Sparring Stance

[HM2PAC]

Hello All,

I've noticed in our Dojang that when we spar, everyone, without exception, uses the exact same sparring stance. A modified front/back stance with the torso turned so that one of the arms is leading. I'm sure that most everyone everywhere does the same thing.

I'm also quite sure that there are people out there that do things differently as I do.

I decided to start using a square stance. Feet shoulder length apart, arms raised with fists a bit further apart than my shoulders. Arms are forward for a quick block as my head and chest are rather exposed.

Sometimes I keep my elbows tucked in to my chest with my fists out in front of my face.

What I have found is that people who were scoring on me at will, have trouble with this stance as they don't have their usual cues that something is coming. They get defensive and then I can go to work.

Has anyone else out there noticed some of these same things?

What other stances work for you?

 

[jarrod]

those are all good observations, & it also helps out your school by making them work against something different.

i used to use a very low, wide stance until i did some sparring on wet grass. i couple of slip&falls & i decided to take my coach's advise about narrowing my stance.

my main stance is feet shoulder width apart, left (weak) foot one natural step forward, knees slightly bent, heels just off the floor, weight 50/50. i almost never switch leads although mostly all of the other guys at my school do. instead i focus on trying to catch others as they transition stances. this helps me develop timing & helps them learn to cover their transitions.

my hand position is usually a high boxing guard, but sometimes i drop my hands to see if my opponent mirrors me. i used to play with dropping my lead hand over my groin & using my rear hand to cover my face, but when i do this i often turn too far sideways & start taking kicks to my lead leg. sometimes i do it to try & draw my opponent in, but not as often as i used to.

good thread idea!

jf

 

[Touch Of Death]

Hello All,

I've noticed in our Dojang that when we spar, everyone, without exception, uses the exact same sparring stance. A modified front/back stance with the torso turned so that one of the arms is leading. I'm sure that most everyone everywhere does the same thing.

I'm also quite sure that there are people out there that do things differently as I do.

I decided to start using a square stance. Feet shoulder length apart, arms raised with fists a bit further apart than my shoulders. Arms are forward for a quick block as my head and chest are rather exposed.

Sometimes I keep my elbows tucked in to my chest with my fists out in front of my face.

What I have found is that people who were scoring on me at will, have trouble with this stance as they don't have their usual cues that something is coming. They get defensive and then I can go to work.

Has anyone else out there noticed some of these same things?

What other stances work for you?

I believe you might be getting into some bad habbits. The idea of minimizing your targets gives you more margin for error. In a fight you need all the margin for error you can get.
Sean

 

[HM2PAC]

ToD wrote:

I believe you might be getting into some bad habits. The idea of minimizing your targets gives you more margin for error. In a fight you need all the margin for error you can get.

Fighting and sparring are 2 totally different worlds in my mind.

The stances I am using were learned in Western boxing and Chinese boxing. It just so happens that the folks at the TKD Dojang have not seen them before.

 

[jarrod]

the square stance is a trade off. turning sideways minimizes your torso as a target, but leaves the lead leg wide open if lower body attacks are allowed. squaring up also puts your far weapons closer to your target (right hand & leg, if you're leading with your left).

imho, i would say that if it is throwing off his sparring parnters then it must be working. they will eventually adapt then he will have to decide if he should develop his strategy further or revert to the sideways stance. just my 2cents.

jf

 

[HM2PAC]

jarrod wrote:

they will eventually adapt then he will have to decide if he should develop his strategy further or revert to the sideways stance

Some of them adapt. When they do I start switching between a right lead and a left lead, rapidly. If they don't start mirroring me and switching their lead, I have to go on the offense quickly. BUT, if they try to switch with me, eventually they get caught up in the game and won't see the crescent coming at the head, or they react to my knee coming up and hopefully they will be too slow for the jump roundhouse.

 

[Touch Of Death]

ToD wrote:

Fighting and sparring are 2 totally different worlds in my mind.

The stances I am using were learned in Western boxing and Chinese boxing. It just so happens that the folks at the TKD Dojang have not seen them before.

Thats cool I suppose; however, your center line will run along your weakest base of support. This will make your return motion less structuraly supported... Will Robinson.
Sean

 

[HM2PAC]

ToD wrote:

Thats cool I suppose; however, your center line will run along your weakest base of support. This will make your return motion less structuraly supported... Will Robinson.

Please expound on this, it sounds relevant but my brain is not catching on to you are talking about, .....and I don't know who Will Robinson is.

 

[Touch Of Death]

ToD wrote:


Please expound on this, it sounds relevant but my brain is not catching on to you are talking about, .....and I don't know who Will Robinson is.

You are easiest to put on your butt if a kick or punch were to land on your center line while your feet straddle either side; in fact, a child could just walk up and push you over. minimizing you targets now means that your center line is on your strongest base of support, meaning you can't be pushed over except from the sides... ie A roundhouse kick will put you on your butt, but not a direct frontal attack. When punching, your return motion should be rooted to the ground; but, by turning the width of your body square, you are subject to a simple shove. Will Robinson is a 60's television program reference. You might say I am dating myself but its 2008 I can date whomever I want.
Sean

 

[Lynne]

Do any of you bounce while sparring? We bounce in the dojang for endurance. But in competition we generally don't bounce.

 

[Tez3]

Do any of you bounce while sparring? We bounce in the dojang for endurance. But in competition we generally don't bounce.

depends on age and weight!! :ultracool

 

[MJS]

Hello All,

I've noticed in our Dojang that when we spar, everyone, without exception, uses the exact same sparring stance. A modified front/back stance with the torso turned so that one of the arms is leading. I'm sure that most everyone everywhere does the same thing.

I'm also quite sure that there are people out there that do things differently as I do.

I decided to start using a square stance. Feet shoulder length apart, arms raised with fists a bit further apart than my shoulders. Arms are forward for a quick block as my head and chest are rather exposed.

Sometimes I keep my elbows tucked in to my chest with my fists out in front of my face.

What I have found is that people who were scoring on me at will, have trouble with this stance as they don't have their usual cues that something is coming. They get defensive and then I can go to work.

Has anyone else out there noticed some of these same things?

What other stances work for you?

Forgive me here, but I need to ask this question for clarification. Am I reading correctly that you are using a stance in which you are basically standing naturally, but you have your hands up? If that is the case, can I ask why you would want to fight like that? Movement, and footwork, 2 key things, are going to be limited.

When I did alot of point sparring, I used that side stance, however that is limited as well, due to the fact that if you want to use the back hand, you need to adjust for that.

Currently, I use more of a boxing type stance. I have my hands up, and my movement/footwork is not hindered at all.

 

[MJS]

Do any of you bounce while sparring? We bounce in the dojang for endurance. But in competition we generally don't bounce.

Nope, I don't bounce.

 

[HM2PAC]

MJS asked:

Am I reading correctly that you are using a stance in which you are basically standing naturally, but you have your hands up? If that is the case, can I ask why you would want to fight like that?

I would never fight like that. In a fight I will hit the back, use elbows, knees, bite, punch the head, kick the groin, kick the knees, grab clothes, use weapons....etc. All of which are not allowed in sparring

I spar like that because it gives my opponents something they don't see a lot of. It puts them into a thought process rather than them just going forward with their usual attack.

 

[jks9199]

My sparring and (if time permits) fighting stance has my feet separated a few inches, and about a normal step apart front to rear. One hand is high, by my face, and the other is lower. It's a mobile stance, and my weight is about 50/50, though as I'm moving, it changes.

There are 2 broad types of stances: classical stances that provide structure to support techniques, and non-classical combative stances that provide mobility and ease. As necessary, you should shift between the types easily and fluidly.

 

[Lynne]

Beginners start out in a fighting stance which is like a modified side stance. Feet are about shoulder width apart. The forward arm is in low block position and the other arm is blocking the chest.

As we get a little more experience, we more or less move our arms up and down but mostly retain the original position. Eh...I guess we are to be a little more fluid.

Sometimes I do boxing moves to distract my opponent so I can get a kick in. If I start rolling my fists, they usually open up their midsection in an effort to block their head.

 

[MJS]

MJS asked:


I would never fight like that. In a fight I will hit the back, use elbows, knees, bite, punch the head, kick the groin, kick the knees, grab clothes, use weapons....etc. All of which are not allowed in sparring

I spar like that because it gives my opponents something they don't see a lot of. It puts them into a thought process rather than them just going forward with their usual attack.

Sorry, my mistake. I said fight, however, I was still talking about sparring. I should've been more specific.

Anyways...even if you're sparring like that, while it may be something that is not seen often by others, I would think your mobility is going to be limited. All someone needs to do is rush towards you quickly, and you're going to be very off balance.

 

[Deaf Smith]

My 'stance' depends. If we are talking sparring and I feel the opponent is not very good, I'll take just about any stance.

If there other guy is good, I'll take a JKD stance and watch him like a hawk.

If it's on the street, I'll fight from whatever position I start from cause you never know on the street how it goes down.

Deaf

 

[SleeperCell13]

well it seems that the stance you are using is a good offensive stance because depending how good you are at fighting in that stance it makes it harder for an opponent to telegraph your moves ...but the flaw in the stance in my oppinion is that you do leave your self exposed and to a skilled fighter would make winning the match very easy. but i too fight a little different than the rest of the students in my school i fight in the same foot possitioning as a reguler fighting stance but i always stay on the ball of my feet keeping myself light on my feet and my hands are up but constantly moving its hard for an opponent to know wut my next move is cause there constantly focusing on my hands and feet which are constantly moving ...unlike some of the fighters i see who stay very rigid and stationary....but anyway i see it as you do whatever works for you and if your stance works then keep doing it.

 

[HM2PAC]

SleeperCell 13 wrote:

but the flaw in the stance in my oppinion is that you do leave your self exposed and to a skilled fighter would make winning the match very easy

This is true. There are a couple of people that see the big obvious chink in my armor and go right at it. This stance does not work when on the mat with them if they are fast enough. If they hesitate.....