stance and breaking defense

[AhmedT]

how do you guys in kickboxing or muay thai stand in stance and how do you like to break your opponent's defense?

i had some trainers make me hold gloves pressed to my jaws while some told me to have them loose out high just front of the face..

and when is the best time to use punches rather than legs?

[Cameron]

When you're in punching range, when your opponent kicks, move in/sidestep and kick.

[Jeff Burger]

"how do you guys in kickboxing or muay thai stand in stance"

I vary my stance cause I vary how I fight.

"how do you like to break your opponent's defense?"
Overwhelm, trickery, timing, go for openings, make openings.

"i had some trainers make me hold gloves pressed to my jaws while some told me to have them loose out high just front of the face.."

I dont like to start from a very covered position. You cant be covered everywhere so its somewhat a false sense of protection. be ready to cover up.

You see alot of Thai fighters hold the hands high and wide. A few reasons for this...

1. They use legs to defend against legs

2. High hands / elbows about chin level easier to spike a face punch off the tip of your elbow.

3. High hands gravity = free power. The weapon higher than thre target means you can drop on it.

4. Wide hands = less options for your opponent ( high likelyhood that the punch will come betwen your hands) less options for him = less thinking / decision making for you. Less thinking / decision making = more speed for you.

"and when is the best time to use punches rather than legs?"

You can crowd kicks with punches. You can be out of range of punches with kicks.
besides making people miss or crowding them with distance also consider making them miss in alignment.

Jeff

[John Lucas]

Jeff covered it...personally I like Wide hands are great for kicks because you can get a really solid feel for the power coming out of your hips.

Usually I like a left hand wide and forward and a tucked in right at my chin. Really I think its a matter of personal tastes.

Personally I wouldnt like two tight hands though, I would think that would inhibit your ability to jab and keep distance. Also, generally, the earlier you deflect a punch, the more time you have to counter-attack.

[Stauds]

When I'm at half-fighting distance, my hands are near my forehead, and relatively wide, with elbows down, so I can effectively block any (first) punch.

At regular fighting distance, my left hand is extended a little ways, chin level, not in a fist, and my right hand is near my chin, closed fist. My hips are always square in order to maintain equal range for my punches...

This is when I start a fight... not counting transitional stances and stuff... And I am not experienced enough to use different stances for different opponents yet.

And for breaking an opponent's guard, Jeff covered it perfectly.

[Luebbers]

4. Wide hands = less options for your opponent ( high likelyhood that the punch will come betwen your hands) less options for him = less thinking / decision making for you. Less thinking / decision making = more speed for you.


Jeff

I've never heard that before, but it makes a lot of sense. It's like a little ambush. Limit the routes in to one, but be prepared to wage war on that one route. Why don't I see more of this in boxing or MMA?

[Jeff Burger]

"It's like a little ambush.Limit the routes in to one, but be prepared to wage war on that one route."
Yup, plus less options = less thinking and less thinking can mean more speed.


"Why don't I see more of this in boxing or MMA?"
They same principle does get used sometimes just in different ways (the Philly Shell comes to mind).
What do you think is truly being portrayed in a boxing /UFC match?
One thing I thing I think is being played out is values of skill, strength and will.

(I posted this a thousand times but here it is again)

Lam's Equation
10 skills = 1 strength
10 strengths = 1 will

Lets take the Bonnar / Griffin fight.
GREAT fight IMHO
Now look at how they punch. You think they train to flail like that? You dont think they got at least some good punching lessons?
Sure they did, but how much does that really matter?

That fight and many other never dont come down to skill. They come down to will and conditioning.
The winner usually has both. Cause if he has will he put it the training.

Remember the Stallone Boxing reality show?
There was this one guy I couldnt wait to see get in the ring.
"Im not a into running Im into fighting"
"Im not into hitting the bag Im into fighting"
"Im not into pad work Im into fighting" and on and on....
Oh and of course he had all the "Im going to knock everybody out in the first round" talk.
I wishn he hadnt gotten KO'd so quick, I wanted to see him suffer a little more.

[Eye4NEye]

That fight and many other never dont come down to skill. They come down to will and conditioning.
The winner usually has both. Cause if he has will he put it the training.

Matt Hughes made that comment several times in TUF2.

"Go in there and impose your will on him!"

It's very true.