Guard hands

Why is in that in some Martial Arts (Karate and TKD, are the main two I can think of) they have one hand down next to the waist? Surely that hand does nothing in the way of a guard, and is quite far away to be able to get a quick punch in from. I've always been taught (Hsing-I Kung-Fu) that you have your hands at chin and nose height, so that the fists and forearms protect the upper half of your body, and you crane to protect below the

Who the hell fights that way? No one that actually thinks it will work against someone with an ounce of ability, thats for sure.

If you mean a hand in 'chamber', thats a whole 'nuther ball of snot.

I like a lead hand just below my nose height and the inner hand at the bottom of my sternum. ..but thats just me.

Where my hands are depends on the distance to my opponent. Generally, I don't have my lead hand any higher than solarplexus level. If I keep them higher, my reactions are slow because I'm too tight. Of course, if they're in really close, I'll bring both hands up higher, but since I prefer to sit just outside my opponent's range until I attack, it's usually not too much of a problem.

First of all, most karate practitioners don't do that. From what I know, karate practitioners used to fight like that a while ago, rigid, etc. Then in the 60's things changed, I think some of it is attributed to Bill Wallace who showed the Americans that it's not necessary to hit from the chambered hand or using the back leg in order to gain power and that the footwork didn't have to be so set. The reason for this is most likely in misunderstanding of the forms. If in kata hands are rectracted to the hip, it's a finished move (say armbar), not a way to fight. But some schools still fight from zenkutsu dachi (long stance, spelling?) with one hand in low block and another one on the hip. Does that mean that all karate practitioners do that? No. Most people that I've seen have their hands up. So to sum up, they don't have hand down at the waist. It's a misconseption, I guess from the movies where the hands can be wherever they look better on the screen

Vadim

P.S. As for TKD, since in competition punching to the head is not allowed and hands are basically used to help balance the kicks, the hands tend to be all over the place. Would a TKD guy do that in a fight with different rules? I don't think so.

What if the guy does a 'Maurice Smith' on you ? Your head may soon be lying 20 feet away.