Stances

[ps1]

I think, and hope I'm not the only one, I'm a little confused about what you mean. They use the forward stance for what? I have never studied RyuKyu but find it hard to understand how they could achieve any good movement only utilizing a forward stance. Can you give more detail on what you mean by that?

Sorry for the confusion.

[Fish]

On the .05 volt thing, maybe your sensei is trying to explain Chi in terms of the more modern understanding of the chemical electrical stimuli happening inside the body. Certainly, my sensei does not believe in Chi as a spiritual dimension, but does teach that what the ancient practitioners understood as "Chi" does have a proper foundation in bio-mechanics.

[nine_weapons]

stances are transitional. However, my guess is that since you are a beginner, you are only attacking using the bow and arrow stance. You mentioned the upper ranks do it as well - do they do it while drilling, or when they actually spar?

[Alpacinator1]

That's odd. At my dojo, we are taught 14 stances, and I know most of them even though I'm only 6th kyu.

[Adonis]

"So I was wondering, why is it we only learn the forward fighting stance when attacking with strikes, elbows, knees, and kicks; but use stances such as the crane, horse, and cat stances (and that's all most people in the dojo I attend know, even the black belts) when countering a grapple?"

As was said earlier stances are transitional. Idea for beingeers for stances to learn balance. I.e(Front stance, when your feet are shoulder with a part and one forward and the other in the back) Learning to plant your weight and sit into your rear punch, using the rear foot to push off the ground to give your body momentum and drive for power.

Any way you can look at the crane stance as being a chamber for for your front kick, or bringing it up to crane stance to check, a leg kick.

As for using stances in defense towards grappling.

As what was said earlier grappling is dynamic. There is alot of tranistions going on. Alot of it is based on feel. Putting your self in a good postion "at the time" It can only be learned by feel.

[Adonis]

To be honest though its kind of hard to answer your questions with out training with your and showing you stuff.

It will be better if you bring up your questions to your instructor or senior students at your dojo. Maybe they can better answer your questions since they train with you.