Style versus Style

Question posted by: nobody important. But my response on 03/30/05 is good (and self-explanatory) so here it is:

A few posts down, somebody asked a question about traditional styles versus JKD, and most people replied with the ye olde’ “it’s not the style, but the person,” argument. While I agree with this wholeheartedly, there are certain things that make JKD and other “eclectic” styles fundamentally more effective. Ground fighting aside, the main attribute is footwork, (in my opinion). A striker with good, fluid footwork, (i.e. a highly mobile base FROM WHICH HE CAN EFFECTIVELY STRIKE), will dance circles around a traditional karate/kung fu man… literally.

Kata training augments a set stance because you go from move to move to prearranged move. Yes, you’re transitioning from stance to stance, but, what do you need all those stances for? I have two: a fighting stance, and a nonbelligerent stance. I can throw just about any tool from either stance, (and that includes takedowns).

I’m honestly not bragging; it’s just the way I train now. I grew up learning traditional Isshinryu and Shotokan karate, which have about ten different stances between the two: front stance, back stance, horse stance, cat stance, traditional crane, modified crane, seisan, sanchin, nahachi, etc. So, basically, I had to learn a variety of punches and kicks from an entire barrage of bases… most of them static.

Given the limited number of “dojo” hours your average working stiff has at his disposal within any given week, it’s a huge waste of time to train this way. To quote someone whose name I can’t remember, “I’d rather have a few techniques I can fight with, than a whole bunch of techniques that fight me.” In this respect, certain “styles” do indeed make a difference in an actual street fight.

I didn’t mean to get off on a tangent, because my main point was that effective footwork gives the JKD practitioner a formidable advantage against a traditional martial artist. The same can be said about JKD attributes in general, but my favorite to cite in a discussion like this is the Leading Straight Punch.

The L.S.P. is basically a power punch off the front hand, (kinda like a vertical, super duper jab), and- in my experience- it’s a silver bullet against traditional karate/kung fu guys. When pit against forward aggression, the L.S.P. combines speed with closeness with power to create the ultimate interception technique.

This is, naturally, only my opinion, but I’ve nailed more guys with a Leading Straight Punch than with any other striking technique… and that includes both sparring and bar fights. Sure, I love elbows, I love knees, I love grappling- but for my money, if I had only one technique to keep in lieu of all others, it’d be the Leading Straight Punch.


				*The Chronicles of Descado* *Style versus Style*



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		Question posted by: nobody important. But my response on 03/30/05 is good (and self-explanatory) so here it is: A few posts down, somebody asked a question about traditional styles versus JKD, and most people replied with the ye olde’ “it’s not the style, but the person,” argument. While I agree with this wholeheartedly, there are certain things that make JKD and other “eclectic” styles fundamentally more effective. Ground fighting aside, the main attribute is footwork, (in my opinion). A striker with good, fluid footwork, (i.e. a highly mobile base FROM WHICH HE CAN EFFECTIVELY STRIKE), will dance circles around a traditional karate/kung fu man… literally. Kata training augments a set stance because you go from move to move to prearranged move. Yes, you’re transitioning from stance to stance, but, what do you need all those stances for? I have two: a fighting stance, and a nonbelligerent stance. I can throw just about any tool from either stance, (and that includes takedowns). I’m honestly not bragging; it’s just the way I train now. I grew up learning traditional Isshinryu and Shotokan karate, which have about ten different stances between the two: front stance, back stance, horse stance, cat stance, traditional crane, modified crane, seisan, sanchin, nahachi, etc. So, basically, I had to learn a variety of punches and kicks from an entire barrage of bases… most of them static. Given the limited number of “dojo” hours your average working stiff has at his disposal within any given week, it’s a huge waste of time to train this way. To quote someone whose name I can’t remember, “I’d rather have a few techniques I can fight with, than a whole bunch of techniques that fight me.” In this respect, certain “styles” do indeed make a difference in an actual street fight. I didn’t mean to get off on a tangent, because my main point was that effective footwork gives the JKD practitioner a formidable advantage against a traditional martial artist. The same can be said about JKD attributes in general, but my favorite to cite in a discussion like this is the Leading Straight Punch. The L.S.P. is basically a power punch off the front hand, (kinda like a vertical, super duper jab), and- in my experience- it’s a silver bullet against traditional karate/kung fu guys. When pit against forward aggression, the L.S.P. combines speed with closeness with power to create the ultimate interception technique. This is, naturally, only my opinion, but I’ve nailed more guys with a Leading Straight Punch than with any other striking technique… and that includes both sparring and bar fights. Sure, I love elbows, I love knees, I love grappling- but for my money, if I had only one technique to keep in lieu of all others, it’d be the Leading Straight Punch.



		*Tim Tackett's Forum*