So, you're in an online match, you're at least 50% confident that you know a basic combo or two, you know a bit about your character's frame data, and yet, here you are, getting bodied by someone who seems to predict the future because for some reason, this person blocks your attacks perfectly, and counters at the right moment. Sound familiar? Yeah, I've been there too. Hell, I'm still there sometimes.
But the uncomfortable truth is that you're probably losing not because you don't know enough combos or because your execution isn't clean enough. You might be losing because you've developed bad habits that have become ingrained in your muscle memory, and you don't even realize you're doing them. So let's talk about the five most destructive habits that are tanking your win rate, and more importantly, how to fix them before you decide to hang up your controller.
#1 Jumping Too Much
This is the culprit of a lot of losses in the lower ranks and the difference between vets and newbies in fighting games such as Street Fighter. Players who are new to fighting games tend to jump a lot, mainly because they think that it's a far safer move to cover some distance instead of dashing on the ground where the opponent is on the opposite side. It's wrong.
Jumping is actually a very risky move, especially if you're doing it first, because you're surrendering the ability to block and the ability to control your movement until you land. That's around three-quarters of a second there, where you're sitting duck and in the hands of a higher rank player, that's your death right there.
Good players will anti-air you pretty much all of the time once they realize you're a jumper. Even blocking a jump-in should be considered a failure because that means your neutral game needs work.
How to Fix It
The best way to fix this problem is to force yourself to not jump. Force yourself to approach on the ground using dashes, walk-ins, or projectiles to create openings. Once you're comfortable and ready to break the addiction, reintroduce jumps but gradually and strategically from now on. Jump only when you have a read, but never as your default approach.
#2 Button-Mashing
A lot of players are victims of this, and to be honest, that's because a lot of games today have QTE sequences that feature button-mashing. So, if your gaming experience comes from playing RPGs, you might have a hard time kicking the habit. Telltale games have a lot of QTEs and button mashing; heck, even Dragon Ball Z Kakarot has a lot of button mashing, and virtually any game that needs you to get out of a hold or presents you with urgency to act features button mashing.
I get it. It's a good way to show the gamer that "hey, you're in danger" or "you're on the verge of losing," so you have to repeatedly press a single button to recover, but getting used to this system works against fighting games.
That's because fighting games are very calculative, and it is now to the point where a single button press gone wrong can mean the end of your combo, or give your opponent a chance to take over, which can lead to the end of the match. Fighting games aren't the easiest to get into, and for a game that can be scrutinized by frames, the instinct to button mash is a deadly habit to remove.
How to Fix It
The best way to fix button mashing is to practice parry/block timing in training mode. Yes. The reason is that this way, you'll use one button and single presses only. Relax your hands on the controller and remember that what you need to do there isn't to hold the block button, but to time the blocks whenever a hit comes in. Another good way to kick a button-mashing habit is to practice elevator combos. That means hitting an opponent from the top, middle, and ground and vice versa. Try to hit an opponent once. Repeat the sequence. Then try to hit twice. Repeat the sequence until you can do it naturally.
#3 Never Teching Throws
Now, this is on the more experienced side of things, but to this day, I still have friends who eat every single throw. The truth is that it's really hard to react to throws. You need to know each character's startup throw animations, recognize them in real-time, and react accordingly. That takes time - a lot of it.
Still, teching throws in games like Street Fighter and Tekken is different. In the former, it's a read, while the latter are reactable.
How to Fix It
So, the best way to fix this is to simply get into training mode and pick one situation to start. A lot of practice modes can be modified or adjusted so that your opponent throws only a single move or two. Start with that. Once you can counter throws, try it in an online match. What you need to do here is to recognize the common instances where people usually do throws. Right now, I'd tell you that it's usually after you block a jump-in, during tick throw set-ups (jab, walk forward, then throw), or when you wake up. These are very common instances and easy to look out for, but still vary depending on the match.
#4 Becoming a One-Trick Pony
If you ask me what fighting game would I recommend to a newbie, I'd tell you upfront that Street Fighter 6 is the easiest fighting game to get into. That's because not only are combos made easier to execute, but they're also standardized and listed in character profiles, so you don't even have to think about what combo you're using. You can just select from a list and try what works best for you.
But that also leads to you becoming a one-trick pony. A lot of players that you will meet online will use either the easiest combo to execute or the most popular one they saw on TikTok. If this is you, then you're bound to eventually meet a fighting game savant in either a casual or ranked match, who's going to block and counter your attacks and make it seem like he's reading your mind. Either way, that's not going to be a good ending for you.
How to Fix It
Fixing this one depends on your creativity. As players, we're always going to have our go-to combo because each of us has either a favorite character's move to execute or a combo that we are confident of landing every time. But the best way to fully execute any of these is by learning to hide your intentions in-game. Predictability is death in a fighting game. Don't be so obvious and go to the same set-up moves each time; instead, practice stopping strings early, learn multiple enders, and use different routes even if it leads to the same combo.
#5 Not Learning Frame Data
Look, I know. Frame data sounds like homework. It's like a spreadsheet full of numbers that makes your eyes glaze over. Trust me, I avoided it for the longest time too, thinking I could just "feel" my way through matches. But here's the thing, you're already using frame data whether you realize it or not. You know that jab is faster than a heavy punch, right? That's frame data. You know that blocked dragon punches are punishable? Frame data again.
The problem is that without understanding the basics, you're playing at a real disadvantage against other players who do. It's like trying to play poker without knowing what card suits beat what. Your opponent does a move, you block it, and then... what? What is the right reaction? Do you press which buttons? Or do you wait? But for what?
Without getting at least the basic ideas of frame data, you're just guessing. And it will only ever go one way, losing exchanges.
How to Fix It
Now, you don't need to memorize every single aspect of frame data. Start with these three things:
First, learn what's punishable. As a general rule, if a move looks really strong or has a dramatic effect, it's probably unsafe when blocked. Test it in training mode, block the move, and try to hit them with your fastest button. If it connects, you just learned a punish.
Second, understand what "turns" are. When someone is minus (negative frames), it's your turn to attack. When you're a minus, that's their turn. Most light attacks are plus on hit but minus on block. Most heavy attacks are very minus on block. This knowledge alone will help you know when to hit and when not to.
Third, learn your bread and butter punishers. Find your character's fastest buttons, which are usually around 3-4 frames, your best medium speed punish, and your best biggest damage dealers. Have a toolkit for every situation.
The good thing about frame data is that once you understand it, your knowledge of it applies to every fighting game. The numbers might change, but the concept stays the same. And suddenly that player who seemed psychic just now? They're just playing by the numbers, and now, you can too.
The hard truth is that nobody will ever really give the most definitive answer on how to get better at fighting games. But one thing is for sure, unlearning bad habits is one big boulder lifted off you. Every one of these habits that's holding you back is more than any combo video could help you.
Remember, we all started somewhere. Even the pros had these habits once. The only difference is that they identified them and put in the work to fix them. Now it's your turn.