How Posting Can Improve Your Striking Game With Greg Jackson
Positions is something that is rarely talked about in the world of martial arts, at least when it comes to striking. This posting is actually talked about a fair amount in grappling, as it is an important part of control. When I say that posting is an important part of control, I don’t just mean for grappling. Posting is a great way to maintain distance, stop your opponent from striking and to even help set up your own strikes.
It's a useful tool for any striker to know how to use and it is trained so little that it’s almost criminal. That’s why in this video, superstar MMA coach Greg Jackson goes over how strikers can implement posting into their game. Greg Jackson is one of the biggest and most renowned names in the MMA coaching game. He is one half of the dynamic duo of coaches down at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At that gym he’s worked with some of the biggest and most acclaimed names in MMA history. Among those names are Jon Jones, George Saint Pierre, Michelle Waterson and Holly Holm. He even created his own all encompassing Martial Arts style in Gaidojutsu.
The video starts off with Coach Greg Jackson talking about learning the basics of posting are important. This will allow you to work the post your own way and find ways to use it that are unique to yourself that no one could teach you. After that introduction coach Jackson talks about a classic, dutch kickboxing style way of using the post in a combination.
Essential Concepts With Greg Jackson
This combination will put your opponent into a position that will make it hard for them to defend against the final strike in it. This combination is the classic lead hook to rear low kick. This works the post because after you land the lead hook you are going to push off of it. This will put your opponent heavy on their lead leg and make it almost impossible for them to move their leg to either block or dodge the low kick.
The reason that this combination is so effective is because even if your opponent blocks, you get what you want. Coach Greg Jackson points this out as if you land the left hook your opponent will get heavy on their lead leg and if they block it the same will happen. That’s what makes this combination so great, as landing the lead hook isn’t all that important. If you land it clean, that’s a bonus and if it gets blocked, no big deal. What's important is the physical manipulation of your opponent’s body. The length of the hook doesn’t matter either and neither does the target. You can even hit the shoulder to get the result that you want.
Monitor Your Opponent's Stance
Once you land the lead hook, your opponent’s weight will shift forward. This is what gets your opponent to be too heavy to defend themselves. Now that your opponent is set up, you have a perfect opportunity to throw a low kick. Now this is the striker that you want to land. Make sure to really twist your hips and dig in with this low kick no matter where you hit. With your opponent heavy on that leg, this is your opportunity to throw as hard a low kick as possible and deal as much damage as you can.
