stance
Original Poster: bamboo
Forum: Others
Posted On: 14-04-2006, 17:54
Orginal Post: bamboo: Form, no form, loose, stiff, whatever, we all have a comfortable way of standing to begin the combat simulation we practice in our respective training halls.
What is it about your stance that makes it yours? Why are you truly comfortable in the way you present yourself?
Tonight, under cover of stars, I found my stance again. In a recent journey of training I have looked at few striking arts I had not had the opportunity to study before. From these I have gained a new "technical advisor" to help me with my striking plus a new sparring partner, but what I also gained was an insight into why I love my way of standing.
I stand with feet in a traditional aikido kamae with hands raised slightly into more of a boxing guard but with hands open. I feel heavy and quite balanced, I know how my footwork will respond (enter at an angle, always moving forward) and feel confident and aware. I'm most comfortable breathing from this posture, my shoulders are loose, my center strong and flexible. I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking to drop my center on my opponent, use my position , my weight, my body alignment to over power thier center and eventually smother them into a control/sub. From my stance, I feel confident that this is the eventual outcome.
That is why I stand the way I do.
-bamboo
Post: Gazelle:
When i'm point-sparring, i don't generally have one set position. Sometimes i'm lower, sometimes higher, sometimes my guard is fully up, sometimes it is down, sometimes somewhere inbetween. My hands tend to be relaxed, so my fingers naturally curl in slightly. Sometimes i'm more side on, sometimes more front on. It all depends. Generally though, i do tend to have quite a wide stance, not quite so much so when sparring because of moving around, but certainly when we do basics, my feet seem to get further and further apart if i start with them closer, up to a point anyway.>
Post: Wilhelm von Wänkensteïn:
Here I sit, mentally and emotionally exhausted after a gruelling mid-semester exam and falling to my pr0n habit (again :lol: ) and bored out of my skull, so I shall post about stances to pass the time and kickstart my sleeping brain :P
It's funny how one's fighting style changes with time and personal experiences, epiphanies and the odd tragedy. I've gone from the firm, no-nonsense, rough-and-ready chudan no kamae of my karate/hard quanfa of my younger days to the perfectionistic, full-of-this-or-that-internal energy of my early internal martial arts days to the hips-back, hands-outstretched-and-ready-to-brace-and-sprawl-or-armdrag of my grappling flirtation days (I still wind up in that posture when I grapple with friends, as a matter of fact). When I first took up Systema (it's been a busy two years, looking back!), I naturally became an all-out 'natural stance or nothing!' fanatic during the honeymoon period of trying out a new style.
Now that I have (hopefully) matured a little in my journey, I'm not especially worried with the presence or absence of patterns in the way I carry myself. I'm equally comfortable being forced to fight suddenly from whatever posture I may be in at the time, or taking a very clearly-defined posture with a definite end in mind, and interchanging freely between states as necessary. Having recently resumed training in budo taijutsu, I'm currently playing with the higher and deeper concepts of kamae, to whit expressing kamae through intent and energy rather than with a physical posture.
As my natural tendency is towards a direct, aggressive attack, my intent tends to be quite forceful and evident, so I find that letting that crystallise into the mental conception of a kamae for brief instances in the midst of combat helps to focus my energy that much better when a decisive attack is called for. The flowing-water movement and intent of styles like Taijiquan and Systema are excellent for evasion, opportunistic counters and setups, but I find I'm much more comfortable using precisely-directed aggression like what one finds in budo taijutsu when blasting away with the heavy artillery (or planting decisive surgical strikes). Purists from all three styles will inevitably sneer at me to no end, but, hey, I'm the only one doing my own fighting. To quote Tucker Max, if they can't take a joke, fuck 'em :D>
Post: Gazelle:
[quote=Wilhelm von Wänkensteïn Here I sit, mentally and emotionally exhausted after a gruelling mid-semester exam and falling to my pr0n habit (again :lol: ) and bored out of my skull, so I shall post about stances to pass the time and kickstart my sleeping brain :P D[/quote
Strange, i normally find when i'm like that snuggling in bed does the trick, but whatever works for you!
[quote=Wilhelm von Wänkensteïn I'm currently playing with the higher and deeper concepts of kamae, to whit expressing kamae through intent and energy rather than with a physical posture. :D[/quote
That sounds interesting.>
Post: zefff:
I am trying to put my mind in my stance so that it makes all the decisions. Hopefully this will help me achieve free flowing movement without hesitations and ultimately no mind once I have made a decision to enter a stance and engage.
Theres more to it than that but at the moment I keep seemig to move forward a bit then back a lot (edit: not literally :lol: ). It was so much easier when I was younger and the aim was maximum mobility and body mechanics. Im thinking more about deception and harmony with the opponents stance and taking their stance rather than the outright duelling efficiency I began with.>
Post: bamboo:
The aging process greatly influences my current posture.
In the days where I could withstand several shots to the head and body and be fine the next hour, it soon became days, now an injury can be with me weeks and in some cases months.
I used to not worry about being hit and just enter in a completely aggressive fashion, now I play much more of a thinkers game. I create more distance, I accept that avoiding someone shooting in is now more of a pipe dream and have to work on sprawling ( I only like the ground when I'm the one making the decision to go there).
I also hate taking shots now, I don't enjoy messing up my pretty face. :wink: :D
-bambeautiful>
Post: angryrocker4:
Currently im trying to find a way to mix budo taijutsu and boxing together. In some ways its tricky. Other than that, I go to whatever is natural at the time, trust my instincts. Sometimes its jumonji sometimes boxing/grappling.>
Post: dscott:
[quote=bamboo
-bambeautiful[/quote
These are hilarious. I love it when you do that. I remember one that you did when we were talking about beer and you signed off as "bambeer" or "beerboo">
Post: Gazelle:
[quote=bamboo I used to not worry about being hit and just enter in a completely aggressive fashion, now I play much more of a thinkers game. I create more distance, I accept that avoiding someone shooting in is now more of a pipe dream and have to work on sprawling ( I only like the ground when I'm the one making the decision to go there).
I also hate taking shots now, I don't enjoy messing up my pretty face. :wink: :D [/quote
My thinking exactly! Why bother risking injury if you can avoid it? Thankfully i don't do full-contact, still, it is amazing how often someone gets hurt (not majorly) doing light contact!>
Post: bamboo:
Oh don't get me wrong Gazelle.
Full contact for me is a must , not every day, but its a must.
Without that chance of losing some teeth, it fees like dancing. Half what I always wanted to accomplish was that control of body and focus that is so easily lost when the stakes are up.
Light contact for learning drills, full for randori.
And mr. Scott: :D thank you.
-bamboo>
Post: BLACK PANTA:
my fav stance is something of the JKD stance. Right leg lead, left hand chambered around my chin, right hand either chambered or a little out. I like the southpaw stance to throw off my opponent, i also find it easier for me to sprawl when i'm in a south paw stance.>
Post: nbotary:
[quote=Wilhelm von Wänkensteïn Here I sit, mentally and emotionally exhausted after a gruelling mid-semester exam and falling to my pr0n habit (again :lol: ) and bored out of my skull, so I shall post about stances to pass the time and kickstart my sleeping brain :P D[/quote I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with this habit... !!! :wink: :lol:
[quote=Gazelle Strange, i normally find when i'm like that snuggling in bed does the trick, but whatever works for you![/quote Gazelle - Although it's a very easy target, and tempting to say the least, I'm going to leave that one alone... !!! :wink: :lol:
Personally I try to adapt my stance to my opponent. More often than not though, I use a variation of a Pa Qua stance - lead arm extended slightly, gaurded arm in close to chest, hands open, knees bent, circling my opponent. I like to mix it up using mantis hands and phoenix eye fist strikes (courtesy of Bloodybirds!!!). I also throw in some drunken just for good measure. However, the key component is staying relaxed and trying not to give my opponent a straight or clean target to attack.>
Post: Gangsta_Nerd:
SOUTH PAW BABY!!!
I'm right handed, so I fight south paw and lead with my left hand for two reasons:
1. I feel more comfortable leading with my weaker arm & having HARDER follow up shots. :wink:
2. I'm Gangsta like that! 8) >
Post: samurai6string:
I like this thread, good job everybody. Are we talking about sparring or a true confrontation?
From a real self defense stand point, I've been working the past few years on executing from a very passive stance: feet no more than shoulder width apart, slightly "sugarfoot" (left foot slightly ahead of right foot) hands held up, about even with the shoulders, palms open in a sort of "calm down" or "I give up" gesture. I've found that this allows for alot of mobility in any direction, and the hands up allow for VERY quick delivery of a palm heel or knife hand, as well as fan blocks. This posture also makes you look very compliant and disguises your intent.>
Post: dscott:
[quote=samurai6string Are we talking about sparring or a true confrontation?[/quote
Should there be a difference? You train in the gym for true confrontations on the street, right?>
Post: BLACK PANTA:
[quote=dscott [quote=samurai6string Are we talking about sparring or a true confrontation?[/quote
Should there be a difference? You train in the gym for true confrontations on the street, right?[/quote
yes there is a difference. Some (like in MMA gyms) train for the ring and competition. So their stance is very obvious and distinguisable (sp?). The stance 6string speaks of (prayer stance, beggar's stance, passive agressive stance, whatever you call it) is a typical self defence posture. The agressor thinks your's passive, backing down and giving him the impression he's in control of the situation. But it's a very decieptive stance. You are at the ready none the less. In a self defence situation, I doubt most of us will break into a cat stance, horse stance, or even a broken boxing stance. Most SD situations would begin and end too quickly to set up a stace.>
Post: zefff:
[quote=Gangsta_Nerd SOUTH PAW BABY!!!
I'm right handed, so I fight south paw and lead with my left hand for two reasons:
1. I feel more comfortable leading with my weaker arm & having HARDER follow up shots. :wink:
2. I'm Gangsta like that! 8) [/quote
Dont hate me but your left lead makes you orthodox not southpaw...not that it matters much where it counts.>
Post: BLACK PANTA:
[quote=zefff [quote=Gangsta_Nerd SOUTH PAW BABY!!!
I'm right handed, so I fight south paw and lead with my left hand for two reasons:
1. I feel more comfortable leading with my weaker arm & having HARDER follow up shots. :wink:
2. I'm Gangsta like that! 8) [/quote
Dont hate me but your left lead makes you orthodox not southpaw...not that it matters much where it counts.[/quote
I noticed that he typed that aswell, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and took it as a typo, or brain fart. But still, GN law of the ninja herb homey.>
Post: buicken:
Tonight, surrounded by ceramic tile, I found my stance again. In a recent journey of defication I have looked at a few pooing arts I had not had the opportunity to study before. From these I have gained a new "technical advisor" to help me with my turd making, plus a new anal cleansing partner, but what I also gained was an insight into why I love my way of defication.
I sit with feet in a traditional aikido kacki makei with hands raised slightly, into more of a boxing guard but with hands open. I feel it, heavy and quite balanced, I know how my bowels will respond (exit at an angle, always moving forward) and feel confident and aware. I'm most comfortable breathing from this posture, my shoulders are loose, my center strong and flexible. I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking to drop my waste directly on the target, use my position , my weight, my body alignment to over power the ceramic opening and eventually displace a half gallon of water. From my stance, I feel confident that this is the eventual outcome.
That is why I sit the way I do.>
Post: Gazelle:
[quote="nbotary [quote=Gazelle Strange, i normally find when i'm like that snuggling in bed does the trick, but whatever works for you![/quote Gazelle - Although it's a very easy target, and tempting to say the least, I'm going to leave that one alone... !!! :wink: :lol: [/quote
:)>
Post: BLACK PANTA:
[quote=buicken Tonight, surrounded by ceramic tile, I found my stance again. In a recent journey of defication I have looked at a few pooing arts I had not had the opportunity to study before. From these I have gained a new "technical advisor" to help me with my turd making, plus a new anal cleansing partner, but what I also gained was an insight into why I love my way of defication.
I sit with feet in a traditional aikido kacki makei with hands raised slightly, into more of a boxing guard but with hands open. I feel it, heavy and quite balanced, I know how my bowels will respond (exit at an angle, always moving forward) and feel confident and aware. I'm most comfortable breathing from this posture, my shoulders are loose, my center strong and flexible. I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking to drop my waste directly on the target, use my position , my weight, my body alignment to over power the ceramic opening and eventually displace a half gallon of water. From my stance, I feel confident that this is the eventual outcome.
That is why I sit the way I do.[/quote
I'm sorry bamboo, but I just pissed my pants laughing, while reading this (no pun intended......OH NO MAN PUN INTENDED)>
Post: nbotary:
I think that's probably one of the funniest posts buicken has put up in a long time!!! :lol:>
Post: dscott:
I just realized that was a take on Bamboo's post. Sorry to laugh at this Bamboo but that was friggin hilarious.>
Post: Gazelle:
All i'm saying about Buiken's post, is that it sums up perfectly why he has a pink belt.>
Post: bamboo:
meh, I don't read his posts unless I get an PM complaining.
I have a nagging itch that deserves more attention
-bamboo>
Post: samurai6string:
I have to admit that I laughed myself silly at Buicken as well. :)
Dscott> In theory I would have to say that you should train out of the stance that you believe you would take in a true self defense situation. But, I dare say like many on this board, the members of my dojo train for different reasons, some are there for the traditional classes, some for sporting/MMA, some for exercise, etc. When you end up sparring in that kind of an environment, almost evryone adopts a modified boxer's stance or zenkutsu dachi. Whenever I do randori though, which I believe is better self defense training anyhow, I go from the passive stance I mentioned.
Nbot> I've never heard it called "prayer stance" before, I like that. :)>
Post: nbotary:
6String - glad that you liked it, although I think the proper credit actually goes to Panta for that one... :)>
Post: samurai6string:
D'oh :oops:>
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