gloves, whether big, medium, or little, can directly impact the fighting techniques and self-defence tactics used. Whether they’re engaged in grappling or striking, professionals often change their approach based on the gloves they’re wearing. Throughout the video, they performed training drills and reviewed some essential adjustments needed while using different types of gloves. One of their initial discussions revolved around the ‘Dutch Guard,’ a defensive position where the boxer holds their gloves close to their face. Regularly used in boxing and kickboxing, the Dutch Guard is effective with big gloves due to their larger average size, which provides decent coverage for the face. However, the efficiency of this guard significantly decreases when little gloves are used, primarily because small gloves offer less facial coverage, making the user more susceptible to punches that wrap around the guard. To overcome the limitations of small gloves, Gabriel suggested transitioning to an open-hand guard. The open hand guard, according to him, is more effective in warding off strikes and reduces the impact due to the slight squishiness of the open hand. Along with this adjusted hand positioning, he also emphasized the importance of implementing more head movements for successful dodging and evading of strikes. Understanding the Danger Spots When using smaller gloves, one crucial aspect discussed pertained to greater awareness of unprotected areas or ‘danger spots.’ This awareness should primarily include the vulnerability towards punches that can wrap around the guard to the back of the head. Gabriel suggested adjusting the hand positioning to cover more area around the head, but also stressed that practicing head movements and diversifying one’s defensive repertoire is essential. In addition to these defensive strategies, another noteworthy point in the video was about the potential unintended consequences of reaching out and exposure to strikes. Gabriel advised that when reaching out in a fight, one must keep their shoulders tight and in position to ensure minimum exposure to potential hits. In the realm of kickboxing and MMA, understanding the difference between big gloves and little gloves can significantly change the tactics and strategies used in a fight. As demonstrated in the video, even minor adjustments to one’s defensive guard or the manner in which they reach out to an opponent can impact their overall performance. Not just techniques, understanding the tools of the trade, in this case the gloves, and modifying one’s strategies based on these can make a significant difference in self-defence and martial arts.Blablabla
Hard2Hurt is a prominent YouTube channel owned by Icy Mike, an experienced self-defense instructor and fighting sports enthusiast. On this channel, Icy Mike offers viewers practical, evidence-based advice on how to protect oneself in various threatening situations. He combines science, humor, and hands-on experience to deliver engaging and informative content.
Self-Defence Block
Never thought I'd shoot a flame thrower đ„
Icy Mike helping me expand my life experiences đ
If yr going to use a flamethrower, you should also make a video on how to defend yourself from a flamethrower đ
Ok Boys and Girls when I see Icy with his palm open in small gloves, a lesson from the archives; be really careful drilling head/face level punches with the little gloves onboard…we were partner drilling 'splitting the jab' and one guy had left his 14oz ers at home so trainer said OK go with your little gloves. 2 mins later a scream rang out and so did someone's eyeball , hanging on its optic nerve. Mr. big gloves had thrown a jab, small gloves missed the short-guard pat-away, large glove drove the small glove back (thumb uncovered) and scooped out his own eye. Nasty.
So after intense thought I can comfortably say, the prefferable outcome is not to get hit.
"Oh… a video about gloves, that will be interest… wait, is he holding a f flamethrower?!
Best start of a video ever
That looks.. legal. Very legal..
Can you show us can you fight fire with fire or people just say this things..
Nice video, but what about getting hit on the fingers?! Dumbass never thought of that!
Is it just me or does Mike curse even more when Gabriel is around? Itâs like he is compensating for Gabrielâs innate goodness.
How to defend yourself against the flame thrower
Remember Seth's Captain America shield? Flame on! I mean put flames on it.
I really want to see if you can melt a driveway full of snow and ice with that flamethrower. Please make a video on that. I will volunteer my driveway as exhibit A if you're ever in the Chicagoland area Mike, hahaha!
They're pretty good for bees, wasps and their hives right?
Would love to see a âWill it burnâ series where you subject things that are fire retardant or resistant, etc to see how it holds up. Is it hard2burn ? đ
Flame thrower Idea:
I would use it for attacker defense scenarios. Hide "an attacker" or in this case a dummy like what shane was torching, and put behind things where an attacker would feel safe to hide from that monster. Hope that made sense
Yeah, but can you cook a decent steak with it?
3:50
1) do some BBQ with it. Like BBQ a whole pig or cattle in seconds.
2) relieve your car from ice in the morning in seconds
3) use it to shave your head or legs in seconds. Alternative to buying too expensive razor blades.
4) use it to heat up your pool/bathtub in no time
5) get rid of those nasty leaves in autumn on pedestrian walkways
America is weird.
So when are we getting the self defence with flamethrower video?
I was working security and training more with MMA gloves and noticed the same thing. I was fortunate to discover SBGâs Rodney King and his âCrazy Monkey Boxingâ which gives a really good approach utilizing the open-hand covering.