Foundation Set 7: Taijutsu:

Stances & Ranges

Type: Principle

            Your stance is the most important physical thing you do in martial arts.  It expresses your intention, maintains your balance and position, and presets your attacks and defenses.  A stance should be natural, comfortable, and effective, and allow you to utilize as many of the fighting basics as possible (based on your preferred style and situational availability). 

            When fighting or doing martial arts you want to utilize all of your principles and do all of your techniques from a stance.  Once you move, transition, or finish a technique, return to a proper stance until your fight or practice session is finished.

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A good stance should be one with:

• One step forward so your Standing Weakness is offset.

• Knees Bent.  Back Straight.  Hips Lifted.

• Chin Tucked.  Head erect as if pulled up by a string.

• Look at your opponent’s stomach.

• Hands in the Window of Action (an imaginary square from your eyes to your shoulders and down to your belt line).

• Body and fingers loose with muscles and tendons active.  All movements and techniques should be directed by your Center.

• Light on your toes

• Breath control: Breathe in through your nose and out of your mouth.  You should breathe once or twice every one or two seconds.

 

           Only get into a stance while fighting, and not before or after.  Your stance should be used to help you end a fight.  Be sure it doesn’t make you look like the Assaulter, unless that is your strategic intention.  This could result in you appearing to be the guilty party during a confrontation and you could be held legally responsible for everything that occurs. 

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Core Stance

 

 

 

 

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Leg Position:

• Normal width (feet shoulder-width apart)

• Normal depth (one step forward)

• Normal orientation (support leg forward, strong leg back)

• Normal footing (rear foot at 45*)

• Forward planted foot.

 

Hand Position:

Square (both hands even, elbows resting on ribs and thumbs touching your face)

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Important Concepts:

Though it has no specific affinities for certain styles, it is strong and balanced and an all-around great stance for martial arts.  This will be used as the go-to stance for HNK. 

  

 

Ranges:

• Out of Range: too far to connect with any part of the body, so you must move in or use a weapon to attack your opponent

• Toe-Touch Range: In kicking range but out of arm range

• Boxing Range: within punching range

• Grappling Range: range for knees, elbows, and controls.  Hugging.  

• Starting Range: the ideal place to be to start a clash with a Challenger.  You are close enough to engage in one step and far enough away to respond to your opponent.  You can gauge this by putting your fingertips on top of your partner’s head.

 

DRILL:

• You and a partner decide on a range. 

• At grappling range, tap each other with your elbows and knees, or hug them. 

• At boxing range, tap each other’s head or shoulders. 

• At toe touch range, tap each other with your toes. 

• At starting range, check your distance with your fist, then adjust your stance and check for all proper principles.  Choose the Core stance or a stance from A Step To The Elements drill and repeat the drill in that stance.

• Choose a new range every 10 seconds. 

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NOTE:

• A rule of thumb for foot placement, you should have 3 points of contact on the ground with your feet.  The ball or under-toe and the heel.  Have one heel planted and one lifted.

• If your forward heel is planted, this helps with punching, advancing, clinching, and feinting.

• If your rear heel is planted, this helps with blocking, evasion, manipulations, and kicking.

• Alternate heels as you fight.

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