Improving Spacing

[KingofCereal]

After months of playing at a more advanced level, learning and mastering all the advanced techniques, and learning to string some combos together there is one thing that still hangs over my head. My biggest problem is spacing. I think that with Marth especially (I also play DK, probably equally important) good spacing is what separates the pros from the scrubs. So I ask how did all of you practice and develop impeccable spacing?

 

[undyinglight]

You just have to know the characters well and continue to practice alot. Watching pro videos will also help.

 

[balladechina212]

I find that spacing with ground moves is easier to learn at first. Most Marths know the spacing of the fsmash because it's a moved that's used often. Learn to do the same with Marth's tilts and then you can begin to work on your aerial spacing.

 

[AS Money]

Mine was the exact opposite i learned his arials easier than his ground moves i still have a weird time getting tippers on the fsmash my tilts are very well spaced usually though

just develop your own spacing methods

 

[Retroking2000]

for me spacing is observational . i don't have my own spacing methods i keep my focus on the opponent and if the opponent moves slightly to forward i move slightly backwards. just keep receptive to your opponent
but if i am attacking while on aerials i use the cstick you can move back and forth in a jump while attacking forward. But when moving i will and wavedash down to cancel my dash animation to get my required distance for a tipped fsmash

 

[KingofCereal]

I never thought of splitting it up into aerial and ground spacing separately. I'm going to try that and hopefully it'll work.

 

[Cort]

You get a sense of "not getting hit" better and better after playing very good people for extended periods of time.

Atleast, I would hope so. There's really no other super effective way to practice it.

 

[Winged Messiah]

Luckily, my mate helps me out with this. I get him to play a match defensively (VERY DEFENSIVELY, ie. only shield grabbing and punishing, while moving around unpredictably. It works pretty well :D.

 

[goateeguy]

i really don't think it's something to be practiced persay. you can't exactly train for it in any method other than matches. what i do (possibly won't work, i'm a total amateur, wouldn't know much for someone who goes around winning tourneys and practices 4 hours a day and is generally obsessed) is just to think about it while i play, can he hit me, if so, get away, maybe a fair while moving backwards, if not, can i hit him, if so fsmash. that's really all that i do and it seems to work ok unless i get too aggressive.

 

[Winged Messiah]

i really don't think it's something to be practiced persay. you can't exactly train for it in any method other than matches. what i do (possibly won't work, i'm a total amateur, wouldn't know much for someone who goes around winning tourneys and practices 4 hours a day and is generally obsessed) is just to think about it while i play, can he hit me, if so, get away, maybe a fair while moving backwards, if not, can i hit him, if so fsmash. that's really all that i do and it seems to work ok unless i get too aggressive.

Kind of depends on what your idea of practicing spacing is. I agree its pretty much impossible to practice "spacing" (when used as a generic term) other than in actuall matches.

What I mean by practicing is getting a feel for where the tipper lies at the end of Marths sword for practically every move, then making **** sure you always hit with it.

 

[KingofCereal]

Based on what all of you guys are saying it seems that the most important thing is just to keep in mind where you are in relation to your opponent. This is the kind of thing that you can't exactly practice, but it's worthwhile to try. I've only been playing for a few months really. Since this comes over extensive time and practice it'll just kind of come to me over the course of the next few (or more). Thanks for the help, though just the little tips (haha) are useful.

 

[goateeguy]

Kind of depends on what your idea of practicing spacing is. I agree its pretty much impossible to practice "spacing" (when used as a generic term) other than in actuall matches.

What I mean by practicing is getting a feel for where the tipper lies at the end of Marths sword for practically every move, then making **** sure you always hit with it.

yeah, that takes practice. it comes with time. people could (and some do) go on for lines and lines telling the exact pixel locations of the tipper in every conceivable situation, but i say just get a feel for it.

 

[Ryuker]

Spacing also has alot to do with prediction. Besides predicting were your opponent could be when you do the move you need to also be able to somewhat predict what the range of you move will be, the lenght and it's strong parts. I see short flashes of the move in my head or something I think but I think thats not the same for every person. With marth you can somewhat remember the slashes that are shown for his sword but the more accurate you can guess the length and range the better you can see if your spaced wel enough.

After you have learned this you can see that the move your about to do is obviously is going too miss or hit or if you need to move out of range a bit too hit it. Depends on the situation if you actually can though so keep that in mind.

Maybe a idea to practise spacing . Walk behind someone in just the right position that they don't notice you. Atleast you get somewhat of an idea of keeping the right space between you and someone else. Just and idea though I don't know if it will work.