Perfectly Time Your Cross Counter with Cédric Doumbé
The art of timing is one that is built and perfected over time and much practice. Timing counters can prove to be even more difficult. In striking, things happen faster than you can think about them, so working out proper timing is extremely important.
Before you can really begin to work on counters, you need to be able to read your partner's telegraphs. You can start by paying attention to what they telegraph before they throw their jab. From here you can start working on slipping the punches. This is a way to begin to work on timing, but in terms of dodging the punches. Once you get a good feel for slipping the punches, you can start working on your timing with adding your counter.
The concept of a counter strike is very interesting. Your partner is their most guarded when they're not throwing any punches. Even though when they do throw a strike they are attacking, throwing that strike opens them up in some way that can be taken advantage of. When you become able to slip punches and avoid getting hit, while also seeing and capitalizing on counter opportunities, you really have a good grip on the fundamentals of fighting.
In this video, Cédric Doumbé shows a right cross counter variation, and how timing plays such a big part in its success. Check it out below!
Effectively Counter Your Opponent
Cédric begins by explaining that this is one of his favorite combinations/counters. His goal in every fight is to get a knockout, and he believes this counter is one of the best tools to use to achieve that.
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Cédric states that he is going to be countering his partner's jab. The reason timing is so important for this is because of the power it adds. With his partner’s momentum moving forward from his jab, combined with a well timed cross as your partner’s weight is still moving forward, provides a massively powerful collision.
As your partner throws his jab with his left arm, you are going to simultaneously slip the punch as you go for your counter. As you counter with your right cross, initially you are going to go under his arm that he jabbed with, so his glove is essentially on top of your shoulder. Then you are going to wrap that arm back over his, and land your punch on the side of his head right above his shoulder. Basically your arm starts under his and wraps around to the top so you can land the punch.
Cédric also gives insight into why timing is so important for this counter. If you throw your counter too late, likely your partner has already landed his jab and your opportunity to throw your counter is no longer there. If you throw your counter too early, your cross is likely going to collide with his jab, and you are not going to land on his head.
It is important to practice this counter so you can perfect your timing. A good way to do this firstly is to take it slow and then start speeding up. This will help you determine where you have to go to slip the punch, and should give you an idea of where his arm needs to be for you to land the counter. The best way to do this is to start dodging and slipping his jab, get a feel for that movement and then begin implementing your cross counter and work out the timing.
Cédric Doumbé Bio
Cédric Doumbé is a Cameroonian-French kickboxer, who competes in the welterweight division. Cedric fights for the Glory organization, and is currently the Glory Welterweight Champion. As of August 2020, Combat Press has him ranked as the number 1 welterweight in the world. Cédric has been in the game for years and continues to show off his skills and compete on the world stage.
In his instructional, he covers a number of different subjects including practical warm ups, how to correctly wrap your hands, stance, defensive counters, and much more.
