The Forward stance

[CeruleanRyuujin]

I recently had a debate with another instructor discussing this stance and am curious about other opinions.

What do you all think is the value of doing a forward stance with the lead leg's foot pointing forward vs. turned in at a 45 degree angle?

[EarthDragon]

the obvious is to avoid your opponent from kicking and collasping the side of your knee.
And to perform a quick front snap kick without having to shift your weight. these are basic advantages to knee forward stance.

[MightyB]

I recently had a debate with another instructor discussing this stance and am curious about other opinions.

What do you all think is the value of doing a forward stance with the lead leg's foot pointing forward vs. turned in at a 45 degree angle?

You make your b@lls a better target with the toes forward. Might as well just square up the ol' shoulders while you're at it.

[Codeboy]

Yeah, Sifu would make you pay for that every time too!!

[mkriii]

I recently had a debate with another instructor discussing this stance and am curious about other opinions.

What do you all think is the value of doing a forward stance with the lead leg's foot pointing forward vs. turned in at a 45 degree angle?

other than for piviting purposes when kicking I don't see the difference in wheather the foot is staight or at a 45 degree angle. But then again who is really going to get in that stance in an actual fight? Not me. Thats like saying your going to fight from ma bu.

[Citong Shifu]

Toe Forward / Toe in 45 degree -

These are variations of the same stance, Bow Stance or Forward Stance... When the toe is forward it is implied that the toe can be turned inward and vice versa.... Be careful not to over define kung fu. Yin Yang principles and its "variations", no difference between toe in or out, just whats needed at the time or prescibed in training forms, drills, etc...

Take care.

[TenTigers]

also closes off the femoral nerve that runs down the inside of your leg as well as the artery. In some Southern systems, this stance, in a shorter version, is used while fighting. It is not deep, or wide, like a modified sanchin dachi,and there is plenty of mobility, but the structure is maintained.

[Lucas]

Depending on how strictly you believe the 'form' of the stance should be, one could argue that 'a' forward stance is used by every professional fighter in every fight they have pretty much.

[BeiTangLang]

My personal opinion of the difference are these:

maintaining the 45 gives you immediate stopping & control power for the distance traveled. 0 degress just wants to keep your momentum going forward...which is not a bad thing if you are stepping through, but a very bad thing if you intend to stop your momentum.
(BTW,..try this out! It is quite interesting. Take a true, quick, advancing step landing in both a 45 & 0 degree configuration. See what happens!)

45 gives you closure to the groin, 0 does not. This also alligns your leg to somewhat prevent getting hit on the nerve in your thigh by a side kick. the aim has to be more precise.

There are pos & neg about both, but unless I am in transition, the foot should be 45 degrees to my prefference.

Best Wishes,
~BTL

[KwaiChangCaine]

Snap kick from a front stance without weight shift....amazing light body skills .....no?

[EarthDragon]

kwichang, shift the weight from side to side not from back to font. This I thought was obvious to most.

PS please dont troll. you' ve been a member since 2005 but only 15 replies in 3 years? hiding a former identity perhaps?

[KwaiChangCaine]

Nah no troll, just often have little to say that hasn't been said. No no other IDs here ever. Is there a minimum post count requirement I'm not familiar with in order to avoid the troll designation?

I'll admit I was feeling light hearted when I made the light body comment.

So please help a novice understand what most know about shifting weight to the side (shifting weight means no stepping right?) that would allow a front snap kick to take place from the front leg while in a front stance without a shift of weight to the rear leg. Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean?

Thanks!

[EarthDragon]

sorry Kwaichang, didnt mean to suggest. just after so many years on here when people that dont post over a long time post comments usually means they are stirring things up..... my apologies.

front snap with toes pointing forward would be different than with the side of the foot if the toe was 45 degrees you must shift weight. again i said that the first thinag that comes to mind is basic, difference and obvious one was in my original post.

[KwaiChangCaine]

All,

I was taught that when in toes forward position the knee is open to frontal attack with no where to go but back, at 45 degrees it is collapsable (SP?) leaving more response options.

Thoughts?

Earth Dragon,
What would I be stirring up? Now I'm curious.

[EarthDragon]

stirring up trouble or mischief, but now I realize that is not the case and you are sincere so again sorry for prejudging.