Boxing stance in karate?

[Mrt333]

A few random comments to add, in no particular order:

a) shorter boxing stance with hands raised is well suited to head-movement / slipping punches, which a lot of 'traditional' martial arts (esp Karate, TKD etc) simply do not cover. Try to hit a boxer and likelihood is they won't block or parry, their head will simply not be there anymore!

b) I'm sure there are lots of 'advanced' techniques that you learn after many years boxing, in much the same way that after a while you realise there's more to karate than flying kicks. I'm particularly impressed by their body movement when at close range - watch closely when a top boxer is against the ropes getting pounded and in a split second will turn the tables on his opponent and reverse the situation. May not be flashy, but its incredibly subtle, very 'advanced' and VERY difficult - give it a go sometime!

c) Sure, a jab may not finish a fight outright, but many a boxer can pretty much take your head off with a jab - so bare knuckle, whilst it might not put you on your backside, it may certainly set them up to finish you shortly after...

Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. Ps I am a Karate guy by the way - not 'sticking up for my own' but I'm sure everyone here agrees that a good boxer can be truly awe-inspiring and most MAs could do worse than going a few rounds with a boxer and picking up a few tricks!

Cheers

Dave

[Andrew_Patton]

shorter boxing stance with hands raised is well suited to head-movement / slipping punches, which a lot of 'traditional' martial arts (esp Karate, TKD etc) simply do not cover. Try to hit a boxer and likelihood is they won't block or parry, their head will simply not be there anymore!

Yes, but the added mobility/slipping abilities are a little hindered due to a smaller base, I believe if your feet are a little wider apart (think naihanchi bunkai stance) you're gonna have to sprawl out of an attempted tackle and/or keep from being thrown from the clinch (an element of "real fighting" many karate-ka forget about (even though the muay thai "plum clinch" is in Pinan/Heian Yodan))

I'm particularly impressed by their body movement when at close range - watch closely when a top boxer is against the ropes getting pounded and in a split second will turn the tables on his opponent and reverse the situation. May not be flashy, but its incredibly subtle, very 'advanced' and VERY difficult - give it a go sometime!

Yes, head movement/body bobbing is a good thing, but to much of it isn't so much, if you lean to far forward/change levels and stay there BAM! knee to the choppers (or uppercut/rising punch), if you lean to far back, you expose yourself to a body lock/bearhug.

Sure, a jab may not finish a fight outright, but many a boxer can pretty much take your head off with a jab - so bare knuckle, whilst it might not put you on your backside, it may certainly set them up to finish you shortly after

That's why I mentioned stiff jabs as being a good thing, I've seen a few KOs from them, and have been on the receiving end of one of those.

[cross]

Yes, but the added mobility/slipping abilities are a little hindered due to a smaller base, I believe if your feet are a little wider apart (think naihanchi bunkai stance) you're gonna have to sprawl out of an attempted tackle and/or keep from being thrown from the clinch (an element of "real fighting" many karate-ka forget about (even though the muay thai "plum clinch" is in Pinan/Heian Yodan))

Depends on the range, mobility is increased by the slightly smaller base at punching at kicking range. Not that you would adopt the same base during clinch or defending a takedown.

Yes, head movement/body bobbing is a good thing, but to much of it isn't so much, if you lean to far forward/change levels and stay there BAM! knee to the choppers (or uppercut/rising punch), if you lean to far back, you expose yourself to a body lock/bearhug.

Like anything, understanding why and how your doing it will prevent these mistakes you mentioned.

[Andrew_Patton]

of course cross, of course, but with either big/powerfull wrestlers or ones that are good at distance shooting, you're gonna have a problem drilling TD defense from a boxing stance, IIRC chuck liddell uses a longer stance than most strikers mainly for this reason, and Chute Boxe fighters work on being lower and more compact when fighting a wrestler, both of those tactics speak volumes when you think about the boxer stance as a whole.

[cross]

of course cross, of course, but with either big/powerfull wrestlers or ones that are good at distance shooting, you're gonna have a problem drilling TD defense from a boxing stance, IIRC chuck liddell uses a longer stance than most strikers mainly for this reason, and Chute Boxe fighters work on being lower and more compact when fighting a wrestler, both of those tactics speak volumes when you think about the boxer stance as a whole.

Depends what we are talking about, sparring and sport training, or self defence. I was talking from a purely self defence perspective.

[Andrew_Patton]

Well, obviously sport and self-defense are different things, but there's been a few times where a bouncer friend of mine has had someone shoot a double leg on him while he was on the job, so it should always be a concern as far as self-defense is concerned. And, to add to that, "tackling" someone is usually a natural response to getting over-whelmed.

As far as sport; point sparring/kickboxing, use whatever works, MMA, typically uses what I listed off in my previous post, and for self-defense, just use whatever's most comfortable for you I suppose

[cross]

just use whatever's most comfortable for you I suppose

Agreed.

The boxing stance provides a good base to work from and puts your hands and body in a position that allows for best use of the bodies reflexive responses and protects your vital targets. Thats why i use and recommend it.