"In-Fighting" For Combatives

This very brief article was written by my former Instructor, the late Carl Cestari. What follows is advice on how to properly use elbow strikes, as well as what techniques to use for what is referred to these days as "Fighting in the Clinch". The old school boxing term for this was "In-Fighting" which works for me because, well, I'm not exactly young anymore. ;)

“ELBOWS & FISTS”
By: Carl Cestari

My only real input on the various elbow attacks of Muay Thai is to make SURE you CLOSE your hand into a TIGHT FIST when you use these strikes. I believe that in the convulsive adrenaline surge of a real balls to the wall street fight you will DO THIS anyway, you are also PROTECTING your fingers from ANY "expected"(Uncle Murphy) mishap. It really DOESN'T affect the technique. It may seem to reduce speed a bit, BUT remember that POWER is MORE important than "blazing" speed in a STREETFIGHT.

Also it is EASIER to combine brutal punching attacks with follow-up elbow battering if your hands are already CLOSED.

Your up close and personal arsenal should include:
Head butting.
Chin grinding.
Biting.
Spitting.
Dirty clinch tactics.
Elbows.
Knees.
Stomps.