JKD's strong hand foreword vs. Western boxings strong hand back?
- Thread starter TFP
- Start date
I've wondered about that myself. As a 'Chunner, I keep my shoulders square to my opponent when in a medium to close punching range. But in Eskrima I tend towards "power-side forward". Our stance and alignment is very similar to JKD: right arm and foot lead, body "bladed" sideways, weighting either about 50-50 or 60-40 favoring the front with jabs and power punches coming off the lead arm.
Since Filipino martial arts typically start off with weapons such as sticks, this orientation makes sense. You want your baston in your power hand and held forward to attack and defend. Sure, with empty hands you can switch to a conventional stance, but I've gotten so used to a power-side lead, that I prefer it with or without weapons.
As for how this works with my WC, --well I usually assume athe "JKD-ish" looking Eskrima stance at longer range, especially if I'm holding a weapon, and merge into a WC stance and strategy as I close range -- at least when empty handed.
Now back to the original question: Not being a boxer, I really don't know about the advantages of conventional vs. southpaw stance. Part of the question depends on if you are armed or not. Another part may depend on your objective, whether it's self defense or sport competition. In sport, the laboratory of the ring seems to favor a conventional orientation, at least for right-handed boxers. However in self defense where you can reasonably assume that your attacker will have a physical advantage over you, there may be more value in fighting off your power-side, starting with all you've got, in order to end it quickly and escape.
Since Filipino martial arts typically start off with weapons such as sticks, this orientation makes sense. You want your baston in your power hand and held forward to attack and defend. Sure, with empty hands you can switch to a conventional stance, but I've gotten so used to a power-side lead, that I prefer it with or without weapons.
As for how this works with my WC, --well I usually assume athe "JKD-ish" looking Eskrima stance at longer range, especially if I'm holding a weapon, and merge into a WC stance and strategy as I close range -- at least when empty handed.
Now back to the original question: Not being a boxer, I really don't know about the advantages of conventional vs. southpaw stance. Part of the question depends on if you are armed or not. Another part may depend on your objective, whether it's self defense or sport competition. In sport, the laboratory of the ring seems to favor a conventional orientation, at least for right-handed boxers. However in self defense where you can reasonably assume that your attacker will have a physical advantage over you, there may be more value in fighting off your power-side, starting with all you've got, in order to end it quickly and escape.
Thunder Foot
Brown Belt
There are a lot of differences, many which favor opposing strategies. Both take hard work and dedication to be efficient.
Boxing is a pure punching art. All TCMA have integrated punching, kicking, locking, and throwing. The important is not whether you put your strong hand forward. The important is to put your "strong leg" forward. Your front leg is your attacking leg. Your back leg is your rooting leg. Depending on where you may land your back rooting leg, it defines how far that your attacking leg can reach. Also your attacking leg can be used for defense leg (to block all low kicks), it needs to be in the front.
If you have your right attacking leg forward, you can still have your right strong hand back. That's called "cross stance". Your back right hand is already in "compress mode" and ready to strike out (release).
If you have your right attacking leg forward, you can still have your right strong hand back. That's called "cross stance". Your back right hand is already in "compress mode" and ready to strike out (release).
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wingchun100
Senior Master
JKD's strong hand forward is a combination of the boxing stance (in terms of weigh distribution) and fencing. Bruce's thought was: your strong side is already...well, STRONG...and doesn't need the added benefit of the hip behind it. Not only that, but you are more coordinated on your strong side so that hand would be better at blocking/deflecting/etc.
Thunder Foot
Brown Belt
There is a whole technology employed behind having the strong hand forward, and that is JKD. To not align with this, is to completely remove the fencing component and thus to practice a different art.
