ACOUNTERATTACK is a type of advanced attack that you employ as your opponent is in the midst of attacking you. Whenever an offensive move is made against you, your opponent necessarily, if only momentarily, exposes some target area that you can strike. Your opponent is more vulnerable at that time because an attacker’s attention must be concentrated more on offensive than defensive actions. Therefore, that moment represents a prime opportunity for you to land a strike upon your opponent.
Counterattacking often combines defensive moves with offensive moves. The defensive moves can include parrying, slipping, bobbing and weaving, and ducking. The offensive moves can involve kicks, punches, traps, and grappling. The basic idea is that you use your defensive skills to avoid being hit by your opponent. At the same time you employ your offensive tools to attack your opponent at the vulnerable spot. Before you can successfully utilize counterattacks, you must develop both your offensive skills and your defensive skills.
“Though your style should be a combination of offense and defense, I often stress that offense should be the more emphasized. This does not mean that we should neglect defense; actually, as the reader will later realize, into every Jeet Kune Do offense, defense is also welded in to form what I term ‘defensive offense.’” (Lee 1997, p. 64)
There are two basic types of counterattacks: offensive counterattacks and defensive-offensive counterattacks. We will examine each of these below.
This type of counterattack is an offensive movement that simultaneously defends against your opponent’s attack and attacks your opponent in the midst of his attack. Offensive counterattacks consist primarily of the stop-hit and the stop-kick. The stop-hit is a lead straight punch that you direct at your opponent’s face as he or she is trying to punch you or kick you. The stop-hit defends against your opponent’s attack by disrupting the forward movement of the attack. At the same time it attacks your opponent by striking a vulnerable target area. The stop-hit is a perfect example of the principle of intercepting your opponent’s attack. The following are some examples of the stop-hit applied against specific situations.
- Stop-Hit against Forward Advance: As your opponent begins to step toward you preparing to punch or kick you, you fire a lead straight punch to the face. This effectively halts the forward movement and disrupts your opponent’s intentions.
- Stop-Hit against Lead Punch: As your opponent starts to fire a lead punch toward you, you intercept with a lead straight punch to the face. This disrupts your opponent’s attack and prevents the punch from striking you.
- Stop-Hit against Rear Cross: This time, as your opponent starts to throw a rear cross, you intercept with a lead straight punch to the face. Your opponent is unable to successfully complete the rear cross because you have halted his or her momentum.
- Stop-Hit against Wide Looping Hook Punch: In this situation as your opponent takes a swing with a wide looping punch, you intercept with a lead straight punch to the face. Your punch hits within the circumference of the swing and should, therefore, reach your opponent first. For safety, you can put up your rear hand to parry your opponent’s arm.
- Stop-Hit between Motions: You can also execute a stop-hit in-between your opponent’s motions. For example, suppose your opponent throws a lead punch and follows with a lead hook punch. You can parry or evade the lead punch. Then, as your opponent starts to throw the lead hook punch, you intercept with a lead straight punch to the face.
- Stop-Hit at Opponent’s Feint: If your opponent executes a feint, you can stop-hit it with a lead straight punch to the face as he or she executes the feint. This shuts down any follow-up attack that your opponent intended. The stop-kick operates in a similar way to the stop-hit. You can execute a side kick to your opponent’s body to halt your opponent in the midst of an attack. The following are examples of the stop-kick.
- Stop-Kick against Forward Advance: As your opponent starts to step toward you preparing to kick or punch you, you fire a lead side kick to the front shin. This effectively halts the forward momentum and disrupts your opponent’s intentions.
• Stop-Kick against Straight Punch: As your opponent starts to launch a lead straight punch to your face, you fire a lead side kick to the midsection (see Figure 19-1). This disrupts your opponent’s attack and halts the forward movement. The stop-kick can be executed against the lead punch whether your opponent is in matched lead or unmatched lead.
• Stop-Kick against Rear Cross: This time, as your opponent fires the rear cross, you intercept with a lead side kick to the front shin or to his or her midsection. Be sure that, as you execute the kick, you lean back away from the rear cross. Your kick disrupts your opponent’s punch. In both the stop-hit and the stop-kick, there are certain elements that must work together in order for the conterattack to be effective. These are as follows.
• Timing: This is a critical element, without which you cannot stop-hit or stop-kick successfully. You must launch your punch or kick at the right moment, when your opponent is advancing toward you and is either preparing to attack or starting to attack. If you launch your counterattack too early, your opponent may see it and pause until he or she can resume the attack. In that case your stop-hit or stop-kick will not strike your opponent or disrupt the attack. If you launch your counterattack too late, your punch or kick might be jammed and be ineffectual in stopping your opponent, who will continue to close and strike you.
• Distance: This is another element that is important. When you fire your stop-hit or stop-kick, you must be at a distance where it can actually reach your intended target area, in order to halt your opponent or disrupt the attack. If you are too far from your opponent when you launch your counterattack, it will fall short of the target and fail to stop the attack. However, if you are too close to your opponent when you launch the counterattack, your punch or kick can be jammed and lack the power needed to stop your opponent. Make sure that you use the proper body mechanics behind your punch or kick to help ensure that it has adequate reach.
• Speed: In order for your stop-hit or stop-kick to reach your opponent in time to halt the attack, you must execute your punch or kick with sufficient speed. You should train to minimize the amount of time required for you to react to your opponent’s attack and fully extend your punch or kick. If your speed is too slow, then your stop-hit or stop-kick will not strike before your opponent can close in and attack you.
• Power: You must have sufficient power behind your stop-hit or stop-kick so that your opponent will actually be stopped in mid-attack. If your punch or your kick is weak, your opponent will simply move through it and advance toward you. You can develop power by applying speed and proper body mechanics when you throw your punch or kick.
Defensive-Offensive Counterattacks
The other category of counterattacks is known as defensive-offensive. These counterattacks differ from the strictly offensive counterattacks in that they have a “defensive” element to them. There are four specific types of defensive-offensive counterattacks: (1) evade and counter, (2) parry and counter, (3) jam and counter, and (4) time-hit. We will examine each of these below.
This specific type of counterattack is a two-step process. First, you defend against an opponent’s attack by taking evasive action, such as footwork or body movement and angulation, so that the attack misses. You then follow with your own attack, normally a punch or a kick. The following are examples of this type of counterattack.
- Slip Rear Cross to Rear Shovel Hook: Your opponent faces you in a mismatched lead. As your opponent throws a rear cross, you slip to the outside so that the punch misses and goes over your right shoulder. This puts you off to your opponent’s right side. From there, you execute a rear shovel hook to your opponent’s kidney area.
- Split Entry against Lead Punch to Lead Shovel Hook: Your opponent faces you in an unmatched lead. As he or she throws a lead punch at your face, you step to the right so that the punch misses and goes over your left shoulder. At the same time, you throw a rear cross at your opponent’s face. You follow with a lead shovel hook to your opponent’s kidney area.
- Retreat against Lead Side Kick to Lead Side Kick: Your opponent throws a lead side kick at you, which you evade by stepping back so that it falls short and misses you. As your opponent is in the midst of recovering from the side kick, you follow with a lead side kick to the midsection.
Parry and Counter
In this type of counterattack, you defend against your opponent’s attack by parrying it with one hand. You attack your opponent with your other hand.
For example, suppose that your opponent throws a lead hook punch at your head. You can hold up your rear hand to deflect the punch as your front hand fires a lead straight punch at your opponent’s face. There are three possible timings that can occur. First, you can deflect the hook punch first and then throw the lead straight punch immediately afterwards. Second, you can deflect the hook punch and throw the lead straight punch at the same time. Third, you can hit with the lead straight punch and follow with a deflection of the hook punch.
This type of counterattack requires you to crash into your opponent’s attacking line to prevent him or her from executing an attack. This puts you into close range, where you can follow with your own attack, such as a grappling technique. For instance, as your opponent’s front leg rises in preparation to kick, you suddenly and swiftly move in to smother the kick by lifting your own front leg and placing it against your opponent’s leg. As you do so, you must keep your hands up to protect your high line from any punches. As you step down, you can quickly maneuver to your opponent’s back and execute a rear neck stranglehold. You can also use your front arm to execute a lead forearm smash against the face or chest and bring your opponent down.
Time-Hit
The final type of defensive-offensive counterattack is called the time-hit. As the name suggests, you execute your counterattack at the exact moment when your opponent attacks you. The defensive aspect comes into play because you prevent the attack from landing by deflecting your opponent’s limb. The same technique that you use to deflect the attack simultaneously lands your own attack upon your opponent. You accomplish this by employing a sliding leverage hit, which cuts across your opponent’s attacking tool to keep it from hitting you, while at the same time allowing you to strike your opponent.
For instance, assume that your opponent faces you in unmatched lead. As he or she throws a lead punch at your face, you sidestep slightly to your right and fire a lead finger jab to the face. Your lead arm cuts across your opponent’s lead arm, deflecting the punch away from you. As your lead arm slides over your opponent’s lead arm, your front fingers strike your opponent’s eyes (see Figure 19-2).
Suppose this time that your opponent, again in unmatched lead, throws a rear cross at your face. You step off to your left and fire a rear straight punch to the face. Your rear arm cuts across your opponent’s rear arm, deflecting the rear cross away from you. As your rear arm slides over your opponent’s rear arm, your rear fist strikes your opponent’s face.
Counterattack Drills
There are numerous drills that students of Jeet Kune Do can practice with a partner to strengthen skills in the various ways of counterattacking. These drills are useful for developing a good sense of timing and distance, as well as developing proper body mechanics and an ability to flow from defense to offense. They are practical in that they refine your counterattack ability against some of the more common types of attacks, namely, the jab to cross (one-two), jab to hook (one-three), lead side kick, and hook kicks. The following are examples of some of these drills.
Drills against Jab to Cross
These drills are responses against an opponent who throws a lead jab to your face and follows with a rear cross.
- Catch Jab, Slip Cross with Low Rear Cross: In this drill you first catch, or parry, your opponent’s front-hand jab with your rear hand. Then, as the rear cross is fired, you slip the punch to the outside so that it misses and goes over your left shoulder. As you slip the punch, you throw your own rear cross to your opponent’s midsection.
- Catch Jab, Slip Cross with High Rear Cross: In this situation you first catch, or parry, your opponent’s front-hand jab with your rear hand. Then, as your opponent fires the rear cross, you slip the punch to the outside so that it misses and goes over your left shoulder. As you slip the punch, you throw your own rear cross to your opponent’s face.
- Catch Jab, Lead Hook Punch to Head: You catch, or parry, your opponent’s front-hand jab with your rear hand. As the rear cross is fired, you sidestep to the outside of the punch and throw a lead hook punch to your opponent’s head. The hook punch should go over the rear arm and strike the head. Timing is important here because you want your lead hook punch to land just as your opponent’s rear arm is reaching maximum extension.
- Catch Jab, Lead Uppercut: When your opponent throws the front jab, your rear hand catches or parries it. Then, when your opponent fires the rear cross, you sidestep to the outside and execute a lead uppercut to the chin. Your lead uppercut should go underneath your opponent’s rear arm and up into the chin (see Figure 19-3). You should time the uppercut to strike the chin just as your opponent’s rear arm reaches maximum extension.
• Catch Jab, Sliding Leverage Punch: You catch or parry your opponent’s front hand jab with your rear hand. When your opponent throws the rear cross, you step off to the outside of it and execute a front-hand sliding leverage punch. The punch should slide across your opponent’s rear arm and strike the face.
• Catch Jab, Boang Sao/Backfist: As your opponent fires the front-hand jab, you catch or parry it with your rear hand. When he or she throws the rear cross, your step off to the outside, raising your front arm into a boang sao to deflect the strike. Your rear hand then goes over your front arm to grab your opponent’s rear arm. As you yank the arm, your front hand executes a backfist against your opponent’s face.
Drills against Jab to Lead Hook Punch
These drills train various responses against an opponent who throws a lead jab and follows with a lead hook punch.
- Catch Jab, Duck, and Lead Punch: As your opponent throws the front hand jab, you catch or parry it with your rear hand. When the lead hook punch follows, you duck underneath it. As you are ducking, you fire a lead punch to your opponent’s midsection.
- Catch Jab, Cover, and Lead Punch: When your opponent throws the front hand jab, you catch or parry it with your rear hand. When the lead hook punch follows, your rear hand moves to the side of your head to cover against it. Your front hand fires a lead straight punch to your opponent’s face.
- Catch Jab, Bob and Weave, and Cross, Hook, Cross: Your rear hand catches or parries your opponent’s front hand jab. When your opponent throws the lead hook punch, you bob and weave under it. As you rise up behind the punch, you fire a rear cross, then a lead hook punch, then a rear cross, all to your opponent’s head.
Drills against Lead Side Kick
These drills train your various responses to an opponent who attacks you with a lead side kick.
- Retreat and Return Side Kick: As your opponent fires a lead side kick, you use slide step footwork to retreat so that the kick falls short. You can combine your movement with a downward parry of the kick with either your front or rear hand. As your opponent’s front leg lands, but before he or she recovers completely, you launch your own side kick against the shin, knee, or midsection.
- Parry and Return Side Kick: As your opponent throws the lead side kick, you use either hand to do a downward parry of the kick, as you step off to the side. Then you return your own side kick to your opponent. If you use your front hand, you will parry the kick to your right as you step to your left, then follow with your side kick. If you use your rear hand, you will parry the kick to your left as you step to your right. Then follow with your side kick.
- Parry and Return Hook Kick: When your opponent throws the lead side kick, you can use either hand to parry it. You then follow with the appropriate hook kick to your opponent’s support leg. If you use your front hand, you do a downward parry to your right as you step left. You then counter with a lead hook kick to the support leg. If you use your rear hand, you do a downward parry to your left as you step right. You then follow with a rear hook kick to your opponent’s support leg (see Figure 19-4).
Drills against Lead or Rear Hook Kick
The following drills are useful in developing your counterattacks against an opponent who throws either a lead or a rear hook kick.
• Retreat and Return Hook Kick/Side Kick: When your opponent fires a lead or rear hook kick, you use your footwork to retreat so that it falls short of hitting you. Then you advance to return your own lead hook kick or side kick against your opponent.
• Cover and Return Hook, Cross, Hook: If your opponent fires a lead hook kick to your ribs, your press your rear elbow against it to absorb the kick and protect the ribs. Then you step in and follow with a lead hook punch, rear cross, and lead hook punch to your opponent’s head. If your opponent fires a rear hook kick instead, you press your front elbow against your ribs to protect them. Then you step in and follow with a rear cross, lead hook punch, and rear cross to the head.
• Parry and Return Hook Kick: When your opponent throws a lead hook kick, you can use your front hand to execute a downward parry to your right as you step to your left. Then follow with a lead hook kick to your opponent’s support leg. If your opponent throws a rear hook kick, you can use your rear hand to execute a downward parry to your left as you step right. Then you follow with a rear hook kick to the support leg.
Counterattacking is a sophisticated way of attacking your opponent in the midst of an attack on you. It requires a strong sense of judgment, timing, speed, and accuracy to land your own strike at the vulnerable target area when your opponent is on the offensive. It blends the various offensive and defensive skills that you develop into an effective flow, so that both work together to allow you to accomplish your purpose.
