You look at the beat, then you feel the energy. In a fight you’re not playing a chess game – you’re setting a pulse. First, map out the action in thirty‑second chunks. The moments that feel like a punch, a block or a twist are the peaks. If you cut too early, the audience will think the hit didn’t land; if you linger too long, the impact wears off. So I keep the cut right after the climax of a move, when the sound hits the screen, and then give the audience a split‑second breath before the next beat. I also watch the actors’ timing; if they need that extra hit to show muscle, I extend. In short, cut at the sound of impact, linger to let the emotion settle, and keep the rhythm tight so the audience can’t predict the next move.