Which stance is more practical?

[Nick]

One where both hands are up, the rear near your face and one further out, or one with the rear near your face and the other held farther down, covering your ribs?

Later...

[brokenelbow]

Depends...

[Kingston]

no stance is the most practical....

[Toudiyama[NL]]

I think Nick means posture or guard rather than stance

one held at face level, slightly in front of you other hand near elbow of the front arm at solar plexus level
If one hand move down the other moves up
So called "all round gamae" from Kyokushin

[CHOKE UK]

Toudy,
A serious question,
Have you not found that if you do this "one-up-one down" guard,
that if the other guy is a very good puncher that you will get "tagged".

I have tried this type of thing many years ago and found that a good puncher will get through.

Its ok at say kung fu sparring.

But I have found for full contact that a boxing- type guard is better.

because in my experience ,
blocking in the way you mention, relies too much on moving your arms, and this can be manipulated by a good fighter.

Although I have found the way you mention to be very comfortable, I have also found it's weakness against fast powefull, skilled attacks.

[Nick]

...

Thanks.

Later...

[Thai Bri]

Aye - keep your mitts up. Use as little movement as possible and take blows on your forearms and elbows.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

Choke UK

The only thing different for my between fighting full or noncontact is in noncontact I'm a southpaw because I just am, in full contact I've only been trained in a orthodox stance

the hand don't need to be switched in full contact sports because there you allow for the occasional hit to the body ( I didn't)

In the streets I do not allow this I know the effect of a well focused full force blow to the kidneys or liver, I don't want to feel how this feels when done well focused, full force bare knuckled, so there the need for the lower arm is much greater

If the upper arm is fast enough, it can parry most punches (only combined with good footwork and bodymovement)

against a grabler the lower hand might prevent a takedown by widening the body thus preventing the hold ( again only when combined with good footwork and bodymovement)

but against a barrage of punches both dukes better go up

[CHOKE UK]

Originally posted by Thai Bri
Aye - keep your mitts up. Use as little movement as possible and take blows on your forearms and elbows.

Exactly.

I found this out the hard way.
In the ring !

Anyone that i have seen try anything else,
soon changes when you fight a good puncher/kicker in full contact.

[Thai Bri]

In my edition of the Tao of Jeet Kune Do, Lee seems to be recommending a low lead hand. It seems to be in able to block mid and lowish level attacks.

All I can think is that a few rounds in the ring wised him up later on.

[Thai Bri]

In the Tao of Jeet Kune Do Bruce Lee seems to be recommending a low lead hand. Presumably to assist in blocking mid to lowish level attacks.

All I can think is someone taught him the error of his ways later on.

[mushinmaster]

low lead, from the Tao of Jeet Kune Do:

The preference for a lowline position with absence of an extended lead is because most people are weak in low-line defense. Also, with the absence of an extended lead, many preparations on same are useless. So if the opponent's offensive game is based on these preparatory movements, he is severly handicapped and partly checked.

from a diagram outlining the components of his stance:

R-elbow
protects the center, right ribs and right side of body

R-hand
protects the right and left side of face and groin (it is the major striking weapon).

I think the posture presented in this book is an extreme defensive on-gaurd presented for the beginner, indicated by the diagram which outlines the natural defensive qualities of his low-line position. Lee states, "the preference for a lowline position...," indicating that it is up to the fighter to decide what makes the best on gaurd stance, wether that be with a low lead hand or high. He also states, "...is because most people are weak in low-line defense," indicating that he is looking for a posture which will suit the average person. I have never seen Lee adopt this posture in any film footage, both hollywood and clips of him doing his thing away from movies. The posture I've seen him take is the one labeled "Alternative Ready Position" on page 31 and outline in other books such as the Bruce Lee's Fighting Method books.

Furthermore, I believe this stance was engineered more for the longer ranges of combat, ranges which few people, especially in the west with our emphasis on boxing and wrestling, will actively engage outside of certain competitions. Try using such a posture in a boxing ring, where the distancing is always closer and the blows come fasture, and you'll learn a lesson like CHOKE UK. By simply using your elbows to cover your midline from punches and by practicing a little with a kicker who will try to engage in those longer ranges of combat, you can learn to defend your "low line" easily, and you don't need to leave one hand low...unless of course you've got a massive gut to cover like SZ instead of the rock-hard Army abs like me