Lesson 1

A Solid Stance

First up and most important is your Stance and base. As my instructor used to show a good stance can keep a team of foot ball players pushing on each others shoulders pushing on your shoulders can keep you from falling. A bad stance and your down. Mobility, foot work and power come from good footwork. A more natural stance are crucial. The Marine MC-MAP program has a pretty solid stance and footwork. Basic, simple and to the point. One essential piece is having your strong-arm / smart hand forward. I call this your thinking hand because it’s the hand you use the most. To be a really strategic fighter its best to put your stronger thinking hand forward. If you right-handed then you right hand should be forward. Many teach you to keep it back. However power is easy to get from a rear hand using proper body mechanics. Raise your shoulder up to guard your chin and provide power when you punch. Keep your hands up and your lead hand out at a 45 degree angle. Be ready to bob weave, slip, duck and protect your head. Keep your elbows in to protect your ribs. If you drop your lead hand keep your read hand up. If you drop you read hand keep your front hand up. Keep your rear heel raised for mobility and power. Keep your front foot turned in at a 45 degree angle and knee protecting your groin. Stay light on the balls of your feet for mobility. Don’t rest on the heel of your foot. Practice, train and gain mobility. Keep your feet about a shoulder width apart and about a natural step deep. Don’t over exaggerate, K.I.S.S. it Keep It Simple and Solid. Note covered here are the classical stances. A front stance shows proper technique for a rear hand punch, a horse stance shows a strong base for throwing and a back stance shows a good way to rock back and release a lead leg snap kick. These stances should be transitional not stationary or fixed. You always return to the natural fighting stance. Having a good fighting stance is essential you must be able to fight from a neutral non fighting stance as well.

There are other stances:

• Middle Stance/Horse Stance
• Goat Restraining Stance
• Back Stance/Cat Stance
• Forward Stance
• Boxing Stance
• Muay Thai Stance

To be continued in Lesson 2…

Related articles

• Fundamental, Technical & Foundational Martial Art Techniques (A Solid Stance) (Lessons 1) (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• Lessons 1: A Solid Stance (Fundamental, Technical And Foundational Martial Art Techniques) (paradoxparables.justparadox.com)
• Lesson 2: Foundational Footwork (Fundamental, Technical And Foundational Martial Art Techniques) (paradoxparables.justparadox.com)

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