Stance Part III with Keith Pascal
Date: Weds, 26 April 2006
As promised, this week's newsletter is a comment on stance from my friend Keith Pascal.
Analyzing a Bruce Lee Quote For an Improved Stance
by Keith Pascal
Bruce Lee said, "In fighting, if one could command a natural stance, swift movements, and powerful attacks, he already effects the best defense."
That's a powerful quote, if we think about it. There are several important snippets to be considered:
When you have to fight is when you are looking for a 'natural stance.' This is not the time to effect a deep horse stance, for example. Wide stances have their uses, but not while fighting. A wide stance isn't natural; a stiff-legged stance isn't natural; a super-low stance isn't natural. With a natural stance, you also don't give away too much information.
Not only are we looking for a natural stance, we want a stance that allows both 'swift movements' and 'powerful attacks.' If you only wanted swift movements, then you could have a high center of gravity, like a basketball player, or maybe a lower position, like a sprinter. But there goes the natural stance, again.
And if we only wanted a power hit, then we could have all of those low, wide stances. But Bruce Lee said that we wanted a "powerful attack." So, we have to be able to move.
Last, but not least, if you can "command a natural stance," and at the same time be able to execute "swift movements and powerful attacks," then you can defend offensively, with attacks of your own, which is of course "the best defense."
(Developing a workable, natural stance ... should be the subject of a future article.)
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Read more articles by Keith Pascal in 'Martial Arts Mastery: A Tell-All of Tips, Tactics, and Techniques'
http://kerwinbenson.com/martial_arts_mastery.html
And check out "Coin Snatching: The Reputation Builder," Keith Pascal's newest book....
Snatch a coin from a participant's hand with super speed ... like Bruce Lee did!
You will beat others with your speed -- guaranteed!
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That's it for this week.
Rob LaPointe