NaamKyun.com Discussion Forum

Hung kyun everybody,

For some time I've wondering about the bow and arrow stance. When I see some demos I can see this stance the rear leg is not fully extended and it seems to be part of our natural stance and the tendency of not bending enough the front knee. Now, in a static stance I can see that one can easily perform this stance. Then in relation to the knee bent I thought the feet should bee point sideways and not forward, however for the purpose of moving the waist while punching I can conceive the front foot point slightly forward but not as in Karate. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Mig

Don't let the form/routine fool you. There is a difference between training and actually using it. Training is typically idealistic, with an emphasis on strengthening your body. In application, demos, etc.. you need to adjust to your environment. Is your opponent taller, shorter than you.. can you move quicker in a higher or lower stance, etc. ?
Take a look at the stances in TSK, and compare to GJFFK for example. They must be different for a reason.. and usually there is not just one correct way to do something.
That being said, generally bow and arrow is not done with the feet pointing sideways. That would be extremely awkward and uncomfortable. Anytime something feels uncomfortable, it is a good sign that you are doing something wrong.
There are exceptions (beginning of Fu Hok for example), where the feet are kept straight in a transition from horse to bow and arrow... but this application is different from other uses of this stance.

Just think about the ankle turns in GGFFK.

Hello Mig,

Some of those issues sound like the way that ppl are setting up their stances in th first place, and for what reason...

"Bow and Arrow" step will lack leverage and power if one steps directly into it from a natural stance (shoulder width), ok...

Therefore, I think most of us learned to enter from an offset, side-body stance (Side Horse)...

Having the weight in one's front foot, we have a balanced, grounded framework we can enter with explosively, with all of the weight in our own front hand...

Planting the front foot at an appropriately inturned angle, we may trap his foot or collide with his shin at the same instant as our hand contacts, taking his root and putting him under our bridgehand control...

Regardless, once the front foot plants from the sidehorse entry, it doesn't move again until after the rear hand contacts by means of the bow step shift...

This allows us to keep our weight on the guy, and maintain our rooted control, momentarily, just for the duration of that particular section of leverage expression...

Moving this way, you will hurt his leg, and he won't be able to stop your hands...

(Unless he's doing th same thing YOU are, of course!)



Locking the back leg is just for slow motion training...

ALWAYS "save an inch", just like in punching and kicking. Changes are faster, More powerful structure, and less likely to suffer a joint injury, either from taking an impact at that point, or from one's very training, repetitions adding up over time to aggravate then possibly damage the joint beyond repair...



Best,

Mike