sparring stances... to bounce or to not bounce

[Harkon72]

They Key is to relax, don't force it; the more tense you are, the more tired you get. Use your energy wisely

[student_karateka]

They Key is to relax, don't force it; the more tense you are, the more tired you get. Use your energy wisely

I keep having to remember to relax, pace myself. Kind of like how when I drive a car, I often have to remember to relax my grip on the wheel and to relax my shoulders. Being relaxed also improves speed, I've noticed. When I watch baseball, I see the infielders relaxed until the moment the pitch is thrown at which time they get into their ready stance. It seems to be a general principle applicable to all things related to physical activity.

[Harkon72]

It's all about timing; just watch a professional soccer goalkeeper; when there is no threat to his goal, he is totally relaxed, he can see the ball but all he gives is advice and help to his defense. When the ball is crossed from a corner; he is fluid and relaxed even when he jumps to receive it; this way he meets it with force and even if he gets clattered by an opponent; he is left uninjured. Remember that a guy can get hit at 40m/h by a car if he's drunk and has a relaxed body he will walk away uninjured; but if he's sober and frightened on impact, he can be so tense that he won't survive. By the way, I don't advocate getting drunk to cross the road

[student_karateka]

Great example.

Now to practice, practice, practice!

Thanks all for their contributions!

[FullPotentialMA]

In my humble opinion, bouncing is a misinterpreted term. Traditional Okinawan karate (as well as many Chinese martial arts) teach a method of staying "live". i.e., not flat footed, by constantly transferring weight and intention from leg to leg. In more modern karate, especially in sports karate, this takes the form of physical bouncing. As several other contributors mentioned, in a street fight, physical bouncing is very dangerous, as it opens you up to sweeps, and also makes you able to strike with force only when your feet are firmly on the ground. So -- bounce in karate? "yes", but only internally, not externally.

[student_karateka]

What do you mean by transferring intention from leg to leg?

[bushido_man96]

What do you mean by transferring intention from leg to leg?

This is just my interpretation, but it may have something to do with shifting weight from the front leg to the back leg, and back to front. I think this can be good or bad. If the opponent can see what leg you have weight loaded on, then they will know which leg you are going to kick with. But, if you move while fighitng, I think some of this is going to happen, anyway. The key is learning to use your footwork to disguise or set things up for you.

[bushido_man96]

First does your dojo even allow sweeps?

Sweeps change a lot of things. Stance, Guard, movement.

I believe this. I've never been part of a school that did allow sweeps, and I always wish that I have been. I think there is a strategy that goes into it all its own, and would love to see how it would change the dynamic of the sparring we do.

[student_karateka]

What do you mean by transferring intention from leg to leg?

This is just my interpretation, but it may have something to do with shifting weight from the front leg to the back leg, and back to front. I think this can be good or bad. If the opponent can see what leg you have weight loaded on, then they will know which leg you are going to kick with. But, if you move while fighitng, I think some of this is going to happen, anyway. The key is learning to use your footwork to disguise or set things up for you.

On a different subject related to sparring ...

When I spar where should I be looking?

One person told me to look at the chin or a bit below so that the opponent's body is within range for his whole body to be seen even if only in the peripheral view. At a different dojo they said always look in the eyes for it might telegraph what they are going to try to hit next. At a Kung fu school I was told to look at the hips and definitely not the eyes. What I usually do nowadays is focus on their chest or chin so I can get a pretty good view of their whole body.

[bushido_man96]

I go with the chest/abdomen area.