Your thoughts on Stance, Defense etc

Nick,

Some time back you mentioned that visiting MA people would compliment your (ZDK) stance/defense. Do you still prefer the exact same stance, and what do you teach these days as far as stance goes? Reason I ask, is that in some styles of Karate for instance, there are a number of different stances based on what’s going to be ‘delivered’, and things like placement of hands, positioning of legs, weight distribution etc all tend to vary accordingly (I realize some of this occurs in transition).

You’ve mentioned also that you tend not to jab, but rather to strike with the front hand in a more forceful (slightly rounder?) style. Are you for the fist-either-side-of-the-jaw method? What do you think of the Floyd Mayweather’s stance (back hand protecting head and front hand across the torso but ‘out there’ ready to strike), and do you think it can be useful in the street (provided a person is proficient with it of course)?

Cheers mate.

Mate,

Good questions all...and I'd do them more justice if I was on my own computer...but I'll try and answer regardless.

My stance i.e. the position I'll adopt if I'm in stand off distance in a fight after the initial shots have been thrown is pretty much the same as it's always been...looks kind of like a boxers stance but the back heel is raised more and I keep one hand low to deal with kicks (something boxers don't have to worry about)

There's a lot of criticisms about stances in karate (and other arts) because we don't see a boxing stance or a wrestlers stance per se but, as I've pointed out before they're only dealing with one aspect of fighting. IOW the grappler grapples and the boxer boxes. We on the other hand fight at every range, stand up clinching, punching and kicking, and resisting being thrown and dragged to the ground and the ground itself. For that reason you'll see all the stances of the other arts throughout karate. (this is one of the clues for reverse engineering the moves in kata...if we're in a deep stance it's a counter grappling or grappling move and if we're in a stance like Sanchin it's certain to be stand up clinching/striking etc)

What's always amused me is a lot of the time it's the "I have a gun, I don't need that karate crap" crowd that tend to criticize but both in the Aussie Army cadets and the Legion I learnt a variety of stances to shoot from...there is a correct position and breathing method for shooting prone, shooting kneeling and shooting standing as well as for shooting over and around obstacles...and everyone of them improves accuracy if applied correctly.

Regarding the lead hand punch...it's a rapier like thrust but delivered with full power as opposed to the flick of the boxer. The boxer does that to offset his opponent and to score points...he's got ten rounds to get through. I have ten opponents to get through and nobody is tallying points so I throw it full power just like I'd throw a right cross...the only difference is that it's coming off the front hand and not the back. It's straight line all the way and not curved in any way shape or form. Target is the jawbone/chin and where it lands will depend on whether he's pulling his head away, turning, or whether I've angled off and thrown the shot.

The most success I've had with punches is to hit the jaw and aim for the opposite ear which sends the kinetic energy through the medula obloganta (a nerve ganglion) in the middle of the head near the brain stem.

Regarding Mayweathers...it's not only his mate. It's a very old boxing stance used as a defense (I want to say it's called the continental defense...at least that's vaguely what I remember it being called in some old boxing tome I owned as a kid)...it works providing the opponent doesn't have too long to figure out a way round it, and I daresay it's working for Mayweather. Can it be used in the street? Sure, I've used a version of it occasionally but again, it's only a quick momentary cover for me.

Nick

Good answer Nick (as usual).

Just for the record, they seem to call the Mayweather defence the Philly Shell or Crab defence.

My ears pricked up when recently read how Ken Norton used it in the mid 70's to frustrate, and beat, Ali. I've tried it, and downloaded videos of Noton v Ali etc, and it seems, provided you can defend your head efficiently with the back hand, to offer real advantages with the front hand.

Cheers.

Nick that is fantastic advice!

I have been struggling with jaw targeting for years, I will definitely use that idea of aiming for the opposite ear!

Nick is dead right - you need a stance that can be used against punchers, kickers and guys who shoot in and close the distance. The deep karate stances that are often ridiculed can in fact help you keep 'base' when someone shoots in on you (a bit like a sprawl, but on your feet!)

Mayweathers stance is superb for boxing but is a bit sideways on for a real fight IMO. It's a hard stance to move/sprawl back from, can leave the front leg exposed to kicks and makes it hard to strike from your rear (power) side, especially if you need to throw turning kicks or thai kicks.

Steve Morris has a lot of good stuff on stances on his site which has helped me a lot. I've also learnt a lot from trial and error

Even when they are sparring hands only, I try to get the guys I coach to imagine that their opponent might kick, clinch or shoot in on them.

We also spar boxing v kickboxing, boxing v mma, boxing v judo and so on, which is a good way to develop a stance that can be used in a real fight - whatever your opponents style of fighting.