Miscellaneous Defense

Rolling With Strikes

"Rolling with the punch", or in a broader sense, rolling with the strike, is a reactive defensive movement that involves moving your body in the same direction as the incoming force at the moment of impact. The goal is not to entirely miss the strike, but to minimize the damage by extending the time over which the impact occurs. Instead of creating a hard, sudden stop (like a car hitting a brick wall), your body acts more like an air mattress—it "gives" to the force. This movement dissipates the punch's energy over a greater distance, preventing a jarring, sudden shock.

"Rolling means nullifying the force of a blow by moving the body with the blow. Against a straight blow, the movement is backward; against hooks, to either side; and against uppercuts, it is backward and

away." Haislet

Anyone that has played a little baseball has probably experienced this concept. Imagine you catch a hardball in your gloved hand. If you catch it firm, with a stiff hand, you feel the full force and it stings your hand. If you catch it and pull your arm gback as it hits your palms, you absorb the force over a longer distance and feel less or no sting. 

I distinguish two types of rolling with strikes. 1) Rolling when hit 2) Rolling with defensive tool

1) Rolling when hit

For example, your guard is down and you are hit directly in the side of your face. However, you manage to turn your head at the same moment of impact, moving with the momentum of the punch.

2) Rolling with defensive tool

Example, you see your opponent throw a hook toward your head, so you cover your head with your arm (use a side cover) and simultaneously roll your torso and neck in the direction of the incoming punch

This technique is a cornerstone of defensive boxing, allowing a fighter to "take" a punch without suffering its full consequences, maintaining balance, and quickly transitioning from defense to offense.

Learn how to ROLL with the PUNCHES in 7 min. and 10 sec.