Fight Stances

[SevenStar]

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?

 

leg blocks will come in time - just make a conscious effort to do them, and eventually it will click. Same thing with keeping your hands up. The issue of concern is parrying - if you are parrying and you are wide open, then your motion is too big. A parry is a very small motion - a slight redirect, not a hard, forceful block. Work on making your technique smaller.

[Chaz]

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

 

lol, I'm sorry I don't know what cloud hands are... I guess the best way I can describe windmills are, fluid circular movements used for blocking and transitions with your arms... What are cloud hands?

[SevenStar]

it's a circling hand motion found in taiji. the purpose of it is to offbalance the opponent, but I know people who circle thehands in a similar manner for distraction purposes.

[Freddy]

i was doing some juu kumite today and i found myself in something like fudodachi most of the time. It just feels very explosive. And my hand theyre all over the place but mostly the standard position.

[markusan]

"

The front leg kicker has one thing going for him, a quicker attack. Trust me, I use my share of front leg kicks, but I mix it up a lot."(Kicks)

 

The front leg kicker has another thing going for him I think. Particularly with a front kick or inside turning kick and that is that the movement starts at the extreme of your opponents peripheral vision. Your opponent sees less of the early stages of the kick than if you were kicking from the back leg. My most effective kick off the front foot is a snap front kick to the chin. I throw it after a couple of deliberately slower mid section thrusting front kicks off the opposite back leg as a setup. But you must do it with relaxed shoulders or else your upper body movement will telegraph the move.

[Freddy]

is there a scientificly ultimate fighting stance?

[Jag-Isshinryu]

I'd doubt it, as every martial arist would be different, as would the art. People tend to adapt stances to suit their height, build, and style.

 

But I suppose there could be a stance said to be more effective than most, from a physics point of view. I personally don't know if such a thing exists.

[markusan]

I like to go back to Myamoto Musashi's book of fiverings, "Make your fighting stance your everyday stance and your everyday stance your fighting stance".

[cross]

I like to go back to Myamoto Musashi's book of fiverings, "Make your fighting stance your everyday stance and your everyday stance your fighting stance".

 

That sounds excillent but, my everyday stance is with my hands hanging at my sides. Its fairly difficult to do much from this position in a fighting situation.

[username9]

I don't use a traditional stance when I spar now - I am quite light on my feet in my stance - weight quite evenly distributed but I have a tendancy to go back to the rear leg for balance. But I like to kick from the back foot a lot.....bizarre - Something I might end up thinking about more now!