1. Stance (Muay Thai Guard/Ready Position)
- Foot Position:
Start in your Muay Thai stance, with feet shoulder-width apart. For orthodox fighters, the left foot is forward; for southpaws, the right foot is forward. Position your weight on the balls of your feet, staying light and agile. - Knees and Hips:
Your knees should be slightly bent, allowing you to be mobile and balanced. Your hips should remain relaxed and aligned with your body’s center of gravity to maintain fluid movement. - Hands/Guard:
Keep your hands up in a high guard. Your lead hand is near your chin, while your rear hand should be at chin height, protecting your jaw and face. Elbows should be tucked in to shield your ribs and keep a solid defense.
2. Setting Up the Parry Long Foot Jab Inside (Preparation)
- Positioning the Hands:
For the long foot jab, your rear hand (the one used to parry) will remain up near your face, protecting your head while being ready to parry the jab. Your lead hand stays in its guard position, prepared to strike or block. - Footwork:
To effectively parry the incoming jab, your body will need to shift slightly backward or to the side to avoid the jab. You’ll use your lead foot to stay grounded, while your rear leg stays mobile to adjust for the incoming strike. Be ready to transition quickly from defense to offense.
3. Executing the Parry Long Foot Jab Inside (The Defense and Attack)
- Step 1 – Timing the Parry:
As your opponent throws a long foot jab towards your head or body, you need to time the movement perfectly. Extend your rear hand and parry the jab by meeting it with the inside of your forearm. This deflects the jab to the outside, away from your head and body. - Step 2 – Using the Inside of the Arm:
The key to this parry is using the inside of your forearm to meet the jab. The inside part of your arm (closer to your body) should intercept the opponent’s fist. This provides a stronger deflection and redirects the incoming punch without losing balance. - Step 3 – Movement After the Parry:
Immediately after the parry, your body should rotate slightly or slide back to create more distance, making it harder for your opponent to continue their attack. This movement also sets you up to counter with your own strikes. - Step 4 – Follow Up with a Long Jab or Kick:
After the parry, transition quickly into your long jab or kick. If you’ve moved slightly backward, this gives you the space to strike with your jab or rear round kick. The follow-up strike should be sharp and direct, exploiting any opening left by the opponent’s missed jab.
4. Footwork During the Parry Long Foot Jab Inside
- Pivoting:
While parrying, you may need to pivot on your lead foot slightly to create better angle or distance. This allows you to parry the jab efficiently while preparing for a counterattack. - Weight Transfer:
While you parry, make sure your weight remains balanced on your back leg, with slight movement backward. This helps you avoid the full impact of the jab and creates the space needed for your counter strike. - Shifting Backwards:
Often, during a parry of a long jab, a slight backward shift of the lead foot helps create enough distance. This shift ensures that you don’t get caught in the pocket or in range for your opponent’s follow-up strike.
5. Defensive Considerations During the Parry Long Foot Jab Inside
- Guard Position:
Ensure that after parrying with your rear hand, your lead hand stays up to defend your face. The lead hand acts as a shield to stop any potential follow-up punches or strikes. - Head Movement:
As you parry the jab, slightly move your head to the side. A small slip away from the jab makes you less predictable and harder for the opponent to hit with a counter jab or cross. - Elbow Position:
While executing the parry, ensure your elbow stays tucked and close to your body. If your elbow flares out, it may leave you open to a counterattack. Keeping your elbow close adds both strength and security to your defense.
6. Counterattacking After the Parry Long Foot Jab Inside
- Quick Jab or Cross:
After successfully parrying the jab, immediately follow up with a long jab or cross. These strikes will take advantage of your opponent’s momentary opening while they’re recovering from their attack. - Low Kick:
After the parry, you can follow with a low kick to your opponent’s leg, exploiting any space created after the jab is deflected. The low kick can damage their mobility or disrupt their rhythm. - Knee or Elbow:
If you’re in close range after the parry, you can capitalize by delivering a knee or elbow to your opponent’s midsection or head. These close-range strikes can be devastating if executed after a successful parry.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Dropping the Guard After the Parry:
One of the most common mistakes is dropping your guard after executing the parry. Always bring your hands back to your face to defend against any follow-up strikes, especially after you parry an opponent’s jab. - Overextending on the Parry:
Do not overcommit to the parry by fully extending your arm. This makes you more vulnerable to counters and reduces your ability to immediately respond with your own strike. Keep your parry compact and controlled. - Not Following Up with a Counter:
After a successful parry, be sure to follow up with your own attacks. Standing still or failing to capitalize on the parry makes it easy for your opponent to recover and continue attacking. - Not Moving with the Parry:
When parrying the long jab, you should move slightly to the side or backward. Failing to move can leave you in range for a follow-up strike. Always use footwork to position yourself better for the counter.
8. Advanced Concepts for Parry Long Foot Jab Inside
- Feint and Trap:
At an advanced level, use the parry as a setup to feint your opponent. You can make them think you’ll parry, but instead throw a quick counterjab or low kick. This can throw them off balance and make them open to other strikes. - Angle Creation:
After parrying the jab, you can angle your body slightly to the side, making you harder to hit with the next strike. This also gives you better positioning for your follow-up counter. - Parry and Step Off the Centerline:
Instead of just parrying and staying in place, step to the side after the parry to move off the opponent’s centerline. This makes it more difficult for them to counter, while positioning you for a better strike.
Conclusion
The Parry Long Foot Jab Inside is a highly effective defensive technique in Muay Thai that allows you to redirect an opponent’s attack while simultaneously setting up your counterattack. Mastering this technique requires perfect timing, proper positioning, and smooth transitions between defense and offense. With careful footwork, head movement, and follow-up strikes, you can make the parry a powerful tool for controlling the pace of a fight and creating openings for your own attacks.