Let them do two run jabs. If they do a third, chances are they will continue to run jab until they see you release and attempt a knee combo. It is now safe to release block and attempt a ducking LK as they run in for a forth run jab. The best bet is to try and predict when they will run in for a run jab, so say you get knocked down, just hold down and plow through them with an uppercut before the first run jab even happens. It's not 100% safe, make sure you are hold D+B to avoid being thrown out of the uppercut. You can easily escape run jabs with characters who have fast moves with small hit boxes that can use wake up moves: Ermac, Human Smoke, and Scorpion via teleport punch. and even Sub-zero can get out of them with an iceclone, Mileena's roll. Kabal can spin through incoming run jabs, but not if they kara jab, that means, jab and cancel with block. I've been using this for a while but never named it, Lex brought it up to me earlier in the year I believe as well.
Use kara jabs against Kabal constantly and it becomes very frustrating for ground spin dependent Kabal players, you will either throw Kabal, jab snuff the spin, or block, any way you slice it, it works in your favor, and is fool proof because you simply cannot spin through a kara jab based on frame data. The jab sound can happen and nothing will come out and you'll still block. This allow enables you to NEVER leave the ground so no anti air spinning either since Kabal has no teleport moves or any way to get in close other than spin threat. You need to be a really dedicated player to learn that, but remember Kabal STILL has the advantage even with this tactic, NO ROOM FOR ERROR. Prophet hates that shit.
Back to run jabs, you can also try and get out of them with slides, Sonya's bike kick, it's not so much a universal method, but a lot of characters have outs as well. It really depends a lot on the other players ability to run jab. Against someone like me, I throw them out incredibly fast, I see a lot of players do run jabs and pin people down and I'm like "WTF?" because they are so sloooooow with them. Watch for this because it's easy to counter.
The "golden strategy", let them run jab you until the are out of run, so watch their bar, and then they will run jab nothing in front of you and you stick out a ducking LK, then try and go on the offensive.
Sonya and Kung Lao have the best ducking LKs in the game, remember that, you can prevent just about any incoming attack with them as you get up.
In order to truly scout run jabs you have to increase your overall playing ability from casual player to at least competitive player. I have noticed a very large percentage of even competitive players eventually give up run jabbing at only a few and attempt a ground combo expecting you to counter, I however, will run jab you to the wall and then double run jab you and start sucking the life away, playing on an on site reactionary basis, which doesn't work very well online, once I see the slighest flinch I throw out a knee lift and commit to a regular combo, if the knee lift is blocked there is a very small window to then counter another attack, but usually I can get back in and start run jabbing again.
Other methods I use are jab, knee, knee, jab jab, knee knee, just keep mixing it up, it only works with a few characters really and isn't that safe but when you can strike fear into the other player because they know they are always two combos away from losing, it's useful. Bottom line is, you have to commit. If people are hitting you with uppercuts everytime you run jab, your run jabs are too predictable and you need to change it up, instead of running all the way in, predict their uppercut, stop short let the uppercut whiff and counter, or run in straight for a combo. Anticipation plays a part, but don't depend on it. Waiting things out sometimes can work in your favor, but eventually you have to make a move. I have sucked down 90% life from people with double corner run jabs, only to beat them with a single knee lift.
