yeah exactly. same thing in sparring (at least for us) its the footwork thats important. when i go for a real power punch i assume almost a bow and arrow stance. but I dont go into this stance IN ORDER to throw the punch, i go into it BECAUSE i threw the punch. I think thats an important difference.
Yes, footwork matters, and that's why stance is NOT irrelevant. If you're in a stance which prevents you from executing good footwork then you've got problems! So... adapt the stance to the situation, but it's your footwork which matters more than your stance.
I always make sure I go into a low horse ride stance with my upper legs parrallel to the floor, my body square to the opponent and hands pulled back tight by my sides :Angel: like some have said here, I don't think about what stance I'm in. I'd be in a natural stance, or as the last time I was attacked - I was in my traditional cash point stance, withdrawing money with my left hand and my right hand guarding the pin numbers. If I go into a stance as I strike then thats what happens, I wouldn't deliberately put myself in anystance other than what was natural. The hands up palms out guard is a good position to be in if anything, as mentioned before you are showing that you don't want any trouble, and if anything to passers by/witnesses it looks like you are not the one causing the trouble.
that its a by product of an attack. if im thinking about stance im not thinking about the fist coming at me, and i am doing a poor job of explaining this what im trying to get at is that your stance should change as the fight changes, not change based on what you think will happen. If that doesnt make any sense, I have been working on a building site with varnish fumes everywhere... Im a little dopey at the moment, Ill try again tomorrow
Booknewt - superb posts mate. Really, excellent advice. Geoff Thompson from the UK advocates a similar approach, which is worth checking out.
Sorry for the words, but I was trying to have a conversation withing the CLF circle thank you very much. If you do not understand the techniques whatsoever please don't diss on them.
eh? my friend, I think you miss the point. no matter. someone will undoubtedly make it to you in a way you can understand eventually: hopefully before you find yourself in complications. i wouldn't bother to diss technique, it's a waste of my time and yours. technique is meaningless, strategy everything, and tactics paramount. "technique?" piffle.
What makes you think you will be standing? More often than not you will be seated, for example in a car, on a bus, with no room to stand or use any foot work. What then?
Well Booknewt I thank you for those kind words to me, but not bad coming from a 14 year old eh? But onto my point of sitting down while fighting, if they're armed, give um what ever the hell they want, but if they're un armed and you feel you can take them, punch um in the groin(If possible), then drive off. But a bus is a whole new ball game, you just need one good punch in the gut, solars, groin, then if you need to, stand up and continue, and if not, well, i guess you succeeded in defending yourself, but the "stance" I'd use for that is probably a boxer's stance just because of the protection your arms will provide to your head, and your ability to quickly discharge punch after punch.
I'll just give a quick reply and opinion. Going back to the original question, a neutral fight stance is always good, in Bujinkan we are alays taught to use as natural pose as we can then perhaps slide back into an Ichimonji no Kamae at a 45 degree angle (25% of weight on front foot, 75% on back leg). Most people use boxer like stances due to the protection and quick punch factor, we are taught to flow in between our stances and change naturally instead of shifting our 'gears' everytime something else pops up. That's just us but I'd say that a boxer stance is quite a good and aggressive one.
In self defense I'd most likely just stay neutral, but I'd be.. what's the word.. oh well. I'd face them with my shoulders rather than facing them squared off(with my chest to them- that's too open). [them being my opponent- my opponent being whatever low-life thug that has the nerve to throw a punch my way] If I was facing two or more opponents I'd assume the orthodox boxing position, because that's what I'm taught in JKD, and also because there may actually be a threat there. I'd employ this stance, however like the more experienced practitioners at the Kwoon I train at I'd use my back hand to cross and protect the opposite side of my face. This tends to make things easier. I don't know if there's a term for that stance, but there most likely is. My front lead hand would be open to grapple, and my back hand would be in a fist, of course, to punch. I really don't worry a lot about my stance unless I'm against another martial arts practitioner (be he a friend or foe). In JKD the fight ends pretty quickly.
POLICEMAN: So what happened out there? WITNESS: Well, this big chav came out of the bar looking for a fight and that guy over there was obviously the first person he saw who he thought he could beat up. POLICEMAN: And then what happened? WITNESS: The other guy tried backing off but I think he realised he wasn't going to get out of it so he got into some sort of weird looking fighting stance and, when the chav did attack him, he floored the c**t. POLICEMAN: Mr MA, well done for giving the Mr Chav such a worthwhile lesson in humility. come on, very few countries/witnesses/judges/juries are going to consider you the agressor for merely going into a stance during a fight. indeed, in the UK it may even go in your favour because a fair few judges hold MA in high regard.
Stances in self defense? Hi Sometimes we think to much! Hopefully everyone has been taught basic do's & don't's of street situations. One should strive to be aware and in a balanced body posture at all times. This is not limited to "Self Defense" Having said that, Why would anyone be in a stance for self defense? You are incorrectly describing a fight, not self defense, or you have been instructed that the best way to play poker is to show your cards to everyone at the table. I believe it was Funakoshi (or Kano) who said " Beginners- Low stance, Advanced- natural stance. The very last thing I would ever do is show anything, and even then it would never be a stance. Pete Ticali
