Shotokan Sparring Stance

[cross]

Hey everyone,

 

This question is for the shotokan guys in particular.

 

http://www.zanshin-shotokan.com.au/gallery/nswdojo/sylvania/pages/karate-006_gif.htm

 

What are the reasons for using this hand position in shotokan sparring?

 

Are there any advantages in using this and not a guard more like a boxer would use that protects the face? Looking at this picture it appears there head is left wide open.

 

Would a shotokan karate-ka use the same hand position in a self-defence situation?

 

Also any other styles who use a different hand position please link to pictures or describe.

 

Thanks.

[wingedsoldier]

i'll post pictures later, but if you want effective hand positions that gaurd your body, i urge you to look into kempo stances. i think jeet kune do also gaurds pretty well. anyway, if those stances were ever seriously used, they wouldn't last too long, i can tell you that now. the time it takes to lift your arm and block will result in a black eye or a broken jaw....

[Keumgang]

I think it's just for looks, really.

 

Why start a sparring session in *deep stance two handed middle block*, if no one attacks you? This position is for countering an attack.

Edited December 7, 2004 by Keumgang

[AngelaG]

Our sparring stance looks nothing like that. We bend our back leg to lower our stance even more (less target area) and we are taught to use one hand to protect our head and one to protect our body. The people in the picture are far too "rooted", they would never be able to move out of the way quickly from there - I suspect it is nothing more than a pose for the photo.

[cross]

Do you have any pictures of your stance AngelaG??

[AngelaG]

Do you have any pictures of your stance AngelaG??

Not online at the moment, but I can do one for you.

[cross]

Not online at the moment, but I can do one for you.

 

If its not 2 much trouble.

[delta1]

Looks like a posed photo op to me. I've fought a couple of Shotokan guys. Trust me, they aren't that open. They are also well drilled in their basics, and hit with a lot of power (which that stance won't generate- but it sure looks pretty! ).

[aefibird]

Looks like a posed photo op to me. I've fought a couple of Shotokan guys. Trust me, they aren't that open. They are also well drilled in their basics, and hit with a lot of power (which that stance won't generate- but it sure looks pretty! ).

 

I agree - it looks like a posed photo to me too. My karate style has a strong Shotokan-base, but we don't fight like that (no, not even in "tippy-tappy" point sparring... ).

 

The stance we generally use at my club sounds similar to the one that Angela described in an earlier post.

[Killer Miller]

Definately a posed photo stance, and a bad one at that for Shotokan standards... It looked like one of those remote location clubs that doesn't get into the big city much for training.

 

However, that stance would normally be used (with good technique that is) after returning from Gyaku-zuki and quickly returning to the stance shown as an aggressive ready sparing stance. You would then punch, sweep, throw your opponent as continuing to move in a forward manner as the aggresser.

 

Moreover, the stance they posed would actually be your normal sparring stance, except a much higher stance for quick mobility. Then you would go into the lower stance technique for the kill - so to speak.

 

There was actually nothing wrong with the posed example except that is was a poor demonstration of technique and the wrong application for what they were posing.

 

- Killer -