the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Few martial arts actually fight on their feet at low level. Capoeira is one. I.e. they use the low positions (not stances, but movements) they train with to fight. Jones isn't using Capoeira, but he not taking a stance or pose.

Btw, Snake creeps down is not a stance, and can easily be used for a fireman's carry.

Steve James wrote:Btw, Snake creeps down is not a stance, and can easily be used for a fireman's carry.

This is why the following is correct:

- knee points up.
- foot points forward.



This is wrong (striking tiger stance):

- knee points side way.
- foot points side way.

gotta love jon jones

Low stances are for building strength and flexibility (gongfu). Fighting requires quickness and mobility, i.e., high stances.

I don't understand why most of you that have been doing Gongfu for so many years don't understand this... These low stances were never really meant for fighting. They improve your balance, flexibility, strength etc. You know, hard work, which most around here seem to be allergic to. There is nothing better for this than some of the lower Taijiquan and Baguazhang that I have seen. It develops a crazy solid root. It almost feels supernatural. I stopped training Chen style Taijiquan because I'm not much of a wrestler, but damned if it wasn't an amazing art for that very reason alone, not to mention others. Zhanzhuang can have a similar effect, if trained properly.

MaartenSFS wrote:These low stances were never really meant for fighting.

This low stance is used to grab your opponent's ankle and pull.

Gotta love the yoel





As my sifu used to say ... it's like building a building. You got to start with a solid foundation. Then middle and after upper.

Aside from wrestling good boxers also have a saying - punch with your legs. Hence loads of squats & skipping.

I also noticed that chicken stance:



... made straight kicks a lot more solid, less telegraphing and faster.