Writer's Guide to Hand-to-Hand Fighting: Styles, Strikes, and Pacing
- Jake Zuurbier
- Feb 25
- 14 min read
Writer's Guide: Hand-to-Hand Fighting
A series by Jake Zuurbier
Writing a realistic fight scene can feel as daunting as stepping into the ring yourself. But don't worry—this writer's guide will help you create dynamic, believable, and impactful hand-to-hand fighting scenes. Whether your characters are brawlers in a bar fight, disciplined martial artists, or streetwise scrappers, here's everything you need to know to bring their conflicts to life.
Contents
Fight Styles and Their Flavors
Different martial arts and fighting styles bring distinct flavors to a fight scene. By choosing a specific style, you can highlight a character’s personality, background, and approach to conflict. Let’s delve deeper into a few common styles.
Boxing
Boxing is all about quick footwork, precise punches, and the ability to take hits while staying mobile. A boxer’s stance is tight, with their fists guarding their face and body. Common moves include jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and crosses.
Strengths: Boxers excel in close to mid-range combat, relying on high-speed punches to overwhelm their opponent. Their footwork allows them to evade attacks and set up counter-strikes.
Weaknesses: Boxing is limited to punches, making it less effective against kicks or grappling techniques.
Best For: Characters who are scrappy, determined, and used to fighting in controlled environments like rings or arenas.
Karate
Karate emphasizes discipline, precision, and quick strikes. Practitioners use punches, knife-hand strikes, and high kicks. Their movements are often deliberate, combining offense with defense.
Strengths: Karate fighters excel at targeting vital points with clean, powerful strikes. Their training often includes breaking boards or bricks, showcasing the force they can generate.
Weaknesses: Karate can be rigid compared to more fluid styles, making it predictable in certain scenarios.
Best For: Characters with formal training, a disciplined demeanor, or a desire to fight with honor and control.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
BJJ is a grappling-based martial art focused on submissions and controlling the opponent on the ground. Practitioners use joint locks, chokes, and sweeps to neutralize threats.
Strengths: BJJ is ideal for one-on-one combat, especially against larger opponents. It allows a smaller fighter to level the playing field through leverage and technique.
Weaknesses: Grappling leaves the fighter vulnerable in multi-opponent scenarios or against long-range strikes.
Best For: Characters who are tactical, patient, and prefer to avoid unnecessary violence.
Muay Thai
Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs,” Muay Thai utilizes punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. Fighters often use the clinch to control their opponent and deliver devastating blows.
Strengths: Muay Thai is brutally effective at close range. The variety of strikes makes it versatile and dangerous.
Weaknesses: Fighters can struggle to defend against grappling techniques if taken to the ground.
Best For: Savage, relentless characters who thrive in high-intensity situations.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a hybrid fighting style that incorporates punches and kicks, blending elements of traditional martial arts with modern striking techniques. Fighters often rely on high-energy movements, combining their hands and legs to overwhelm opponents.
Strengths: Kickboxing provides a balance of power and speed. Fighters excel at mid-range combat, using combinations of punches and kicks to keep opponents on the defensive. The ability to use legs for both striking and blocking adds versatility.
Weaknesses: Kickboxers can struggle against skilled grapplers or those who fight at extreme close range. The focus on striking leaves them vulnerable if taken to the ground.
Best For: Characters who are agile, adaptable, and used to high-intensity environments like competitive rings or street fights.
Inexperienced Fighting (No Training at All)
An untrained fighter relies on instinct, adrenaline, and whatever they’ve learned from experience or observation. This style is messy, chaotic, and unpredictable, often involving wild swings, improvised weapons, and survival-driven tactics.
For an inexperienced fighter, the setting plays a significant role. A bar brawl, for instance, might involve a character grabbing bottles or chairs to defend themselves. The fight becomes as much about survival as it is about overpowering the opponent.
Strengths: Untrained fighters are unpredictable, making it harder for skilled opponents to anticipate their moves. They often use dirty tactics like hair-pulling, biting, or eye-gouging to gain an edge.
Weaknesses: Lack of technique means their strikes are inefficient, leaving them vulnerable to counters. They may tire quickly or injure themselves while fighting.
Best For: Characters who are desperate, caught off guard, or lack the resources or time for formal training.
Strength-Based Fighting (No Training but Plenty of Muscle)
A character who has no formal training but compensates with brute strength fights like a human wrecking ball. Their style relies on raw power, heavy strikes, and the ability to absorb damage. They often dominate through sheer force, overwhelming opponents with aggressive attacks. A strength-based fighter might grab an opponent and slam them into the ground, throw heavy punches, or use their body weight to pin someone down. The focus of these scenes should be on raw impact and brute force rather than finesse or strategy.
Strengths: Their sheer physical power allows them to land devastating blows, grapple effectively, and intimidate opponents. They’re often difficult to take down, able to shrug off lighter strikes.
Weaknesses: Lack of technique means they waste energy and are less efficient. Skilled opponents can outmaneuver or exploit their lack of precision. They may struggle against faster, more agile fighters.
Best For: Characters who are naturally strong or have backgrounds in physical labor, bodybuilding, or sports like football.
Understand the Stakes
Stakes are the emotional and narrative foundation of any fight scene. Without stakes, even the most technically impressive combat can feel hollow and unengaging. Stakes answer the crucial question: Why does this fight matter?
What Are Stakes?
Stakes represent what a character stands to lose or gain during a fight. They can be tangible, like survival, protection, or achieving a specific goal, or intangible, like pride, love, or honor. Stakes provide the reason behind the confrontation and shape how the fight unfolds.
Why Stakes Are Important
They Add Emotional Weight
Readers connect to characters through their motivations and struggles. If your protagonist is fighting for their life, to protect someone they love, or to overcome a personal demon, the fight carries emotional resonance. Without stakes, the action can feel like meaningless choreography.
They Drive the Action
Stakes influence how characters behave in the fight. A character defending a loved one might fight recklessly, while someone battling to prove their worth might focus on precision and restraint. The stakes shape the pacing, style, and intensity of the scene.
They Create Tension
Knowing what’s on the line keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The higher the stakes, the greater the tension. A fight where the character might lose their life feels drastically different from one where losing means minor embarrassment.
They Define Victory or Defeat
The outcome of a fight only matters if the stakes are clear. If losing means death or failure of a critical mission, the resolution has a significant impact on the story. Without stakes, winning or losing becomes inconsequential.
Examples of Stakes in Fight Scenes
Survival: The character is fighting for their life against an opponent or dangerous creature.
Protection: They’re defending someone else, such as a loved one or an innocent bystander.
Retribution: The fight is fueled by a desire for revenge or justice.
Pride or Reputation: A character might fight to prove themselves or maintain their honor.
Escape: The stakes are about getting away from a threat rather than defeating it.
Advancement: Winning the fight is key to achieving a goal, such as progressing in a tournament or accessing crucial information.
How to Incorporate Stakes Effectively
Make Them Personal: The more the stakes matter to the character, the more they’ll matter to the reader. Tie the stakes to the character’s backstory, goals, or relationships
Raise the Stakes Gradually: Start with smaller consequences and build toward high-stakes confrontations as the story progresses.
Show the Risk: Highlight what’s at stake before and during the fight. Use dialogue, internal thoughts, or situational context to remind readers why the fight matters.
Strike Zones and Their Effects
Understanding anatomy helps you write realistic and impactful strikes. Where your character lands a hit determines the damage and the opponent’s reaction. Here’s a breakdown of key strike zones:
Head
Temple: A strike to the temple can cause disorientation, dizziness, or even unconsciousness due to its proximity to the brain.
Jaw: A well-placed hit can lead to a knockout by jolting the brain. Fighters often aim for the "button" on the side of the jaw.
Nose: Breaking the nose causes intense pain, impaired breathing, and blurred vision due to tears.
Side of the Head: Strikes here can cause concussions or a loss of balance, making the opponent vulnerable.
Torso
Solar Plexus: Located just below the sternum, a punch here can knock the wind out of an opponent, leaving them gasping for air.
Liver (Right Side): A liver shot is excruciating and can incapacitate someone almost instantly. The pain is sharp and overwhelming.
Ribs: A strike to the ribs can fracture or break them, making it difficult for the opponent to breathe or move.
Kidneys (Lower Back): Kidney shots are agonizing and can cause long-term damage. These strikes are often illegal in professional fights.
Limbs
Thigh (Outside): Low kicks to the thigh can deaden the leg, reducing mobility and balance.
Knees: A direct hit to the knee can hyperextend or dislocate it, effectively incapacitating the opponent.
Arms: Strikes to the forearm or biceps can numb the limb, making it difficult to block or counter.
How to Pace a Fight Scene
Fight scenes are a blend of strategy, emotion, and physicality. To keep readers engaged, try to maintain a rhythm that mirrors the intensity of the fight.
Use Short Sentences
Short, punchy sentences reflect the fast pace of combat. They create a sense of urgency and make the reader feel like they’re in the moment. For example:
He ducked. The fist sailed over his head. He twisted and drove his elbow into the ribs.
Break Up the Action
Interweave action with thoughts, dialogue, or sensory details. This adds depth to the scene and keeps it from becoming monotonous. For instance:
She’d only learned this move last week. If it didn’t work now, it never would. Her fist shot out, colliding with his jaw.
Show the Aftermath
Every punch has consequences. Show the fatigue, pain, and injuries that accumulate during the fight. Even the victor should feel the strain, whether it’s a bruised knuckle or a shaken resolve.
How Long Should a Fight Scene Be?
The length of your fight scene should depend on the purpose it serves in the story. A good fight scene balances tension, action, and pacing without overstaying its welcome. Here’s how to gauge the appropriate length:
Short Fight Scenes (1-3 paragraphs)
These are quick, decisive encounters. They work best for scenes where the fight is not the central focus but rather a stepping stone to the next plot point. For example, a character might need to fend off an attacker in an alley or win a skirmish to reach their goal.
When to Use:
To show a character’s skill or quick thinking.
As a sudden burst of action in an otherwise slow scene.
When the stakes are relatively low.
Moderate Fight Scenes (1-2 pages)
A fight of this length allows for more detail, strategy, and emotional weight. These are ideal for one-on-one duels, confrontations with personal stakes, or moments when the fight itself is a turning point in the narrative.
When to Use:
To showcase a character’s growth, style, or vulnerabilities.
To create tension and keep readers on the edge of their seats.
When the outcome directly impacts the plot or relationships.
Extended Fight Scenes (3+ pages)
Longer fights are best reserved for climactic moments or large-scale battles where multiple characters and elements come into play. These scenes should ebb and flow, with pauses for strategy, dialogue, or emotional beats to keep readers engaged.
When to Use:
For final showdowns or boss fights.
When multiple characters or complex choreography is involved.
To emphasize the stakes or gravity of the conflict.
Tips for Managing Length:
Avoid Overwriting: Even in a long scene, don’t describe every punch or kick. Focus on the most impactful moments.
Pace with Purpose: Use shorter sentences for fast action and longer ones for moments of reflection or strategy.
Keep It Varied: Break up the fight with internal monologue, dialogue, or environmental details.
Know When to Stop: End the fight as soon as the outcome is clear or the tension resolves. Dragging it out can dilute the impact.
Tactics and Dirty Fighting
Not every fight is an elegant display of martial arts skill. For many characters, especially inexperienced ones, the focus isn’t on form or finesse—it’s on survival. Dirty fighting, improvisation, and quick thinking often become their best weapons. Even experienced fighters may resort to dirty tactics when the stakes are high, or the odds are stacked against them.
Dirty Fighting for Inexperienced Characters
Inexperienced fighters rely on instinct and whatever advantages they can find. Without training to guide them, their movements are often chaotic but unpredictable. Here are some common tactics for characters who lack formal fighting skills:
Eye Gouging: A desperate move that temporarily blinds the opponent and creates an opportunity to escape or strike. It’s brutal but effective.
Groin Strikes: Universally incapacitating, a groin strike can end a fight instantly. It’s often used as a last resort or when an opponent is physically stronger.
Hair Pulling: Particularly effective in close quarters, grabbing and yanking an opponent’s hair can give your character control over their movement and create openings for other attacks.
Scratching and Clawing: Not pretty, but digging nails into someone’s face, arms, or neck can cause pain and panic, giving the fighter an edge.
Biting: When grappling or pinned, a bite can be a vicious but effective way to force an opponent to release their hold.
Improvised Weapons: Grabbing whatever’s at hand—chairs, bottles, keys, rocks, or even dirt—turns the environment into a weapon. A smashed bottle, for instance, can be used to slash or threaten.
Tactics for Experienced Fighters
For characters with training, dirty tactics might feel beneath them—until the situation calls for it. Even the most disciplined fighter may need to fight dirty if they’re outnumbered, injured, or facing an opponent who doesn’t play fair. Here’s how experienced fighters might incorporate these methods:
Targeting Weak Points: A trained fighter knows exactly where to strike to disable their opponent quickly. This includes vulnerable areas like the eyes, throat, knees, or solar plexus.
Faking an Attack: Feints and misdirection can confuse an opponent and create openings for devastating strikes.
Using the Environment: Experienced fighters are adept at incorporating their surroundings, such as shoving an opponent into a wall, using furniture for leverage, or maneuvering them into tight spaces.
Quick Finishes: An experienced fighter might use dirty tactics to end a fight swiftly, such as a swift knee to the groin or an elbow to the temple.
Writing Dirty Fighting in Scenes
Show the Character’s Mindset: Dirty fighting is born out of desperation or a lack of options. For inexperienced characters, describe their panic or determination as they claw for survival. For trained fighters, show the calculated choice to use less-than-honorable moves.
Highlight the Environment: Use the setting to your advantage. A bar fight might involve smashing bottles, while a forest scuffle might include throwing dirt or using branches.
Balance Realism with Stakes: Dirty fighting often feels more visceral and raw than technical combat. Make sure the moves have realistic consequences, whether it’s a stunned opponent, a momentary opening, or the moral weight of fighting dirty.
Dirty fighting is messy, chaotic, and far from honorable, but that’s what makes it compelling to read. It reveals who your characters truly are when survival is on the line and there’s no time to think twice.
Mistakes to Avoid
Even a well-written fight scene can fall flat if you make these common mistakes:
Overcomplicating Moves
Stick to simple, clear descriptions. Overly technical details can confuse readers and slow down the pacing.
Ignoring Physics
Keep the action believable. A single punch won’t send someone flying across the room unless they’re superhuman.
Skipping Recovery
Fights take a toll. Show your character’s pain, exhaustion, and the time it takes to recover. This adds realism and stakes.
Neglecting the Setting
The environment can shape the fight. A brawl in a cramped alley will look and feel very different from one in an open field. Use the setting to your advantage.
Forgetting Fights Are Short
Unplanned fights usually don’t last long. They’re over in seconds or minutes because fighting burns a lot of energy. Unless it’s a formal match or staged battle, most characters will tire quickly, especially if they’re inexperienced.
Overlooking Emotional Weight
Fights aren’t just physical; they’re emotional. What’s driving the characters? Fear? Anger? Desperation? Using these emotions in the scene adds depth and makes it more engaging.
Making Everyone an Expert
Not every character is a trained fighter. Show their limitations realistically. An inexperienced character might throw sloppy punches or hesitate before engaging, while someone relying on brute strength might lack finesse but hit hard. This contrast adds variety and realism to your scenes.
Research Resources
No matter how imaginative you are, good research is incredibly important for writing realistic and engaging fight scenes. It helps you write with confidence, so that your readers are immersed in the action rather than distracted by inaccuracies. Luckily, you don’t have to become a black belt or a prizefighter to write a convincing fight scene, you just need the right resources and a willingness to learn.
Watch YouTube Videos
YouTube is a goldmine of fight choreography, martial arts demonstrations, and sparring matches. Watching real fighters in action can help you understand how moves look, flow, and impact an opponent. Here are some recommended channels:
Fight SCIENCE: Breaks down the mechanics of various martial arts and combat techniques.
Martial Club: Showcases martial arts techniques and cinematic fight choreography.
BJJ Fanatics: Focuses on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques and grappling tutorials.
Fight Commentary Breakdowns: Analyzes real fights and offers insights into different fighting styles.
Take a Class or Workshop
If you want firsthand experience, consider signing up for a self-defense class or a beginner's course in a martial art like boxing, karate, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Experiencing the basics of movement, balance, and technique will give you an invaluable perspective that’s hard to get through observation alone.
Read Martial Arts Manuals and Memoirs
Books and guides written by martial artists or professional fighters can provide detailed insights into the mindset, strategy, and physical demands of combat. Some good reads include:
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi (a classic text on martial strategy).
Mastering the Art of War by Liang Zhuge (great for tactical thinking).
Modern training manuals for specific styles, such as boxing or Muay Thai, which often include diagrams and explanations of techniques.
Watch Movies and TV Shows
Pay attention to well-choreographed fight scenes in action movies or shows. Analyze how they combine techniques, storytelling, and pacing. Be critical, though, not all cinematic fights are realistic. Good examples include:
The Raid series for brutal, realistic choreography.
John Wick for a mix of gunplay and hand-to-hand combat.
Ip Man for beautifully executed martial arts sequences.
Talk to Experts
If you have access to martial artists, trainers, or fighters, consider interviewing them. They can share firsthand knowledge of techniques, strategies, and the mental and physical toll of combat.
Experiment Yourself
Shadowboxing or practicing basic moves at home can help you understand the mechanics of strikes, blocks, and footwork. Even mimicking movements you see in videos can give you a better feel for how they might work in a fight.
Fight Scene Checklist
Before finalizing your scene, run through this checklist:
Motivation: Does the fight have a clear purpose?
Style: Are the techniques consistent with the character’s background?
Environment: Is the setting influencing the fight in a believable way?
Targets: Are the strikes appropriate for the character’s intent?
Pacing: Does the scene flow smoothly and maintain reader engagement?
Consequences: Are the aftermath and emotional impact of the fight addressed?
With this guide, you’ll have all the tools you need to write fight scenes that leave readers breathless. Remember, every punch, kick, and grapple tells a story. Make sure yours hits with precision and purpose.
Jake Zuurbier, born in 2002, is a writer with a broad background. With a degree in both Business and Management, his work in writing is combined with a business in books & home decor and multiple forms of other output like art pieces or meditations. He also started Bluecliffe, an old money x streetwear clothing store. He has worked jobs in retail and horeca, ranging from working kitchen in a hotel-restaurant to refugee center work.
In his free time, he is just as occupied. Photography, weight lifting, kickboxing, cooking and reading are amongst his hobbies. Most of the art in his books (and some pieces on this site) are made by himself.
To learn more, or get in contact, visit www.apolloimperium.com/jakezuurbier
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