KM Stance

[connorb]

Question: What fighting style did Krav maga choose to take its Fighting stance from? The reason that I ask is that 14 years ago when I first took Krav, the stance was identical to what they are teaching today. ( Feet shoulder width apart with lead foot 1/2 a step forward or so, weight distributed 50/50, hands up 8″ in front of your chin,,,etc.)

The reason that I discontinued taking Krav back then was that I felt that too much TKD was migrating into the system(The Instructor’s primary background) so I chose to continue to focus on Boxing/Thai boxing as I have since I was a child of about five.

Anyway, as you get older you realize that you are becoming more of a target for the various seedy types that seem to pervade our society so last month I decided to give Krav Maga a try once again.(Not to mention that I believe that Krav Maga has the best situationals/combatives in the business.)

The Krav instructor at the most reputable school in the area ran a good Thai Pad workout class that I attended with good punch/kick drills from various angles so i signed up.

Since then I have attended a few of the Krav classes only to find out that they are still teaching the old school fighting stance that I previously mentioned which, in my opinion, is far less effective than a boxer’s stance which is basically ; Feet shoulder width apart then 1/2 step forward with feet angled 30 degrees off center and toward your target, body 45degrees off center, weight 60/40 that transfers with each heavy punch, one hand blocking chin with the other forwrd of the aft one two fist lengths.

I can block, punch and therefore counterpunch far more effectively in a Boxers stance than in the Krav stance not to mention the groin area is far less exposed to being kicked.

The reason that I ask is that Imi Lichtenfeld boxed in his early days and I have yet to see a Boxer square off with an opponent like I’ve been seeing lately.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[maddogmean]

Re: KM Stance

I’m sure the instructors on here can better answer the question for you. But in any class that the stance is introduced to students they always say…all your weapons facing your attacker. Also the stance is cleverly disguised as unthreatening and passive.

I also feel like I’m able to burst in and out of range pretty quickly at this stance (don’t know how it differs from a boxing stance)…but if I’m trying to deescalate or asses a situation from the KM stance and have to burst in…having my feet toward the attacker would seem to be more advantageous than having them angled.

Also it’s stressed to have your hands in front to not only be non-threatening, but also block any incoming attacks at a distance…inside defenses.

[catapult]

Re: KM Stance

While striking styles vary among the best MMA fighters, many of them seem to naturally evolve toward a KM-style stance. More square than a boxer because you have to defend and counter against kicks and takedowns as well as punches. Hands more out front because you don’t have big, fat boxing gloves to build a shield with so you have to pick off his strikes sooner.

[tzrider]

Re: KM Stance

Interestingly, David Kahn teaches a stance that is more bladed than the KMWW stance. I can see the positives in his approach, but I do appreciate having similar reach and timing on both sides with the squared stance we use.

[tacticaltimmy]

Re: KM Stance

I personally feel like a bladed stance has me more committed to fighting a fight than to surviving the encounter.

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