The Fighting Stance/ Bai Jong
At the very core of any martial art lies the basic fighting stance. Each different art has its own interpretation of the stance and how it should be utilised. Each method, no matter what system of style of fighting they are has both it’s strengths and weaknesses. It is important when studying your own method that you try to understand the different applications that can be used, and then decide upon one that best suits you personally, after all no two people fight the same way.
With saying this there are some fundamental aspects that should be used in order to make full use of the theories that are Hoi Kuen Do’s method of fighting.
The on guard or fighting stance should be a well balanced position, that does not limit you in any direction and that promotes both speed and power whilst not leaving you vulnerable in any one area. Remember Hoi Kuen Do is a method of fighting that allows you to adapt to any situation or range of fighting, therefore it is important that we allow our body to be relaxed whilst in the position. Failure to do this and being tensed would lead to our movements being restricted and our reaction time slower. Mobility is key in the application of Hoi Kuen Do, therefore our footwork should be light and economical and this starts from the very beginning in the fighting/Bai Jong stance.
To create the basic stance you should stand facing your opponent with your dominant foot forward. This position unlike the orthodox western boxing stance sees us lead with our strongest hand; this helps us close the gap on our opponent a lot quicker and by exerting less energy than if we were trying to throw a strike with our strongest hand from the back.
The front foot should not be facing straight on but instead slightly turned to a 45 degree angle to act as protection helping turn our body off centre, reducing the angle of the body as a target.
Weight should be distributed evenly between the both feet, yet we should not be flat footed or have our legs locked straight as this again is a negative position and restricts our movement. Instead we should be slightly on the balls of our feet with our knees slightly bent, ready to move in any direction at any time.
Hand positioning is really down to the individual. However we should really consider the areas that are most likely to be attacked and try to cover them as much as possible.
Your lead hand should not be pushed too far forward and flat as this would make it easier for your opponent to intercept, yet it should not be too close to your body either where you can easily be trapped should pressure be applied to you.
My preferred method of hand positioning is to have my front shoulder slightly raised and forward and my chin slightly dropped down, with my front hand coming into my centre line in a loose fist position. This allows me to be able to attack quickly and at ease whilst also being able to defend and parry with my front hand whilst protecting my centre line and chin. My back hand is also in a loose fist position or even an open hand position and sits just in front and below of my chin on the centre line, this allows for ease of mobility when blocking either side of my body and also a good position for a block/parry against wider shots such as hooks to the head.
Although this suits my style of fighting it may not suit everyone else. It has taken a long time for me to develop a stance that best works for me and it continues to evolve the more I study. Once you have found a stance that best suits you, keep working on it as there will be gaps and faults in your positioning, it is only through hard training and constant reflection that you will be able to develop it further.
LT