High Low Fighting Strategy for Martial Arts Self-Defense Street Fighting and MMA Advantages and Disadvantages

The high low and low high fighting strategy is an effective self-defense, mma and martial arts strategy for defeating your opponent or attacker. What is this street fighting effective tactic and what are the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating it for self-defense and martial sports...?

What Is The High-Low Low-High Fighting Strategy?

The High-Low Low-High fighting strategy as it pertains to martial arts, street fighting, self-defense and other martial arts sports and martial arts activities is a method in which the fighter attempts to confuse his/her opponent or attacker with attacking combination in which the target areas on the attacker or opponent vary with each single attacking technique from a high target on your opponent or attacker to a low target on your opponent or attacker or from a low target on your attacker to a high target on your attacker.

That Was Long. Can You Give Some Examples of The High-Low Low-High Fighting Strategy?

Of course. Assuming you know what these techniques are, here are some high low or low high combinations. For the purpose of this martial arts and street fighting article we will stick with two attacking technique combinations, though multiple attacking techniques are recommended during a life-threatening self-defense situation, street fight or mixed martial arts event.

Warning: These are general attacking combinations. Some attacking techniques may be illegal in martial arts sporting events. These attacking techniques should only be practiced under the guidance of a qualified martial arts or self-defense instructor:

Front jab to the head – rear-hand body punch to the solar plexus

Front kick to the knee – backfist to the nose

Finger jab to the eye – front roundhouse kick to the groin

Hook kick sweep to the ankle – knife-hand strike to the back of the neck

Getting the idea now? Remember to see my warning above.

What Are The Advantages of The High-Low Low-High Fighting Strategy?

Mma fighters, and martial arts sports practitioners including boxers know the advantages to this classical fighting strategy.

Flexibility – This fighting strategy works with weapons or hand to hand. Even hand to weapon or weapon to hand.

Surprise – Especially if you're in a street fight or self-defense situation and your attacker has not ever seen your fighting style, this could end the street fight or self-defense situation very quickly

Intermediate Use – This fighting strategy does not require advanced training. Once the martial arts student has gained knowledge of attacking techniques, this strategy can be added to his/her repertoire

Simple Techniques – The attacking techniques don't have to be flashy or complicated. It's the combination of the attacking techniques that are designed to confuse your opponent or attacker into moving his/her arms out of a defensive position.

What are The Disadvantages of The High-Low Low-High Fighting Strategy?

The pattern can be ingrained! - I'm guilty of ingraining this in one of my own students many years ago. We were sparring when I realized the high-low and low-high strategy was in almost every attacking combination he initiated. Caution is advised to both martial art instructors and martial arts students.

The pattern can be recognized by your opponent – In a street fight or a self-defense situation this won't be a problem, but if you're an mma fighter or other martial arts sports competitor, your opponents have time to study your fighting style. Even videos may have been made of you while you're competing!

Conclusion

There are several factors to determine how to incorporate this fighting strategy into your martial arts or martial arts sports training. At the very least practice it until you're less likely to be taken in by it whether you're training for self-defense or sporting competition.