To be a good fighter, you must know the principles of stand-up fighting. Basically, it all starts at the feet. You need to know the correct positions. You need to be in top condition to be able to adopt the most efficient and effective fighting stances. These are the positions or stances you need to beat your opponent. By knowing these stances, you will be able to anticipate your opponent’s movement and prepare for their attacks.

“At your feet”

Strictly speaking, standing in the fight requires you to have your elbows tucked in, your chin tucked in, your knees bent, and your front leg forward. You need to make sure to keep your arms close to your body. This will help protect you from your opponent grabbing your arms and taking control of the fight. Always keep your arms close to your body. Don’t let them hang off your sides or your forehead. You need your opponent to work for it. Wait for your opponent to extend his arms to grab you. Inadvertently, this will leave you open to their attack. This is when you take the opportunity to attack him.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent”

General rule of thumb when it comes to wrestling: never look down! Don’t look at the ground. Wherever the head goes, the body follows. You should also avoid looking up because this position exposes your throat. Stand-up fighting requires quick thinking. You need to know how to play with your opponent’s head. A good wrestler is likely to pull his opponent’s head in different directions just to get a reaction from his opponent. Having your head manipulated in this way expresses a fighter’s focus and stability. That is why it is important that you have a strong neck. This is where neck exercises help a lot.

“Saddle your opponent your weight”

Your opponent is your mule when you are inside the ring. You have to let it carry your weight. If you weigh 600 pounds, saddle it up with every pound. Remember that wrestling is about “control wrestling” away from your opponent. You need to be in control to be able to hook it. You have to anticipate his movements to know how to respond. This is how you win against your opponent.