Stance and Movement (Yellow Belt)
Passive Outlet Stance
At times, you may be caught by surprise while you are standing in a passive outlet stance. Most people do not stand in a regular outlet stance, but rather in a passive outlet stance when not expecting confrontation. In other words, you are standing with your feet parallel and your hands down. Of course, when possible, stand in your regular outlet stance at all times during a confrontation.
In the passive outlet stance, your feet are under your hips and your arms are at your sides. Although this stance is not a strong fighting stance, you should practice defenses and delivering strikes from this stance and moving from your passive outlet into a regular outlet in the event you are caught by surprise.
Regular Outlet Stance
Place your feet close together with your toes facing forward. Rotate your toes counterclockwise as you turn your body 30 degrees to your left, coming into a left regular outlet stance with your left arm and left leg forward. (You can also turn 30 degrees to your right to come into a right regular outlet stance, so that your right leg and arm are forward.) Take a step back with the right foot until you feel comfortable and balanced. While keeping your right foot firmly planted, raise your back heel slightly and drop your body weight into the ball of your foot. Allow just enough separation between your rear heel and the ground to slide a piece of paper under your foot. Your feet should be parallel and about 55% of your weight distributed over your front leg. Raise your arms so that your hands are at your eyebrow level with your elbows kept close to your torso.
Position your arms in front of your face and slightly forward. Extend your arms so your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Bend your elbows to form a 60-degree angle between your forearms and your upper arms. Hold your hands at eyebrow level, about six inches apart, but do not block your line of sight. For some trainees, especially those with large shoulders, this hand positioning can be uncomfortable. In this case, position the width of your hands as you feel comfortable, but try to keep them within the width of your shoulders. Cup your hands with the fingers held together. Tuck your chin and look up toward your imaginary attacker. In a real fighting situation, you will focus on the attacker’s face as you retain an overall picture of the attacker’s movements, especially the attacker’s hands.
From this stance, you can move forward, laterally, and backward. Always move on the balls of your feet, not on your heels. Practice your footwork and move in all directions. Your feet should always move in concert. Do not overextend yourself. Practice switching from a left regular outlet stance (with your left leg forward) to a right regular outlet stance (with your right leg forward). For example, from the left outlet stance a rear kick with the right foot will bring you forward into a right outlet stance. As you switch from one stance to another, keep your arms raised in your protective position. As your training progresses, you will be able to seamlessly move from one stance into another.
You may wish to stand in a modified outlet stance or low ready position if you are concerned that someone near you may pose a threat. To help you not signal a provocative movement or fighting stance, keep your hands in front of you at sternum level, held in front of you with your palms facing the potential adversary.
Range and Distance
Range and distance are integral to your self-defense strategy. When defending against upper-body attacks, depending on the attacker’s distance, a kravist may choose to employ “leg defenses” or close the distance immediately by using “hand defenses.” You can kick an attacker if the attacker is in leg range or several feet away from you. Optimally, you can debilitate your attacker before the attacker can touch you, but such precision and timing is difficult. If the attacker has already closed the distance and is in physical contact with you, the attacker has entered your medium and close distance fighting ranges in which case you must use upper-body defenses and combatives.
Body Defenses, Movement, and Absorption Against Punches
No matter how much you train and become proficient with defenses, there is a good chance you will still get hit. This is especially true if an attacker were to catch you unaware or in the “-5” with your hands down. Therefore, you must train your body to move with and absorb strikes. When receiving a blow to the head, move your head with the direction of the strike to the best of your ability. Do not tense and strengthen your neck to meet or resist the strike. This will only increase the strike’s impact. With body shots to your torso, you must create a vacuum by exhaling and strengthening your abdominal muscles. By exhaling on impact, you will avoid having the wind knocked out of you. In addition, tensing your midsection allows you to better withstand the strike. Try moving and absorbing your partner’s light controlled strikes with your eyes closed to make these drills more instinctive. Ask your partner to strike lightly at you as you practice moving with the strike, tightening your abdomen, and exhaling.
When to Assume a Fighting Stance
If you assume a fighting stance, you must understand that the physical confrontation and ensuing violence may legally be considered one of mutual consent. In other words, it may be difficult for you to argue self-defense. The affirmative defense of self-defense may no longer be available. Conversely, if you inflict injury on your opponent, the opponent may have deemed to legally consent to the risk and consequences of fighting you. Nevertheless, your opponent could still take legal action against you for injuries sustained.
Tactically, however, if an opponent puts his hands up primed to injure you—your hands should come up into a fighting stance. Notably, if you are extremely confident in your skill set, you may assume a low ready de-escalation stance or remain with your hands down. If you do not assume a defensive posture, certainly, onlookers and possible video will portray you as less likely to be the aggressor.
Importantly, the reader will note that I only assume a fighting stance in five photo series (hook punch defenses using a straight kick and takedown defenses preventing a front tackle attempt) in chapters 4 and 9. All other tactics are performed from a low ready de-escalation position or a passive stance (where the defender is anticipating an attack). The responsible citizen or kravist does not engage in fights and only physically reacts whenever all peaceful resolutions are exhausted.