Fight Stances

[karatekid1975]

I totally agree with you odd ball, I mean Kicks LOL.

 

Seriously, in both your posts, you have good info there

[Marshall Hart]

I only know of the "fighting horse" stance used in Goju.

[Kicks]

karatekid1975...

 

Marshall Hart... In you horse stance, are you standing completely sideways to your opponent? If you were to draw a stright line from your rear foot to your opponents body, would it go through your front leg? If so, when you kick you have to kick in a circular pattern to clear the front leg. That gives your opponent time to react and move backwards or in the same direction as your movement.

 

I see that you don't list any styles under your profile. How are you going about learning effective technique that maximizes your biomechanics? I'm not suggesting you can not do this, I'm just curious.

[jarrettmeyer]

SevenStar took the words right out of my mouth, or off my keyboard. You need to square off your stance. Don't stand where your rear leg has to clear (go around) your front leg. The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line, right? So keep the line clear.

 

Kicks, I complete agree with you, but all my seniors at my dojo, sensai included, tell me that I fight too square. In reaction, I move more sideways. You're exactly right, my back foot (and even my reverse punch) has to come all the way around my body to get to the target. It seems to be very inefficient.

 

On the counterargument, many of the people at my dojo will use kicks from the rear (hook heel, roundhouse), and even as the only white belt who spars, I've never been hit with any. It's probably for the same reason: they do the same thing. They also have to go all the way around their body. It's way too telegraphic.

 

Part of it comes from previous boxing experience. I'll square up, and I'm okay with taking a few hits/glancing blows if I can get in and pummel the tar of you. But when sparring, if that first hit lands, it's a point. It's a very different mentality, and I'm still not used to it. It's much more speed and control. Finesse replaces strength. Finesse is not my strong suit.

 

I like your idea of setting up techniques from the rear, though. It makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much. I will definitely have something to work on this weekend.

 

Man I love this!

[SevenStar]

Part of it comes from previous boxing experience. I'll square up, and I'm okay with taking a few hits/glancing blows if I can get in and pummel the tar of you. But when sparring, if that first hit lands, it's a point. It's a very different mentality, and I'm still not used to it. It's much more speed and control. Finesse replaces strength. Finesse is not my strong suit.

 

that was the very reason I hated point sparring. I had been sparring full contact initially, so the transition to point sparring was odd for me. completely different mentality.

 

[Chaz]

that's probably a stance issue. do you stand fully sideways, or are you more squared up to your opponent? Also, the rear roundhouse kick is best used when it is set up by something - punches work well. I wouldn't advise just throwing it by itself unless you have a very fast one.

 

I agree. You could also use windmills (if that corresponds with your art) this is a good distraction technique as well as a good way to be constantly prepared with your hands ready for defense if necessary.

[Jag-Isshinryu]

Well, we sparred tonight. I've got a lot of practicing to do.

 

If we'd been counting points, I would have beaten one of our sensei and another kyu, but I got owned by the other blackbelts, a brown, and green (small class).

 

I spoke with one of the blackbelts after. He pointed out that I spent a lot of time trying to block low kicks with my low block instead of a leg block. Uh, oops? I also left my head open alot, trying to parry strikes. Stupid mistakes, really.

 

Does anyone know any good drills I can perform solo for protecting the head and blocking low kicks, aside from our basics?

[Kicks]

Does anyone know any good drills I can perform solo for protecting the head and blocking low kicks

 

I used to shadow box, but I always got beat.

[jarrettmeyer]

that was the very reason I hated point sparring. I had been sparring full contact initially, so the transition to point sparring was odd for me. completely different mentality.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love point sparring and full contact sparring. But I make no connection between point sparring and self-defense/fighting. As my sensai says every time we practice, "Sparring is sport. Point sparring is a game. I can hit you with a clean, controlled technique before you can hit me."

 

That's why I'm glad that I'm at a dojo where (eventually) I'll get to do both. Anyone is allowed to point spar - kyu and dan grades. Only the black belts do the full contact stuff.

[SevenStar]

that's probably a stance issue. do you stand fully sideways, or are you more squared up to your opponent? Also, the rear roundhouse kick is best used when it is set up by something - punches work well. I wouldn't advise just throwing it by itself unless you have a very fast one.

 

I agree. You could also use windmills (if that corresponds with your art) this is a good distraction technique as well as a good way to be constantly prepared with your hands ready for defense if necessary.

 

windmills.... are those similar to cloud hands?