Guard when sparring?

[mazzybear]

I attented a kumite competition at the weekend. My first fight was with a woman who is famous for her hook kick, so my plan was to nulify that and try get her on the counter. The first part of my plan worked, I managed to completely eliminate her hook kick, but she caught me a few times on my blind side with her round kick, which reached right round my back. She was a good 6-7 inches taller than me, so my counter was falling quite short. I'm 5'7" so not exactly tiny, but compared to her 6' odds I was. Anyway she won pretty convincingly. One of the Instructors from another club pulled me aside and told me my guard was too high, which I do have a high guard, our whole club does beacause we tend not to go in for the tippy-tappy point stuff, we spar pretty full on, so protecting our face is second nature, hands up but elbows down to protect our ribs. He told me to keep my hands down low and slightly extended, so I tried this in my second fight with a woman more my own size. I felt SO exposed and she caught me twice on the face and I felt my attacks were slow due to to the low level of my hands. So I guess my question is this....... Where is your guard when sparring? Do you go in for the trademark karate low guard or do you prefer a high guard like boxers or MMA fighters? And what are the pros and cons in your opinion of each?

Mo.

[Wado Heretic]

To translate his advice; I suspect he was telling you that you need to be more threatening. The issue with a high, and tight guard, is that it is not very threatening and can allow your opponent to dictate the Miai of the fight. Especially when one has the addition of kicks. A lower guard which is further out, can better intercept kicks, but also allows better movement into an opponents openings. Less distance to travel after all. The best way to think about it is like in Sumo; when your opponent advances, you have to advance. When your opponent retreats you have to advance.

So a danger with a high guard is a lack of immediate threat, especially if it is held close to the chin, and can also lead to a slowness to react to kicks in that it can be difficult to intercept kicks. Also, a high guard can lead to naturally squaring the body up and exposing the center line. Depending on the rules this can be an issue or not. However, it does protect the head, and if one is good with their elbows, and with their feet, it does allow one to move swiftly and quickly towards the opponent and force them into a punch out.

A low guard, which is further out, is more threatening, and more readily adapted to defending the center line, and attacks moving from south to north such as kicks, or tackle attempts. Also, it can more readily prevent an opponent getting close to go for a clinch, or trying to get inside to attempt in-fighting. A disadvantage though, if you are not naturally inclined to attack or counter-punching, is that you do put yourself at greater risk of eating a punch or two. Also, you might find yourself moving your guard up and down a lot, if you favor a low guard.

I cannot really answer the question as I never bother with a guard. I have several different kamae I make use of, but I go with what ever my foe is projecting at me. I try to observe their musculature and the posture they adopt, and from there I will figure out how I should protect myself.

Over all, your strategy was sound; you just had the misfortune of fighting a fighter who was good at kicking and who's height advantage meant she was going to dictate the range from the start. All I would say is always stick to how you have trained when it comes to competition; the worst that can happen is that you will lose.

[sensei8]

Where is your guard when sparring? Do you go in for the trademark karate low guard or do you prefer a high guard like boxers or MMA fighters? And what are the pros and cons in your opinion of each?

Mo.

My guard is chin level/chest level. No pros and cons because I don't fight like you and you don't fight like me and I don't fight like this person or that person, and this person and that person don't fight like me. Sure, I can pick things apart with the best of them, but I don't see pros and cons to where the guard should or shouldn't be; it's a personal choice. Choices are learnt through trial and tribulations, and even then, ADJUSTMENTS MUST BE MADE ALL OF THE TIME!!

Nothing, imho, is written in granite!!

Btw, good topic; thanks for starting it!!

[DWx]

Like Bob said, there shouldn't be a hard and fast rule as you should adapt to every opponemt and situation. Also what works for me and what works for you are going to be two different things as it will depend on body type and personal style.

So my answer is really that your guard should be fluid and adapt to the opponent and ruleset you're fighting under. If you know for instance that your opponent has poor flexibility, better to guard against the mid section kicks. Likewise if your opponent is a known headhunter, keep your hands up.

That said I probably prefer a higher guard for similar reasons to you mazzy. The face ia far more important than the body. I also find that punches are better thrown from this position as a lower guard requires you to lift your arms higher to punch.

[CDraper]

For what it is worth I found my guard got better when I extended my arms out some from my body. When I run a tight guard I struggle to block incoming techniques but with my arms slightly extended out it gives me a bit more time to react since they are already part way in position. Hope the description is ok.

Good luck

Chuck

[sensei8]

Karate in the mid 60's to 80's tended to carry their lead hand waist high and slightly out from the body, and the other hand was kept at and on the solar plexus area. After that, they went here there and everywhere!!

[mazzybear]

Thanks for the replies guys, so looks like guards are definetly a personal choice as to where to hold it. I think I'll probably stick with it, maybe lower it slightly to allow for faster attacking, but the low one is certainly not for me, I don't like the feeling of exposure it brings. My instructor is going to pair me up with two black belts over 6' to try and get me better used to taller fighters, I'm looking forward to it but also dreading it, one of them is a 14 year old guy who is around 6'3" so his chudan will be in perfect range of my head!!

Mo.

[mazzybear]

Karate in the mid 60's to 80's tended to carry their lead hand waist high and slightly out from the body, and the other hand was kept at and on the solar plexus area. After that, they went here there and everywhere!!

I saw a lot of this on Sunday, seems to be standard within the federation, with the exception of a Japanese kid who held his lead hand above his head almost like a lure. It worked for him, this kid was unbelievable to watch, very fluid and natural, although he was sneaky and threw in a couple illegal techniques (a couple 360 round kicks) but the refs almost seemed not to notice

Mo.

[mazzybear]

That said I probably prefer a higher guard for similar reasons to you mazzy. The face ia far more important than the body. I also find that punches are better thrown from this position as a lower guard requires you to lift your arms higher to punch.

That was my thinking too, but the guy told me it took longer to throw a punch from high (which I found very strange, surely it would be faster?) and it has more chance of falling short. I felt the guy took time out to advise me, so it's only right to try it but it's definitely not for me.

Mo.

[Hawkmoon]

Mazzybear, would you classify your guard as a boxers guard?

Your guard or anyone eases for that matter is what you feel comfortable with, one that works for you!

Sure suggested modification from third party critic is always a valued piece of input, never shy away from this its important to take an 'outside in' view, but be careful to not be someone else marionette.

To much advice will confuse and confound you, take small pieces out at a time and test it before its adopted or discarding it.