Fighting Posture

[Dana Sheets]

Yes Jim - I mean't "can't." Thanks. I'm a bit lackadaisical at double checking my spelling and punctuation. oy.

So you like to move in with the centerline closed when you know in advance that the fight is on.

And thanks Leo - I think I understand.

There was an interesting quote on another CMA site I read that basically said that you should never kick past the reach of your arm if you want to keep your balance.

[JimHawkins]

So you like to move in with the centerline closed when you know in advance that the fight is on.

Yeah in a duel/sparring situation.

I also think the standard sanchin positions can be brought pretty close into the center making the opening in the middle quite small.

The other part of the triangle idea is that as you meet the attack the energy of the attack will deform or disrupt the triangle on contact. Then depending on the energy the arms simply reform 'around' the incoming limbs with just small changes into geometrically leveraged positions that fit in with the opponent’s attacking position, and with forward spring energy to issue energy and control. There is no actual blocking movement just slight changes in position to match the opponent's position and energy, like a rubber band the arms reform to tie up the opponent's attack and then sensitivity takes over to press the attack.

As far as the kicks I don't think that would apply to WCK, although in traditional WCK kicking, like many southern styles, is preferred done on the inside. This is what is meant by 'invisible kicks' <too close to see> 'a kick never misses' <again too close to miss> and kicking 'with three legs for support' <one of yours and two of his> though we will use them to intercept kicking attacks, sticking with the kick and again issuing energy for position to make the entry into the next range.

[Timmy]

Thanks for taking the time Dana.

I'll leave you folks to pray in peace.

I always get nervous in churches , someone always tries to sacrifice the black sheep.




TIMMA!

[Stryke]

Yes Jim - I mean't "can't." Thanks. I'm a bit lackadaisical at double checking my spelling and punctuation. oy.

Man that changes the context a little dont you think ....

no wonder theres misunderstandings ....

no wonder the static positon thing was hauled over the coals

guess we covered it anyway though .

[Dana Sheets]

Be well Laird, and happy training.
-Dana

[MikeK]

Dana, what are you trying to get the guard to accomplish? A while back I was searching for a guard that would keep me from getting hit when in reality such a thing doesn't exist. I did notice that when dojo sparring stance and guard covered just the legal targets but left everything else hanging in the wind. Good for the dojo, bad for when the rules were removed.

[Dana Sheets]

No worries Styke,

I really think some of the things you've written on this thread and the other are some of your best posts as far as I'm concerned. I've been looking for words to help describe how one turns kata into fighting - and the way you've said things on these two threads really helps with that.

I'm sorry I gave you the impression that I stood there in a perfect little sanchin wondering why I kept getting hit. That's actually a pretty funny picture. No wonder you thought I was being a little thick-headed. It sure would take one to survive if I fought that way.

Also Jim's got me thinking about something - the open centerline of Uechi posture comes more from the finish of the movement than the start. If you watch the videotaped interview with Mr. Tomoyose on this site then you'll see him bring both his hands up, close the centerline, and then come to rest in sanchin. he does this (I think) when he's talking about something related to how you fight. But what is interesting about his movement is the open-closed-open aspect of it.

So if you don't know the fight is on then you're open. But if you're lucky enough to know that a fight is coming...then by all means it makes sense to limit the centerline access of your opponent. As Jim said in his post - push the attack to use the slightly slower circule path and don't give them the linear one. Then in general your return to "open" postures is the off-balancing of the opponent i.e. a retreating hand never returns empty. Not a hard & fast rule by any means but more fodder for the grist mill.


Dana

[Dana Sheets]

Because for me I'm thinking about what most people hit first on a woman. And what gets hit most often is the head. Outside the dojo it is my opinoin that women are usually slapped first if they're attacked by men or even women. So for me it really is pretty darn important that I get good at protecting my head -- possibly at the sacrifice of something else.

[MikeK]

Sounds like you answered your question Dana. Yesterday I just started learning how to take a slap and not let it effect me as much. Think of it as Sanchin training for the face.

[Dana Sheets]

ouch. Watch out for that kind of sideways motion though - seems like every time I turn on the TV lately some athelete who plays a contact sport is talking about a detached retina.

Just yesterdya on CBS Sunday morning they were talking about the renewed interest in roller-derby and one woman had been sidelined with a detached retina.