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  • Foot Position:
    Begin in your Muay Thai stance, with your feet about shoulder-width apart. If you’re an orthodox fighter, your left foot should be forward; if you’re a southpaw, your right foot should be forward. Your weight should be balanced on the balls of your feet for quick movement.
  • Knees and Hips:
    Keep your knees slightly bent to stay mobile. Avoid locking your knees. Ensure your hips are aligned with your body’s center of gravity to keep your posture stable and responsive.
  • Hands/Guard:
    Your lead hand should be up and close to your face, protecting your chin. The rear hand, the one you will use to parry, should be positioned in a high guard near your chin. Your elbows should be tucked in to protect your ribs, and your head should be slightly off-center to avoid being an easy target.

  • Positioning the Hands:
    Keep your rear hand in a high guard with the elbow slightly bent, preparing to parry the short foot jab. The hand should be relaxed, ready to make contact when the jab comes in.
  • Footwork:
    Stay light on your feet and ready to pivot. You may need to adjust your stance slightly to better position yourself for the parry. Proper footwork is essential to maintain balance after the parry and to counterattack effectively.

  • Step 1 – Timing the Parry:
    As your opponent throws their short foot jab, time your parry to intercept it. The parry will come from the inside to outside using your rear hand. The goal is to deflect the jab to the outside, making contact with the outside of the opponent’s jab.
  • Step 2 – Contact with the Forearm:
    When you perform the parry, make contact with the outside part of your forearm, not the fist. This ensures that you deflect the jab cleanly without overextending. The movement should be quick and decisive to redirect the jab.
  • Step 3 – Parry with Precision:
    The key to a successful parry is not just deflecting but guiding the jab outside in a controlled manner. Use your forearm to push the jab away from your centerline, ensuring that it doesn’t land cleanly on your face.
  • Step 4 – Follow-Up with Counter Strike:
    Once you’ve parried the jab, immediately capitalize on the opening. You can follow up with a jab, cross, hook, or kick. The parry creates an opportunity for you to attack while your opponent is off-balance and their jab is neutralized.

  • Pivoting:
    As you execute the parry, pivot on your rear foot to help generate power and maintain balance. The pivot also assists in positioning your body for a potential counterstrike.
  • Weight Transfer:
    When performing the parry, your weight will shift slightly from your lead foot to your rear foot, especially as you pivot. This helps you maintain a solid base while staying mobile enough to counterattack.
  • Shifting Position:
    After the parry, you may want to slightly shift your lead foot to the side or backward to avoid being within striking range. However, don’t retreat too far—keep your body in range to quickly follow up with an attack.

  • Guard Position:
    Always return your rear hand to a high guard after performing the parry. Don’t drop your hand, as doing so would leave you vulnerable to hooks or uppercuts. Keep your defensive guard up to prevent follow-up attacks.
  • Head Movement:
    After parrying the jab, use head movement to make yourself harder to hit. You can slip or duck slightly to the side, moving off the centerline, which adds an extra layer of defense after the parry.
  • Elbow Position:
    Ensure that your elbow is tucked in while performing the parry. A flared elbow can expose your body to counterattacks, such as hooks. Keeping the elbow close to your body protects your ribs and allows for a more controlled parry.

  • Immediate Counterstrike:
    After the parry, you can quickly throw a jab or cross to counterattack. The jab you just parried leaves your opponent slightly off-balance, which creates an opening for you to strike.
  • Round Kick:
    After deflecting the jab, if the opponent is still standing upright, you can throw a round kick to their head or body. This can take advantage of the opening created by the parry and further destabilize your opponent.
  • Low Kick:
    A low kick to the lead leg is another effective follow-up. After parrying the jab, if your opponent’s stance is compromised, a low kick can reduce their mobility and create a clear opening for additional strikes.

  • Overextending the Parry:
    Avoid overextending your arm when parrying. If you reach too far, you risk losing your balance or leaving yourself open for a counterattack. Keep the movement tight and controlled.
  • Dropping the Rear Hand:
    One of the most common mistakes is dropping the rear hand after the parry. Always bring your rear hand back to a high guard to protect yourself from hooks or uppercuts following your parry.
  • Not Using Head Movement:
    Some fighters make the mistake of only relying on the parry for defense. Remember to move your head after the parry to avoid getting hit by follow-up strikes, and use small slips or ducks to make yourself more difficult to target.
  • Standing Still:
    Don’t remain stationary after the parry. Always be ready to counterattack, reposition, or reset your stance to stay in control of the situation.

  • Feinting the Parry:
    At an advanced level, you can use the parry as a feint to mislead your opponent. By pretending to parry their jab and then immediately countering, you can bait them into reacting and create openings for other strikes.
  • Parry with Angle Change:
    Another advanced technique involves combining the parry with an angle change. After parrying, you can step slightly off to the side to create a better angle for your counterstrike while making it harder for your opponent to land a follow-up attack.
  • Setting Up for the Clinch:
    After parrying the jab, you can use the opening to enter the clinch. This is a strong Muay Thai technique that allows you to control your opponent and deliver knee strikes. The parry can create the space you need to close the distance and engage in the clinch.

The Parry Short Foot Jab Outside is a key defensive maneuver in Muay Thai, allowing you to deflect your opponent’s jab while keeping yourself in an advantageous position to counterattack. By timing the parry properly, maintaining good footwork, and ensuring that your guard remains tight, you can neutralize the jab and create openings for your own strikes. Avoid common mistakes like overextending or dropping your guard, and always be prepared to follow up with a counterattack. By incorporating advanced concepts such as feinting and angle changes, you can make this defensive technique even more effective in your Muay Thai arsenal.