On Handwork...

[Angus]

When sparring i see a lot of people (and the odd blackbelt) dropping their guard. In particular they do not bring their hand back to their guarding position quite quick enough. A lot of people, especially the TKD/Karate/Kungfu students aren't taught that if u have a high guard u don't always have to block, u can just take the hits on your guard. Just watch the boxers - they keep their guards up and take punches on their arms.. It's a good tactic, as long as u can see what you are doing.

 

Just remember, one hit to the head and u can be knocked out - but most blows to the body can be stopped with the leg blocks or can be taken with minimal pain. Keep a high guard and bring back your hands as quickly as possible. Whether it be open or closed handed (or in my case front hand open and back hand closed) a high guard is always best.

 

Angus

 

 

[KickChick]

How often I hear that same response over and over again during sparring. We do tend to guard our middles more (at least I know I do having had some ribs realligned ) and Angus you are on target with your advice ...body blows can be blocked, maybe minimal pain for you! I bring my lead fist up along side my chin and other fist and forearm held tightly guarding my middle. I tend to stagger my position so as there is no direct confrontation to my middle.

 

 

[Jiggy9]

I've also seen alot of people in my Karate dojo who I spar with having quite wide gaurds; wide enough for you to punch straight through.

 

 

[Angus]

A high guard that is as wide as it is high is absolutely useless!!! A high front snap/thrust kick to the head will do the trick nicely against a wide guard. Plant it right on their chin and they're stuffed beyond all recognition.

 

Angus

 

 

[Tobias_Reece]

Hi all

 

If you many karate competitions, you will see that many, if not nearly all of the fighters hold a low guard.

 

From a karate pointo of view, this is because in sparring, the gyaku-zuki (reverse punch) is the key technique.

 

Also many of these ppl with low guards are very quick, and very evasive.

 

I recently changed my guard from a high position to a low jumping-about guard. Its done me wonders!!!

 

But then again, I generally know how my opponents fight, as I coach them. The minute I fight Moobrack, I immediately change my guard to bak high, or else I get kicked in the head with one of his lightning-fast legs!

 

I would suspect in TKD (calling all TKD practitioners to help me here) that guards are kept high because of the kicking. In karate sparring, we generally use of hands to score.

 

C ya

 

 

[SBN Doug]

Hey guys,

 

My guard is probably closest to KickChick's. I usually bob it a little between chest and chin high. This is mainly because I don't spar like a boxer (or kick boxer). In other words, I'm not using only kicks and punches. The kick that comes to me a little too slow gets grabbed, and he's going either down, or up-over-and down. So, I like to keep my guard where I can still grab those strikes to the body.

 

However, if I was not going to use any throws, I would probably adjust to something similar to Angus. Maybe not quite as high as a boxer, but close.

[Jiggy9]

My gaurd actually fluctuates alot, even within a fight...

 

It all depends on who Im fighting, how Im fighting, where Im fighting and my strategy or the general style i'm employing at the time.

 

 

[TKD_McGee]

TKD sparring hardly punches unless it is admitted.. even if you do punch you will get slapped around because the leg is naturally longer than the hand.. thats why TKD is so effective, kicks are deadly..

 

I just use punches to make peoples arms sore so that they will lower their guard.

 

 

[Hapkidodude]

I also keep a high guard. I also keep my hands moving. This is something I picked up while training JKD. By keeping my hands moving I can fire off a technique without telegraphing because the movement is masked. Covering your midsection with a raised knee is also good. You can block a kick with your knee and then fire a counter kick while your knee is still raised. Good points there Angus.

 

 

[Joecooke007]

I keep my guard with my fists both closed and about chin high. this way when you block a technique your other hand is half way through completing a counter.