Page 18 - Pat O'Keeffe Combat Kick Boxing

Combat Kick Boxing

Fighting Stances and
Guards
Once the action starts you are advised
to go quickly into a fighting guard.
There are three fighting guards:

1) Full Guard
An aggressive guard that enables you to
deliver fast punches and kicks. (Fig. 6)

2) Cross Guard
A defensive guard used to cover up
under a heavy assault. It is
accompanied by a rapid up and down
bobbing motion. Strong hooks can be
thrown from this guard. (Fig. 7)

3) Half Guard
A guard used primarily in close
fighting. It limits the offensive options
of your assailant. (Fig. 8)

For fuller explanations of these three
guards see Kick Boxing - A Framework
for Success, ‘Chapter One –
Fundamentals’.

No guard or stance by itself can fully
protect you. They have to be
supplemented by movement, parrying
and blocking. However, they will
protect your upper body and reduce
the target choice of your assailant.
It should also be borne in mind that
what protects you from a kick or
punch does not necessarily protect you
from being grabbed or wrestled to the
floor.

Fig 6

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