the TaeKwonDo walking stance for blocking while stationary

[50grandmaster]

In accordance with TaeKwonDo, for training practice and/or actual combat, does any person know if it is allowed to block while stationary and squarely to the front with either the left or right forearm and hand by standing in the walking stance? The walking stance has both feet and legs pointed squarely and directly to the front?

[frightmaster]

I would not say NEVER do that. It would depend on when/how the attack occurs. It could come from no where and boom your in a walking stance and you block an attacker.

With that being said, agter an attack occured, why would you be in a FRONT STANCE? Your more of a target. You can do ANY blocks in a back stance or fighting stance and have a slim profile to an attacker.

[karatekid1975]

Don't think of walking stance. Think more in the lines of a "natural stance." I had to get used to the walking stance since I came from TSD (where there is no such thing). But once I thought of it this way, it came easy. You can do any block, strike, ect from this stance.

[50grandmaster]

Don't think of walking stance. Think more in the lines of a "natural stance." I had to get used to the walking stance since I came from TSD (where there is no such thing). But once I thought of it this way, it came easy. You can do any block, strike, ect from this stance.

For a real fight and/or training practice, you mean from the TaeKwonDo walking stance while I am momentarily standing still and while I look at an opponent directly and squarely in front of me, I can do any basic TaeKwonDo hand and forearm block with either my left or right hand and forearm for a punch or kick that is aiming anywhere to the front of my body?

[karatekid1975]

Yep, just be open-minded. Once you figure out how it works, go with it. You don't have to "always" be in that "square" stance. Move a bit, figure out what works for you. But you have to take what you learn and fly with it. Play around a bit. If you do stay in that square stance, it may help you or hurt you. It depends on you. It's self discovery. It's up to you.

[Dont call me Sir]

In a real street fight situation you won't have the time to think about what stance you're in, and even if you did, why would you want to drop into any particular stance anyway?

Another thing to consider is that action will always be faster than re-action. If you could block a striking technique, from an aggressive opponent, in a real street fight, all you will be doing is allowing the aggressor to have another opportunity to strike you again.

There are two types of street fight:

• The 'Interview'; where there will be some kind of 'look' and/or an exchange of words and posturing (puffing of the chest (balooning), arms splayed with fingers beckoning, frowning, mono-syllabic speech, etc). All these are a pre-cursor to a physical confrontation.
   
  
• The 'Ambush'; where you are taken completely be suprise with, say, a sucker punch or walking round a corner and meeting a fist or baseball bat. Cover/parry, then committed counter attack (Go feotal = Go fatal).
  

In an Interview situation it's beneficial to control distance by using a passive stance, such as the 'Fence' (Geoff Thompson). Use verbal disuasion/de-escalation skills to prevent a physical confrontation. However, as soon as it becomes apparent that the aggressor is going to harm you, regardless of your best efforts to prevent a fight, then you will have to act pre-emptively. Hit first, hit hard.

In an Ambush situation blocking isn't going to work, and never will, I can pretty much guarantee that. The only thing that will work is covering and parrying with fast foot work and a committed forward drive. The forward drive should then transition into a full on, fully committed attack.

I have been in 100's of physical confrontations, and I've seen even more, and I have yet to see a formal block performed in a formal stance, that worked. You've only got to watch two students sparring and you won't see a single formal stance or block, and yet sparring is a million miles away from a real fight.

I teach my students to cover and parry, using Rodney 'Chico' King's "Crazy Monkey" cover. I then teach my students to drive forward and transition into an aggressive attack.

DCMS.

[aefibird]

Just remember that a "stance" is a postition of body at any given moment in time - it is not stationary or static and shpuld not be thought of as such. Moving around in stances should be natural, comfortable and as easy as just walking.

[Dont call me Sir]

Just remember that a "stance" is a postition of body at any given moment in time...

Good point.

When I refer to 'stances' I mean Formal Stances, such as Walking Stance, 'L' Stance, Sitting Stance, etc, where a conscious and deliberate effort is required.

DCMS.