Martial Arts Advice Please
Discussion
Afternoon (again) all,
I've read with interest the numerous threads re. martial arts and the various disciplines that the PH members practice (hence coming here for my gum shield advise - see other thread), so I thought I'd ask you all for a bit more advice if I may.
As mentioned in the gum shield thread, I've been doing Muay Thai for 6/7 weeks now and am really enjoyng it (bar the shredded feet from the wooden gym floor - but I'm sure they'll soon toughen up). I played football for years as well as dabbling in tennis, golf, motocross and have 'gymed' for about 10 years but I've always had an interest in 'combat sports' and I'm really glad I gave it a go...albeit a tad late at 29!!
The one thing that's bothering me though and I think it's something I need to decide sooner rather than later, is how to stand?
Not the 'stance' but which way, considering I have the problem of being left footed and right handed (in sport - I write with my left - yes I realise I am a spacker).
Obviously for punching I should be taking an 'orthodox' stance, jabbing with my left and saving the big straight right for the KO. But for kicking I naturally want to stand 'southpaw' which (as our Muay Thai instructor advised) can offer advantages when blocking leg kicks and also means that I can employ my Filipovic-esq left kick FTW (I may have ust been watching YouTube clips and getting a bit excited
)
So PH martial artists, what would you suggest I do and how would you advise getting around the obvious weaknesses of the situation??
Cheers
Rob
I've read with interest the numerous threads re. martial arts and the various disciplines that the PH members practice (hence coming here for my gum shield advise - see other thread), so I thought I'd ask you all for a bit more advice if I may.
As mentioned in the gum shield thread, I've been doing Muay Thai for 6/7 weeks now and am really enjoyng it (bar the shredded feet from the wooden gym floor - but I'm sure they'll soon toughen up). I played football for years as well as dabbling in tennis, golf, motocross and have 'gymed' for about 10 years but I've always had an interest in 'combat sports' and I'm really glad I gave it a go...albeit a tad late at 29!!
The one thing that's bothering me though and I think it's something I need to decide sooner rather than later, is how to stand?
Not the 'stance' but which way, considering I have the problem of being left footed and right handed (in sport - I write with my left - yes I realise I am a spacker).
Obviously for punching I should be taking an 'orthodox' stance, jabbing with my left and saving the big straight right for the KO. But for kicking I naturally want to stand 'southpaw' which (as our Muay Thai instructor advised) can offer advantages when blocking leg kicks and also means that I can employ my Filipovic-esq left kick FTW (I may have ust been watching YouTube clips and getting a bit excited
)So PH martial artists, what would you suggest I do and how would you advise getting around the obvious weaknesses of the situation??
Cheers
Rob
Edited by roboxm3 on Wednesday 11th May 16:21
Seeing as you have only been doing it for a short time it is easy enough to train yourself into standing the other way.
pick which you find more comfortable as a "generic stance" i.e. if you were stood square on and had to jump to a fighting stance, which you you pick? That would be my recommendation as to which to go for.
There is nothing stopping you from learning to fight from both stances and then flitting between the two during sparring or fighting to suit (as long as you dont ONLY kick from southlaw and punch from orthodox as they may notice a trend and be able to read you easier). I can fight comfortably from both stances but would always start orthodox.
pick which you find more comfortable as a "generic stance" i.e. if you were stood square on and had to jump to a fighting stance, which you you pick? That would be my recommendation as to which to go for.
There is nothing stopping you from learning to fight from both stances and then flitting between the two during sparring or fighting to suit (as long as you dont ONLY kick from southlaw and punch from orthodox as they may notice a trend and be able to read you easier). I can fight comfortably from both stances but would always start orthodox.
^ yeah I'd go with that. Too soon to worry about it. Get the basics sorted first and worry about that after a year or so.
Or perhaps you could consider MT is not the ideal MA for you and should consider something where stance fludity is part of the art, like Tae Kwon do or a neutral stance like Wing Chun?
Or perhaps you could consider MT is not the ideal MA for you and should consider something where stance fludity is part of the art, like Tae Kwon do or a neutral stance like Wing Chun?
roboxm3 said:
The one thing that's bothering me though and I think it's something I need to decide sooner rather than later, is how to stand?
The highest proportion of people you're likely to fight/spar against will be right handed.That is the way you should train.More knockouts occur with the fiststhan feet and hands protect your jaw so hands are more important. If you're already used to jab/left cross/right then stick with it and get used to left foot forward.
goldblum said:
....More knockouts occur with the fists...
Not sure about that. I've seen LOTS of people floored with head kicks (Muay Thai).Training on a wooden floor doesn't sound that great. Most decent gyms will have padded floors. What about when you are doing clinch work and chucking each other about or when you throw a high kick, gets caught and you get tipped over backwards? Ouch.
Saying that, gyms in thailand are usually concrete floors, or the beach...they do it proper though.
Oh and you will have to stand in accordance with your hands preference for orthodox stance. You can't box orthodox and kick southpaw independently - you will be twisted at the hips.
dave_s13 said:
Not sure about that. I've seen LOTS of people floored with head kicks (Muay Thai).
Training on a wooden floor doesn't sound that great. Most decent gyms will have padded floors. What about when you are doing clinch work and chucking each other about or when you throw a high kick, gets caught and you get tipped over backwards? Ouch.
Saying that, gyms in thailand are usually concrete floors, or the beach...they do it proper though.
Oh and you will have to stand in accordance with your hands preference for orthodox stance. You can't box orthodox and kick southpaw independently - you will be twisted at the hips.
I'm not sure what we'll to re. sparring and the wooden floor, it's not ideal I know but there's no other option where we're training at the moment so I suppose we'll just have to do what they do in Thai and MTFU!? Training on a wooden floor doesn't sound that great. Most decent gyms will have padded floors. What about when you are doing clinch work and chucking each other about or when you throw a high kick, gets caught and you get tipped over backwards? Ouch.
Saying that, gyms in thailand are usually concrete floors, or the beach...they do it proper though.
Oh and you will have to stand in accordance with your hands preference for orthodox stance. You can't box orthodox and kick southpaw independently - you will be twisted at the hips.
With regard to my stance, I realise that I need to be either orthodox or southpaw for both punching and kicking, I just wasn't sure whether to favour my hands or my feet.
From the advise given I'm thinking that I should stick with orthodox as the 'standard' but develop my southpaw side as far as possible, to give another option if required!?
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