Stances and their real world uses

[Kung Fu Wang]

I often slide my rear foot with heel down if needed.

I tend to be more heels down if grappling is going to be involved. I will go heel's up if I think I can afford to be mobile over longer distances.

It's so funny that when you train

- static punch, if your back foot slides, that's a NO NO.
- dynamic punch, if your back foot does not slide, that's also a NO NO.

In striking art, you can coordinate your punch with your leading foot landing. When you hop in your leading foot, your back foot function has completed. Your back foot no longer needs to have heel on the ground.

But if you coordinate your punch with your back foot pushing into the ground, that's a completely different situation.

The praying mantis system likes to slide back foot forward into monkey stance with 30% weight on the back foot. Many MA system slide back foot with heel down with 70% (or 60%) weight on the back leg.

 

[JowGaWolf]

It's so funny that when you train

- static punch, if your back foot slides, that's a NO NO.
- dynamic punch, if your back foot does not slide, that's also a NO NO.

Yes, that's a strange one indeed. Some teachers and students are serious about this.

It think "punch with lead step landing" should be taught. After that is taught then students can learn static punching to focus on power generation. Thay way "dynamic punch" will be the habit and not the "static punching"

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Yes, that's a strange one indeed. Some teachers and students are serious about this.

It think "punch with lead step landing" should be taught. After that is taught then students can learn static punching to focus on power generation. Thay way "dynamic punch" will be the habit and not the "static punching"

I do think the dynamic punch should be the normal case. The static punch should only be the special case. Your opponent is a moving object anyway.

Some MA system may not have dynamic punch. As far as I know, the Yang Taiji doesn't have it.

 

[JowGaWolf]

As far as I know, the Yang Taiji doesn't have it.

I'm pretty sure they have it. Except for things that involve grappling. But the striking most likely has it. It probably doesn't come out until the techniques are actually tried in fighting (sparring). There will be timing issue that come up where there is no choice but to strike as the lead foot lands in order to work.


We have already established that step then punch is slower than step +punch.

 

[Mider]

this is a good video where Bas Rutten explains a bit about how he uses stance to generate power, he also did one where he and Georges St-Pierre explained stances.

 

[Fungus]

I'm still in my early learning of karate, but after only 1.5 year i really realized that all the versions of stances, movements and techniques is a balance between power, speed and balance, and they may all be useful in different contexts. In the beginning i expected that there is "one best way", but it seems that isnt so. Whatever the kihon version is chosen to be, is it seems more tradition more than beeing universally best. Even in fighting/kumite, you have to adapt to the opponent, are you facing a cobra-type or a bear-type? A cobra is light, so speed is more important than maximum force and balance. The difference is felt when one practice techniques with force on a solid target than in air, as i kata. In kata, one balances only oneself. On impact you have to maintain balance even during back-reaction of a heavy target, like a big opponent.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

i expected that there is "one best way", but it seems that isnt so.

There exists no perfect stance. If you put too

- much weight on your leading leg, your opponent can sweep you.
- little weight on your leading leg, your opponent can scoop you.