Block and pivot

Block and pivot: step by step

1. Take the opponent's short punch on your forearm.
2. As on the pivot page, use your front foot as the axis and make a small pivot.
3. Reset your guard in a spot off the opponent's front.
4. Fire back with a short punch from the side you moved to.

Block and pivot: key points

• After you block, don't stop. Go into the pivot right away. Make blocking and moving off one continuous move.
• Keep the pivot small. At close range, instead of turning wide, moving just a little off their front is enough to get out of the line of their next punch.
• After you move off, fire back with short punches. Swing wide at close range and your counter is late.

Block and pivot: common mistakes

• Freezing on the spot after you block. The opponent keeps punching to the same spot, and you only spend longer defending.
• Turning too far on the pivot. You end up too far from the opponent and your counter doesn't reach.
• Dropping your guard during the pivot. You get hit while you're turning.

Block and pivot: how to practice

• In shadowboxing, picture a punch coming, take it on your forearm, make a small pivot right away and fire back a short punch. Repeat the flow.
• On the heavy bag, take the bag on your forearm as it swings back, pivot, and fire back short from the new position.

Moves in this technique

• Block (high guard)
  Block
• Pivot
  Pivot

Related techniques

• Block (high guard)
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• Block and fire back
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• Go short at close range, don't swing wide
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• One-two-hook, then pivot
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