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Why does Ted Wong and Teri Tom hold their arms different?
April 20 2008 at 6:31 PM
Jason (no login) from IP address 65.6.33.237
I was reading the Straight Lead book by Teri Tom, and I noticed she keeps her arm tucked in. For granted a guy I used to box with told me to do this to keep relaxed (funny how he jammed me all the time :) I noticed Sifu Davis, and everyone else (Even Bruce LEE) keeps their lead elbow out 3-4 inches. Any reason why other than relaxation. Looks like to me (a learning student) that the hammer principle would be very hard to execute.
I know that many here don't agree with Ted but this is why we do this...
Your on the right track with relaxation... it allows you to completely relax the shoulder following the priciple that you are faster and more explosive if you relax more. It also allows you to throw multiple punches from basically the same position (st punch, corkscrew, shovel, etc). This position also makes great use of the shoulder feint.
The hammer priciple doesn't really apply out of this position. For the most part striking movements will be directly towards the target so there will be no need for angular extention or "dropping the hammer".
As a side note... here is a little trivia.... Joe Lewis teaches the Hammer Principle by a different name. What does he call it?
There are several reasons for keeping the elbow a bit out front. (1) It places the lead hand a few inches closer to the opponent. (2) It keeps the elbow from being in a "pre-pinned" position. (3) It allows the lead arm to move freely in front of the body with no alteration of the arm position. (4) The elbow is allowed to seek the centerline freely with no hindrance. (5) Allows for more direct, less telegraphic punching/striking with the hands.
As for the statement regarding the arm being "relaxed" in the TW/TT version of the stance, actually that is just awkward to me. If someone is in good physical condition and has a good physique, your musculature makes it an awkward, very uncomfortable "forced" conscious effort to keep the arm against the body. This is often due to the lat structure. The bai jong position that you will see me assume (which, as already noted, is the same position assumed by Bruce Lee) offers a natural, more relaxed feeling, as well as allowing for less telegraphic motion on delivery of the punch, while still offering better centerline protection as well.
Ted told me the reason he keeps the front hand lower is so that he can lull his opponent into thinking he has an opening and he can draw him to move towards him. This is a classic example of Attack By Drawing.
I also carry my lead hand a bit lower for deception, for "aiming the gun" directly at the opponent's nose and also just for more versatility. What we are discussing here is the elbow of the lead arm resting on the body rather than observing the immovable elbow theory and staying about a fist's distance from the body. I have noticed that several JKD practitioners, both First and Second Generation, hold their lead hand a bit differently. This has more to do with personal preference than anything else, or at least that is what I think.
Thats the way I usually hold my lead arm. I did this before even studying boxing or JKD. To me it was like a defense mechanism so my friends couldn't punch my gloves in my face. Moreover I like the lead arm slightly lower myself. Helps me see alot better.
Watchdog,
I have never heard Ted teach or say that... in fact I've heard him say the opposite many times. And that is not how he teaches ABD! He is all in favor of lulling your opponent in... but not by dropping the hands. I agree dropping the hands is a classic ABD... but I have never heard him encourage it!
Everybody,
as for the trivia I thru out there. Lewis doesn't teach the Hammer principle by name. But if you watch his vids on the straight punch, when he talks about the principle of independent motion you will see the hammer principle as one of the steps.
I'm just relating my own personal experience with him. When I first went to see him, I held my front hand higher. He had me lower the hand and drop my elbow back into the resting position. He explained that one of the reasons for keeping the hand lower was to lull the opponent into attacking.
Hey, maybe he's following the Bruce Lee traditional of teaching different students differently.
i do not beleive in one hand position for the guard but 2 main ones.
in the book of the five ring, Musachi Miyamoto say that it do not have one ultimate guard because a guard is something static and a fight is constantly changing so the guard should constantly adapt wich i beleive in to.
im pretty sure that when being out of range having hands a bit lower is good for mobility but when being in range for kicking and punching the hands should be higher cause if you have to raise youre hands to parry it have great chances that the blow will pass youre defence .
now if ted wong put his hand 2 centimeter more down then the majority i dont think its the bigger deal :P
I totally agree Marc. The situation dictates what guard you use. When sparring with my boys back at school, I still "Naturally" preferred to have my arm the way Sifu Lamar had his. I was good at slipping and "dancing". However, I learned the hard way if you make your opponent mad by dancing around him and barely jabbing him in the nose, he might Just Round Kick the living crappola out of ya and man does that hurt. Good thing i did manage to duck, however I thought we were just boxing. Oh well, pays to know who you spar with :)
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