Stances

[CDKJudoka]

I have a quick question for all of my fellow TKDers.

What kind of stances do you use in you dojang? Do you use TKD style stances, which to be are very standing up and walking-like? Or do you use Japanese style stances, low and deep.

I come from a mixed JMA and KMA background, and my current dojang doesn't try to "hide" the fact that most of the style is derived from Shotokan, so we use very deeps stances for forms and techniques. Sparring we incorporate either a Kickboxing style guard stance, or me I use an MMA/Kickboxing stance.

Discuss.

 

[BrandonLucas]

We're actually somewhere in the middle...our stances aren't so high that it's as comfortable as walking, but we also don't have stances that require leg workout.

Back stance, for example, is low enough that the back leg is still taking 70% of the weight and still burns when in the stance, but is not so low that it takes more effort than normal to get in and out of the stance.

 

[bluekey88]

All of them.



Ok, we do a combo of higher and lower stances...we tend to emphasize the "classical" higher tkd stances in earlier stages of training and do deeper stances later in training. In the end we work towards true mobiliyt with less emphasis on stances and more emphasis on "structural integrity."

Peace,
Erik

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

We use walking stance, front horse stance, back stance, tiger stance, all of which appear at some point in the taegeuk poomsae.

Daniel

 

[hkfuie]

We use TKD stances. The low ones! Ha, ha!

I guess you would call them the Japanese style stances. But since that was how it was taught to my instructor's instructor by his TKD instructor from Korea, I cannot help but think of them as TKD stances.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Honestly, I've never heard a dichotomy between Japanese and Korean stances. The only thing that I can think of that makes upright stances specifically taekwondo is that in WTF taekwondo sparring, the competitors generally maintain a fairly upright stance.

Daniel

 

[dancingalone]

Honestly, I've never heard a dichotomy between Japanese and Korean stances. The only thing that I can think of that makes upright stances specifically taekwondo is that in WTF taekwondo sparring, the competitors generally maintain a fairly upright stance.
Daniel

Just look at 'official' training type videos of Shotokan kata from the JKA and then compare them to the WTF poomse videos like Dartfish or whatever is the current standard. The Shotokan zenkutsu dachi is inevitably deeper and longer than the WTF 'walking' stance.

The lower stances in Shotokan are really only for strengthening the legs and to match the Japanese sense of aesthetics in kata. When Shotokan people spar, they're as upright as anyone else for mobility's sake.

 

[hkfuie]

Just look at 'official' training type videos of Shotokan kata from the JKA and then compare them to the WTF poomse videos like Dartfish or whatever is the current standard. The Shotokan zenkutsu dachi is inevitably deeper and longer than the WTF 'walking' stance.

The lower stances in Shotokan are really only for strengthening the legs and to match the Japanese sense of aesthetics in kata. When Shotokan people spar, they're as upright as anyone else for mobility's sake.

Not always. Maybe always on Shotokan. That I don't know. But I see low stances in TKD sparring (the TKD I do), also in Kung Fu (the style I did) and also in Kenpo (the people I train with). Even though lots of Kenpo, KF and TKD spar high, not all do.

 

[dancingalone]

Not always. Maybe always on Shotokan. That I don't know. But I see low stances in TKD sparring (the TKD I do), also in Kung Fu (the style I did) and also in Kenpo (the people I train with). Even though lots of Kenpo, KF and TKD spar high, not all do.

Of course this varies by individual preference but look at any style, Korean or Chinese or Japanese, and then compare the relative stances when sparring vs. doing forms or other 'static' type training. You will inevitably go higher when pressured by someone(s) if mobility is needed in that instance. I suppose you could sit down into a low horse stance if you want stability, but then you're not really doing 'sparring'. I'm using sparring in the TKD sense where you and a partner do some free form attack and defense. Under such a rule set, you'd be heavily disadvantaged by holding a lower stance, so it generally won't happen.

What kung fu style do you practice anyway? I've been moving to southern white crane myself over the years with some Daoist influences.

 

[hkfuie]

Of course this varies by individual preference but look at any style, Korean or Chinese or Japanese, and then compare the relative stances when sparring vs. doing forms or other 'static' type training. You will inevitably go higher when pressured by someone(s) if mobility is needed in that instance. I suppose you could sit down into a low horse stance if you want stability, but then you're not really doing 'sparring'. I'm using sparring in the TKD sense where you and a partner do some free form attack and defense. Under such a rule set, you'd be heavily disadvantaged by holding a lower stance, so it generally won't happen.

What kung fu style do you practice anyway? I've been moving to southern white crane myself over the years with some Daoist influences.

What I did was Northern Green Dragon. My instructor also taught White Crane Tai Chi. I was only a middle ranking sash when I left. I was only able to go once a week, so after 5 years I was only a purple sash. Lots of forms...looooong forms! But great training.

You're right. The stances are higher in sparring than in forms, but considerably lower than used in WTF type sparring.

 

[terryl965]

It really depends if we are doing the Tuls or the WTF poomsaes and what type of tournament. We change with the wind and do both types and it really helps with the footwork really.

 

[YoungMan]

We do the deeper and wider stances for basics and form, and use very upright walking stance for sparring and basic kicking as well as self defense. Our stances are not as exaggerated as the Shotokan stances I've seen, and the Palgue/Koryo forms do include some walking stances.

 

[AMP-RYU]

We use middle height back stance, front stance, side stance, riding stance. My personal stance when sparring is standing straight up with my hands down at my side! Yeah I know its not the standard but it throws my opponant off and i can lure him into throwing wild attacks thinking im off guard!

 

[MasterWright]

We tend to switch back and forth depending on the form, like Terry we do ITF's as well as Taeguks. When we spar the stance is high ,this way we can move around and the high section is not an easy target.

 

[dancingalone]

My personal stance when sparring is standing straight up with my hands down at my side! Yeah I know its not the standard but it throws my opponant off and i can lure him into throwing wild attacks thinking im off guard!

No offense intended but this is my observation for anyone reading your post: having unsound positioning of your hands is a recipe for disaster against a good enough opponent. Against someone comparably skilled or better than yourself, having your hands ready for defending or countering is a must. Ideally you're trying to set up an exchange where you have 1 or 2 options available while your opponent always has at worst 1 option and at best, none.

You can get away with a risky lure like that only against inferior partners.

 

[hkfuie]

No offense intended but this is my observation for anyone reading your post: having unsound positioning of your hands is a recipe for disaster against a good enough opponent. Against someone comparably skilled or better than yourself, having your hands ready for defending or countering is a must. Ideally you're trying to set up an exchange where you have 1 or 2 options available while your opponent always has at worst 1 option and at best, none.

You can get away with a risky lure like that only against inferior partners.

mental note:keep hands up anytime I am near Dancingalone.

Bob08..I think you have just received a CHALLENGE! LOL!

 

[Twin Fist]

low stances make for strong legs, strong legs kick harder

seems like a plan for me

 

[dancingalone]

No, no, I meant no challenge at all. Bob can do whatever he wants, but since this board is read by people of all different levels of experience, I just didn't want his post to be out there without someone pointing out that most of the time, it's probably a bad idea to leave your hands at your sides. If you can do this regularly with impunity, it's probably time to seek out better sparring partners.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Hands down when sparring is used in WTF and Olympic styles.

It is good to get a good mix of how things are done at other dojangs. I picked up the lower stances early on in TKD after working out with a few Goju-Ryu and Shotokan people. I noticed that they kicked like mules and the only real difference between the way we were working out was the deep stances. Ever since that point, low stances for forms and technique and a medium to upright stance for sparring, self-defence, and grappling.

 

[Tez3]

Not all Japanese stances are deep, in Wado the stances are higher and shorter than Shotokan but not as 'high' as walking stance in TKD.
if you look at Iain Abernethys videos you'll see the Bunkai for the front stance which many think are pointless as you'd never fight in 'front stance', it gives good reason why the hand is on the hip too.