6 HAPKIDO Baiting Techniques 

Your Opponent Will Be Eating Out Of The Palm Of Your Hand! 

By Les Connard 
 

"Anything worth having is Worth Cheating for. Well ...in combat anyway."
-- Steven Petermann, Exec. VP Jang Mu Won Hapkido Association 
 

Although the law prohibits insider trading in the stock market, it does not prohibit it in martial arts. Using your knowledge of what your opponent will do before he actually does it is completely legal in the ring. Although this is often considered the highest level of fighting skill, it does not necessarily take a lifetime to learn. In fact, if you master the martial present in this article, which is derived from Chong S. Kim's jang mu won hapkido; you will become so dominant over your opponents that they will feel like you are cheating. 

If you have ever participated in a martial arts demonstration, you know that the most impressive self-defense sequences happen when you know exactly what techniques your opponent will throw in your direction. With this insider information, you have an extra fraction of a second to launch your counterattack. You then dispose him in textbook fashion. 

When it comes to free sparring, however, you have probably found that things don't work quiet so smoothly. That's because you never know what your opponent's going to do until it is too late. Obviously, the key to effeciently defeating any opponent in any situation lies in knowing what he will do before he does it. You can do that by having a stategy I refer to as "limiting his options". All it takes to implement is the knowledge of distance, technique and body positioning. 

Forcing A Front Kick

 

"Sparring matches are often nothing more than monkey see, monkey do." You throw a front kick, and your opponent returns one. You execute a roundhouse, and he sends one right back at you. The reason for this parroted behavior is body position, which holds that the easiest kick to return  is often the one just blocked. When you attack with a front kick, you are in the perfect position to be hit by a front kick. So why not take advantage of that? 

The easiest way to get your opponent to throw a front kick is to make him think you will throw one. If you are standing so your stomach is facing his and you chamber your lead leg for a front kick, he will probably prepare to fire one at you. That's when you abort your kick and initiate your defense.  

Soliciting a Side Kick 



In competition, the side kick is often used to attack the side of the torso. Fighters seldom get a chance to drive one into their opponent's chest, and lifting one all the way up to the head demands a lot of energy and flexability. Therefore, the best way to get your opponent to throw one is to stand so the side of your body faces the side of his body. If viewing from above, your shoulders and his would form a straight line. 

From his point of view, your ribs are his best options. If you lift your lead arm to expose them slightly, you will make them even more inviting. Depending on the distance, he will try either a stationary lead-leg side kick, or jump side kick. No matter which he chooses, you will be able to instantaneously begin your favorite defense. 

Requesting a Roundhouse Kick 



To get your opponent to attack with a roundhouse, you should stand slightly off kilter, with your body about six inches away from his centerline. Because that positioning  makes it hard for him to hit you with a front kick or side kick, he will usually opt for a lead-leg roundhouse. 

The safest way to apply this baiting strategy is to begin slightly out of range and inch toward him while adjusting your lead arm to expose your stomach. He will eventually launch the roundhouse kick, and as he does, you will be able to start your most effective defense at exactly the same time. 

Haggling For a Heel Kick 



To offer your opponent a chance to score with a heel kick, stand in a position that leaves you open for a side kick but do not expose your ribs. Instead, move your hand slightly towards him. Chances are, his response will be a lead-leg heel kick targeting your head. Although that would ordinarily be something to worry about, your foreknowledge of the attack will allow you to effortlessly neutralize it. 

Pleading for a Punch 



In general, if your body faces your opponent's body, he will feel compelled to punch you. Every time you launch a kick from the rear leg, your body squares up his and you give him an opportunity to pummel your chest. 

Once you are ready to deal with his punch, simply stand so your chest is perpendicular to his centerline and make sure you're within reach to his lead leg. Because this position also leaves you open to a lead leg front kick, you must be prepared to counter that as well. Use your power of observation: if he leans slightly backward, the kick is coming. If his shoulder moves, a punch is imminent. Have a defensive technique ready to go for both attacks, 

"REMEMBER THAT SPEED PLUS TIMING EQUALS VICTORY. YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE SPEED OF BRUCE LEE TO BEAT YOUR OPPONENT. YOU NEED ONLY TO KNOW WHAT ATTACK HE WILL INITIATE AND MOVE FORWARD AT THE MOMENT HE BEGINS" 

Begging For a Back Fist

 

The back fist is frequently used in competition because it is fast and efficient. However, if you can apply your block above your opponent's elbow, his back fist will never hit you. The best way to way to get in deep enough to effect such a block is to move in as soon as he begins his attack, and that requires you to know the technique will be executed before you see it happen. 

To manipulate your opponent into throwing a back fist, you must make him think it is his easiest or only option. That means you must make your head available while you make your body difficult to reach. Stand in the position described for the side kick baiting method, but cover your ribs and expose your head. You should be within striking distance of his lead leg. Then, as soon as you detect a back fist, begin your premeditated defense. 

Keys to Success 



Remember that speed plus timing equals victory. You don't need to have the speed of Bruce Lee to beat your opponent. You need only to know what attack he will initiate and move forward at the moment he begins. That's how old, fat guys beat young quick guys: They give them bait and set the youngster up for a fall. 

Always look into your opponent's eyes. It will make him feel uncomfortable, and that can work to your advantage in the ring or on the street. The real benefit of staring into his eyes, however, is that you will know when he is going to move before he moves. His eyes will open wider prior to his attack. This facet of human nature was captured brilliantly in the movie Tombstone. In the final gunfight between Johnny Ringo and "Doc" Holiday, the camera closes in on the fighter's faces. It shows Ringo's eyes open wide just before he draws his gun. Holiday is able to draw first because he sees Ringo's intention in his eyes. 

Keep in mind that a skilled martial artist will know that his eyes can give away his plans, and he will probably be able to deceive you. If you find yourself in the ring with such an opponent, you will probably have to delay your counterattack until he actually moves in response to your baiting technique. The best way to boost your ability to employ the aforementioned methods for baiting your opponent is simple trial and error. Once you gain a moderate amount of ring experience, you will be able to feel your opponent's temptation to take the bait you offer. And that will enable you to move as he moves to deploy your favorite defenses successfully. As Chong S. Kim, founder of jang mu won hapkido, likes to say, "The difference between good technique and so-so technique is only paper thin, but the outcome is as wide as the ocean."