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7 Basic Position and Adjustment for Distance

The karate (tae-kwon do) trainee should not free fight until he masters the basic karate moves to the point where they can be used instinctively in any free-fighting situation. In order to master these basic moves, he usually practices them alone, assuming an imaginary opponent before him. However, such practice is quite different from the application of these moves against an actual opponent in free fighting. The real opponent presents a moving target, in contrast to an imaginary opponent or stationary bag. The real opponent can also attack the trainee, who must be prepared to make both offensive and defensive moves. In other words, the actual free fighting techniques of the trainee are his ability not only to execute simple karate moves, but also to effectively apply both offensive and defensive moves in free fighting.

The karate free-fighting position is somewhat different from the fighting positions of boxing, wrestling, or judo, because the karate attack is not limited to the fist alone as in boxing, or a throw as in wrestling or judo, but utilizes the finger tips, palm-heel, knife-edge, elbow, and many varied foot techniques. In addition, many defensive techniques are also applied in order to protect the numerous vulnerable spots of the body. Most of all, the combination of strong hand-and-foot attacks requires a strong body balance, and the effective application of defensive moves, along with offensive moves, requires good coordination and superb balance to be advantageously applied in free fighting.

The main free-fighting stance must be one which provides an intermediate distance between both feet to facilitate complete mobility. Back stance, even stance, short side stance, or short forward stance are better to start with than forward stance or low stance, which provide a strong balance but lack mobility because the body balance is spread between the front and rear feet. Cat stance usually allows a fast pick-up of the front foot for kicking, but the short distance between the feet might result in a weak foundation for both hand and foot techniques. However, the main free-fighting stance must be changed from time to time from cat stance to back stance, short forward stance, even stance, and so forth, depending upon the moves you want to make.

A half-front facing posture is preferable to a front- or side-facing posture in free fighting. The front-facing posture is usually good for attacking with the hands and feet, but it exposes the front part of the body and is a disadvantageous posture for defense. A side-facing posture leaves less of an opening and is safer for defense, but limits offensive moves and lacks advancing force. The half-front facing posture is best suited as an intermediate position for both offense and defense.

The body should always be erect and relaxed and the eyes should look directly at the opponent. Do not watch his legs or hands for indications of his movements, but rather his eyes. The front-guarding arm is held at the front-body line with the elbow bent and shoulder relaxed. The fist is tight and stays no higher than the shoulder level. The forearm is slightly inside the body line so it guards the front-facing ribs. The rear arm is held in front of the body with the fist somewhere around the solar plexus. The guarding position of both arms is approximately at the midsection of the body, from which they can be raised or lowered to protect other sections of the body. The knife-hand edge may be used instead of the fist. You must always be in a tightly guarded position whether you remain stationary or move. Be sure not to allow your opponent to induce you to relax your guard. While attacking, always move in a guarded position to protect yourself against the opponent's potential counter moves.

• Vital Spots of Human Body

• Adjustment for Distance

Many otherwise well-executed attacking moves are wasted because of the improper distance between the attacker and his opponent. Consequently, the attacker expends his energy senselessly. In general, karate practitioners maintain the free-fighting distance between each other that is either favorable to their own moves, or such that the opponent is in an unfavorable position to make an initial attack. The distance maintained must be slightly beyond reach of a simple attack with hands or feet. An initial attack from such a defensive distance should be preceded by closing the distance so that the attack can reach the specified target.

The adjustment for distance is an offensive step performed by extending the front foot or by bringing the rear foot forward or sideway. It primarily precedes a simple stepping or attacking move. The adjustment for distance gives the proper distance and direction for the execution of a successful attack. While adjusting, the attacker estimates the fighting distance and assumes the correct body posture, depending upon the type of attack to follow. A successful attack can be made from an oblique direction following a proper adjustment for distance when an opening from that direction is detected. Adjustment for distance enables an advancing force to be added to the attacking move. The adjustment for distance will be applied in detail in many different moves in later sections.

Extending the Front Foot. This adjustment for distance is performed by extending the front foot in a forward or oblique direction, shortening the distance between you and your opponent in order to follow through with rear hand or foot attacks. A simple attacking move follows the extension of the front foot forward. This type of adjustment is used in a same-side facing position where one leads with his left leg and the other with his right in order to attack the solar plexus, for example, and in an opposite-side facing position both leading with same leg to attack the front-facing kidney.

Push your front foot forward as far as necessary to adjust for the right distance between you and your opponent and attack with the reverse hand or foot. This is a simple method of shortening the distance and provides a strong advancing force for the attack. While adjusting, your free-fighting position is primarily unchanged. Therefore, a rapidly executed adjusting move may not be detected by the opponent.

Bringing the Rear Foot Forward. This is an adjustment for distance made by first bringing the rear foot forward and then attacking with the front hand or foot. When the attack is made with the front hand, it is accompanied by the forward extension of the front foot. The rear foot must be brought to the spot from which an attack can be successfully executed.

To adjust for distance in order to attack with the front hand or foot, bring your rear foot forward and place it somewhere around or ahead of the front foot, depending upon how close to your opponent you must be for your attack to be successful. You can attain a side-facing posture for your attack by pointing the toes to the side as you bring up the rear foot.

A continuous adjustment can be made by repeating the same adjusting move after extending your front foot forward following the original adjustment for distance.

In free fighting, a combined adjustment for distance is often applied against the opponent who unexpectedly moves after detecting your original stepping move. Some examples of combination adjustments will be shown in later sections. It can be made easily by extending the front foot forward first and then bringing the rear foot forward again before initiating an attack.

• Fake

A fake is performed when a free fighter indicates that he is going to perform a certain move, solely for the purpose of drawing the opponent's attention to it, so he can then launch a real attack, catching the opponent off guard. For this reason a fake should be executed with a snappy but obvious motion with the hand, foot, or the entire body.

The reaction of the opponent to the fake may result in his changing his guarding position or commencing the execution of a block or shift, thereby rendering him less prepared to defend against a different actual attack. His defense against the fake may result in the creation of an opening for a rapid subsequent real attack.

If a particular fake is used several times the opponent may cease to react to it. It may then be possible to score with the very move which had been used as a fake previously. A fake move can indicate how the opponent customarily reacts, enabling you to plan your future strategy effectively.

The ability to employ the fake with expertise is an important part of many different successful karate combinations. Later sections will show specific applications of the fake.