I need help with finding a new fighting stance

[JowGaWolf]

Watch how Superfoot Wallace fights from a mostly sideways stance with a loose Philly shell, without being so completely sideways that he can't cross punch.

Not to speak ill of the guys. But that loose Philly Shell made things predictable if you understand the limitations. The Philly Shell means punches would follow, transitioning out of the Philly Shell means kicks would follow.

 

[JowGaWolf]

One more very important thing. You can't always combine 2 different things, Philly Shell may not work with kicking. In other words, you can't have a Philly Shell top and a side kick to follow. Sometimes transitioning into one stance and transitioning out of a stance are the only ways to get things to connect.

 

[Mitlov]

Not to speak ill of the guys. But that loose Philly Shell made things predictable if you understand the limitations. The Philly Shell means punches would follow, transitioning out of the Philly Shell means kicks would follow.

Bill Superfoot Wallace was the PKA kickboxing middleweight champion for six years straight with a professional record of 23-0. So I would not overstate how easy he was to defeat.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

Ever try an Aikido-style hamni? Your feet are in line, so you have most of the kicking advantages of a TKD stance, but your torso is turned toward the opponent. Might be worth fooling around with.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Sounds like you are over-dependent on the side kick. Your solution is simple, learn how to utilize some other kicks like a simple forward kick. Once your learn how to use other techniques then your stance will automatically change with the technique.

The main problem I see is that you're trying integrate a punching only defense "Philly Shell." this defense does not take kicking into consideration. It puts you in a bad structural position for kicking and it puts you in a really bad position to defend against kicks. If you and I were to spar, I would kick you every time I saw you trying to use the Philly Shell. This means if you use the Philly Shell then you'll have to follow up with punches, then transition into a stance that will allow you to kick.


If you can't transition between stances then you are at a big disadvantage of the number of things that you can do. Learn how to use more than just a side kick, and your stance will follow.

I don't think the Philly shell is punch-only. The only evidence we really need for that is the video of Bill Wallace using it. I don't feel a lot of structural difference (the body posture) between it and other fighting stances.

 

[Danny T]

My opinion...it not a stance issue.
Stances are but a moment in time the issue is footwork. In order to move from one stance to another you have to move your feet. Look at your footwork.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Bill Superfoot Wallace was the PKA kickboxing middleweight champion for six years straight with a professional record of 23-0. So I would not overstate how easy he was to defeat.

It doesn't have anything to do with defeating him. It's all about recognizing the pattern.

You see the same pattern in this video.

You can see it here as well as he explains it

You can see it here again. Look for the Philly Shell and look for what follows.

Sometimes the body mechanics dictate what can follow next. It doesn't have anything to do with skill. When I see Bill Wallace in the "loose Philly Shell" then I'm looking for a punch to follow. When I see that lead arm down then I'm either looking for a kick or an expectation that he'll block a round house. Everyone has a pattern. Sometimes we choose our own patter, and other times Body Mechanics makes the choice for us. For example you can't throw a Front Heel Kick while in a side stance that is suited better for a side kick. Body mechanics won't let you do it.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't think the Philly shell is punch-only. The only evidence we really need for that is the video of Bill Wallace using it.

Bill actually switches stances when he's using it. You'll see what I'm talking about if you watch the video in slow motion.

Bill Wallace used a Philly Shell, but he also has a similar defense but it's not the same. At first look I thought it was the same defense but it isn't. One of things that helped me recognized it was that his movement changes. One he had punching movement and the other he had kicking movement.

By the way if you don't want to watch it in slow motion then take note of the stripes on his pants. When you can see more of the stripes (looks thicker) then you know his position for a punch. When you see the less of the stripes (looks thinner) then you know that he's positioning for a kick. This is not universal for every fighter, just him. because of the kicks he mostly does.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Ever try an Aikido-style hamni? Your feet are in line, so you have most of the kicking advantages of a TKD stance, but your torso is turned toward the opponent. Might be worth fooling around with.

I have trouble kicking out of hanmi, except for our "hanmi kick" (a snap kick with the front leg). I always feel like my hips are out of position for both front, side, and round kicks. I use hanmi a lot in grappling movement, but not much in striking transitions.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Bill actually switches stances when he's using it. You'll see what I'm talking about if you watch the video in slow motion.

Bill Wallace used a Philly Shell, but he also has a similar defense but it's not the same. At first look I thought it was the same defense but it isn't. One of things that helped me recognized it was that his movement changes. One he had punching movement and the other he had kicking movement.

By the way if you don't want to watch it in slow motion then take note of the stripes on his pants. When you can see more of the stripes (looks thicker) then you know his position for a punch. When you see the less of the stripes (looks thinner) then you know that he's positioning for a kick. This is not universal for every fighter, just him. because of the kicks he mostly does.

I don't see the pattern as being as clear as that. He constantly makes some small shifts in his positions. Sometimes that hand drops and nothing happens. Sometimes it rises and nothing happens. Sometimes it drops and a punch is next, sometimes a kick (more often the latter, in my quick review).

 

[JowGaWolf]

He constantly makes some small shifts in his positions. Sometimes that hand drops and nothing happens.

Changes in stances do not always have to be big changes. They only need to change enough to allow the technique to be done. The more you are turned to the side in a side stance the bigger shift will be, But if you turn your waist forward the shift becomes smaller. The only thing that really stays constant is the back foot. The back foot always has to be in a certain position in order to pull off the side kick.

Has for the hand dropping and nothing happening.. That's fine, just because it drops doesn't mean something will come out of it. It just means you need to be looking for it. Rain clouds can pass overhead but it doesn't mean that it's going to rain on you. It just means that rain is what you should be looking out for. Whether rains or not isn't as important as recognizing when there's a like chance that it will.

Had he punched or kicked every time he dropped that hand, then it becomes a tell-tale sign. Now instead of looking out for it. The movement becomes a Predictor of what will definitely happen next.

The OP stated that he likes to fight in a side stance. Bill Wallace uses a forward facing stance and then transitions into a different stance to allow him to do his kicks.

This is what I think of when someone says that they fight in a side stance. The problem with this type of stance is that it puts your punching hand way in the back. But if you turn your waist a little and reposition your feet a little, then it should be possible to transition from forward facing to deliver punches and side facing to deliver a side kick. The footwork doesn't require much change in position either.

Here is an example of how that stance transition can be. Like Danny T stated it's not so much the stance as the footwork. Stances often exists for a hot second. Flowing in out of various stances.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Example of stance Transition- This is the end of a half-moon kick that starts forward lands sideways which positions him for a side kick which he actually did in the video. What comes after the half-moon kick depends on where the foot lands. I can do this kick and still remain forward facing or I can turn to the side, or turn to face the opposite direction for a back kick.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't see the pattern as being as clear as that. He constantly makes some small shifts in his positions. Sometimes that hand drops and nothing happens. Sometimes it rises and nothing happens. Sometimes it drops and a punch is next, sometimes a kick (more often the latter, in my quick review).

From what I could tell Bill Wallance likes to hid his kicks. He will try to show one thing and do another or use a punch to set up a kick like he did in his instruction video. But he wasn't afraid to throw fist and he was willing to do that and then take advantage of the person when they start trying to defend the punch with a high guard.

 

[Buka]

I’ll have to pass this stuff on to Bill the next time I see him. He loves getting tips from fighters.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Better example of facing forward then transitioning to side kick. He doesn't take a true forward stance (both feet pointing towards the opponent.). He does a half-and-half. Rear foot is already in position for a side kick and all he needs is a quick adjustment in order to pull it off. Shoulders are facing the opponent so he can unload some combos if he needs too.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I’ll have to pass this stuff on to Bill the next time I see him. He loves getting tips from fighters.

Which tips are those?

 

[marques]

Boxing stance for short distance. TKD for long distance. Try both on the same oponnent. Use both. At another level, if you change all the time (at striking distance) you will not have any specific stance and it will confuse your opponent (as Tony Ferguson ). But it may not work at first or second try...

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Better example of facing forward then transitioning to side kick. He doesn't take a true forward stance (both feet pointing towards the opponent.). He does a half-and-half. Rear foot is already in position for a side kick and all he needs is a quick adjustment in order to pull it off. Shoulders are facing the opponent so he can unload some combos if he needs too.

That's pretty close to the hanmi (except for the raised heel) that someone was suggesting earlier.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

I have trouble kicking out of hanmi, except for our "hanmi kick" (a snap kick with the front leg). I always feel like my hips are out of position for both front, side, and round kicks. I use hanmi a lot in grappling movement, but not much in striking transitions.

I can see how kicks with the rear leg can be problematic from hamni, but I can throw front snap, side thrust, and front roundhouse all pretty well from hamni, as it allows for easy shifting of weight. Granted, telegraphing could become an issue, depending on how obvious your weight transfer is and how observant your opponent is.

Bear in mind, at my job I carry a Beretta 92 in a drop holster on my strong side, so there are several reason why kicking with the rear leg are rather impractical for me while on duty.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I can see how kicks with the rear leg can be problematic from hamni, but I can throw front snap, side thrust, and front roundhouse all pretty well from hamni, as it allows for easy shifting of weight. Granted, telegraphing could become an issue, depending on how obvious your weight transfer is and how observant your opponent is.

Bear in mind, at my job I carry a Beretta 92 in a drop holster on my strong side, so there are several reason why kicking with the rear leg are rather impractical for me while on duty.

And it might be entirely an issue with me. I didn't practice many of my kicks out of hanmi for a long time, so I might simply have habits in my kicks that don't work well with that stance. For instance, when I try to do a rear-leg front kick (others might call it a "straight kick") from hammi, it has too much rotation in it.