Guard

[Dan_uk]

Just wondering what type of guard people like to use.

I like to have a play with both a static guard and a moving or floating guard. I find there are benefits for both.

The static guard enables you to clearly see whats coming, by that I mean it does not restrict your vision. It therefore allows you to react to incoming strikes and hopefully block them directly with no wasted movement or energy.

A floating guard however tends to make it more difficult for the opponent to see a clear oppening and if your arms are moving or in a whirling fashion there is a chance that strikes may be blocked as your arm may already be there to block. But I find this sometimes restricts my vision and sometimes I feel that it might be wasting energy. It does however put the opponent off somewhat.

I like to switch between both moving and static guards when sparring sometimes. I like the static guard to see shots coming and throw shots back but then when on the defensive sometimes, i like to float and bounce off the shots that are coming at me and counter from them.

Don't get me wrong, I still get hit.

Any comments, views or experiences anyone wants to share????

Please no negative comments!!!

Cheers

[straight blast]

If you're going to be using a moving guard for your own sake don't ever do it in patterns, even accidentally. There is a guy I used to train with who thought he was hot s**t. Instead of maintaining the proper Thai guard he used to bounce around (I think he thought it made him look like Bruce Lee) and wave his arms in mystical patterns. I watched him spar another guy, and watched for patterns. He didn't really seem to have one, but over time his hands returned to a sort of circling thing. Then it was my turn to spar him.
Since he is a higher grade than me he thought that he'd put on a show, a little demo if you will. I just watched, and waited. The moment he started doing his little dance and circling hands I kicked up with a front snap kick and caught him square on the tip of the chin with the ball of my foot. Needless to say he hit the deck like a ton of bricks, and didn't get up for quite some time.

Good thing he was wearing a mouthguard.

I like to keep a roughly static guard, and I keep it firm but loose enough that I can adapt if someone does some weird s**t that I haven't seen before.

[TheGhostDog]

Since this is the Street Reality forum, I'm going to ask why have a guard ?
If you're in a confrontation then you want your hands up, palms out in a non-aggressive manner. This would allow you to have a guard without making it obvious. However, if in the middle of your confrontation you bring your hands up in an obvious fighting stance or martial arts guard, you're immediately escalating the situation from a confrontation to a fight.
You should obviously keep your hands up when you're exchanging punches, but don't kid yourself that you're going to have the time to start dancing around and waving your arms around ala Bruce Lee.
If you're talking about having a guard for sparring then your question would be better served on the kung-fu forum.

[Chen]

changing between a static guard and a moving is a good comprimise. The moving gaurdor float can also be used to threat if done subtle way.

I use both, but do not feel a moving gaurd restricts my vision. Try playing with distant between your hands to your body. Extend your gaurd more perhaps. Just a suggestion.

Chen

[Dan_uk]

Some good points made.

Maybe I have put this in the wrong section. I apologise but does it really matter?

Anyway I like the idea of Geoff Thompsons fence approach. He has his hands in a non threatening guard. By that I mean if you were to see it you would not think it was a guard initially.

However from here he has the option to pre emptively strike if need be.

The fence however does not remain static.

It is meant to look natural as though you are just talking with your hands, exclaiming etc etc. While doing this along with dissuasive dialogue he is actually changing from fence to fence to fence etc.

There are different fence's. Pleading fence, staggered fence, exclamation fence etc etc. Naturally switching from one to the other does not appear threatening.

So it appears the guard is not whirling exactly but not exactly static either.

This is the more street reality side to the use of the guard. Ofcourse it would be stupid to think we could re-enact a scene from Kung-fu with David Caradine or ofcourse a Bruce Lee film.

:D

PS good comment by straight blast about not getting into a pattern if using a moving guard.

Chen Your stuff sounds too familiar man!!!