Stance Stability?

[Sihing73]

Hey Old Jong,

No, I do not really miss being a Mod, I do miss having the time to post more than I am currently able. Still, it does not seem like I am missing too much .

Hope all is well with you

Peace,

Dave

[anerlich]

Anerlich no need to tell us about you. ... blah blah blah ... Come from air?

I'm a user of the 50/50 stance, as would be most TWC people. Of course in a real encounter both stance and weight distribution are constantly shifting. We'd use 100/0 only as a transition on side and T-steps - and kicking, of course.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Sihing73

In an attempt to get back on track I would ask that we return to discussing the stance and the pros and cons of front weighted, equal weighted and rear legged. Any takers???

Peace,

Dave [/B]

definitely dave (asked a question a couple of posts up)

I've only explored equal weighted and have some pros and cons:

Pros-
-Interuptability (very important!!)
-Mobility (similar to above)
-Near equal speed of both kicks (not depending on front leg kick)
-Both legs safe from leg kicks (can move or at least minimise weight on leg to minimise damage)

Cons-
-May have weaker strike (though MUST hit home! and can be cultivated to not be an issue)
-Have to shift weight to kick with front leg (though rear leg will be quicker)

Basically if you train in a live situation (especially with weapons) a weighted stance comes naturally (well to me at least ) I'm happy with my striking power and VERY happy with my mobility and interuptability when I'm equal weighted (sometimes on my heels or uneven when stressed in sparring!)

Wouldn't do it any other way myself, but would like to hear opinions of weighted stance users

[old jong]

Originally posted by Sihing73
Hey Old Jong,

No, I do not really miss being a Mod, I do miss having the time to post more than I am currently able. Still, it does not seem like I am missing too much .

Hope all is well with you

Peace,

Dave

All is well,like you,I don't post as much as I used to mainly because I use the times for training instead! (Times is limited!)Also, I have students that are getting seriously good! (good motivation!)

[Gandolf269]

Sihing73,
Thanks for your informative answer posted on 5-19 regarding improving the stance. It was very informative for all of us WT'ers.
David

[Gandolf269]

Sihing73
"In an attempt to get back on track I would ask that we return to discussing the stance and the pros and cons of front weighted, equal weighted and rear legged. Any takers???"


I would take you up on your offer but I think it is a no win situation. I think that if you practice the 0/100, 20/80, 50/50 etc. it really depends on whether or not it works for you. I know that there are very effective WC/VT/WTers that can make each type work very well.

horserider
Watch one baseball game and see how many different stances the batters take. They definately are not all the same. Just because both feet are in the batters box doesn't mean the stance is the same. Do you use the same stance and footwork for the Baat Jam Do, the 61/2 Pole, and empty hand techniques?

[Sihing73]

Hello,

Not really a debate per se, each situation will require, or can require a slightly different response. Thus the need for flexibility and the ability to step outside of the box. IMHO it does one no good to complain about someone not following Wing Chun principles if that person is able to defeat you, particularly if they can do so easily. I have run into a number of “Wing Chun” People who can talk the talk but not walk the walk (Myself included) I think that truly great martial artists are capable of adapting and applying the concepts/principles outside of a rigid structure.

Back to the discussion of the stance:
Front weighted can be considered more aggressive. This has the advantage of allowing you to LOAD up and really extends your energy into your opponent. However, it also can cause you to over commit and one big disadvantage is that once you attack you may have trouble stopping or redirecting your energy. Another thing to consider is that a Front Weighted stance can leave you susceptible to sweeps and the like.

Rear Weighted allows you to root and can be very stable. However, usually you end up with more limited mobility to one side. While proponents will argue that keeping the front foot weightless allows for quick shifts, and there are people who can make this work, this requires a good deal of practice to make it work comfortable. Usually a rear weighted stance is less prone to sweeps as the front leg can be lifted easier. In WT, one advantage of having 100% of the weight on the rear leg is that the front leg can be used to kick with very little, if any, tell tale movement of the body.

Equal Weighted provides a happy medium as you are equally balanced and can usually react fairly well to either side. Another factor is that if you take up a triangle stance or Som Kwok Ma you will have one foot slightly in front of the other but still be fairly balanced. This will provide good balance for all four sides and will only minimize facing ability slightly. However, any movement will be indicated as this stance will require a shifting of weight to move. In the rear weighted stance it is possible to move forward without this indication. Although again this requires more practice. Probably the greatest advantage to the equal weighted stance is that it is the closest to a natural body weight. I know, in real life no one is ever 100% 50/50 but it is closest as it is less natural to be Front or Rear weighted.

Along with this comes the idea of weighting on the foot. Some will argue it is better to center the weight on the ball, center or heel. I would propose that each of these also allows for different situations.

Peace,

Dave

[horserider]

Gandolf- are you sure?
What is important your? Stance when you are relaxed or waiting or your stance when you are active and transferring power. If you look at top hitters at the moment of impact as they finish their stride you will not see many many different stances. You will see only a few and look at the best hitters and you see even fewer.
How you stand when relaxed and neither issuing or recieving force is not important at all. How you align your skeleton when you are issuing or recieving energy, that is what is important.

As for what foot your weight is on, that is not very important . All stance have their time and place.As long as you know time and place all weightings work. Although front foot weight has fewer times and place.

There is always someone better ,faster, stronger etc etc. The issue is never how good a fighter you are because someone always better just depends if you fight him or not but he out there. What is most important is learning how to use your natuaral tools in the way they were intended . Then you get most out of whatever skills you pocess. That is what is important. Hunching shoulders, leaning back like slant pile, the need to run or retreat to avoid incoming energy because you have no body to receive force. These are problems and fighting skills will never be optimal until these things corrected.