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Sylvie's Technique Vlog #22 - Guard: Palms Facing Outward (17 min)
🕑 Added 2020-12-02 09:00:23 +0000 UTCThis technique is something I've only been working with for less than a month, so it's truly something that I'm still learning a lot about just by experimenting with it in my training as I go. This vlog is really about things I've discovered, or am currently discovering, within that short period of time and onward. That's what these Patreon technique vlogs are all about. Not demoing things, but sharing with you things I'm working on, that I've learned from filming with legends, and which I personally find interesting.
In my first session with Wangchannoi (linked below), which you can see in the Muay Thai Library, he really emphasized what I ended up calling "Ambient Footwork," and I have a technique vlog about that as well. Wangchannoi also emphasized the palms facing forward, but not verbally... he just comes over and actually twists my hands so that my palms face forward. I'm accustomed to them facing each other and I lack flexibility in my wrists, which makes the forward facing hands somewhat difficult for me, so my hands just go back to what they know pretty quickly. So, I credit Wangchannoi for making this technique one that I'm now becoming sensitive to and experimenting with.
Firstly, with palms facing forward you are far more ready to snuff an opponent's punches from a greater distance than if you have them facing each other. You can totally parry punches with the palms facing each other, but you kind of create what I call the 'Saloon Doors" in terms of a guard and it's very, very easy to get through it. It's just a bigger gap. With the palms facing forward, like holding focus mitts, you can reach out and snuff from a greater distance. Of course there's a tradeoff, like how a goalie coming out of his box intercept the ball has tradeoffs, but my experience thus far has been that the forward facing palms offer a much more effective guard than the "Saloon Doors" version of facing each other.
I find myself twisting my fist at the end of jabs better like this, better at slapping punches downward instead of parrying to the side, and better able to slip outside an opponent's guard for "Windshield Wiper" movement (Karuhat) or floating over and around their guard for elbows (Yodkhunpon and Karuhat). That's all good. It also has corrected my overturn of my front side, allowing my general stance to be more squared up. This isn't everyone's problem, so it's not a "solution" to everyone, either. It's just something I'm enjoying. I am still struggling to figure out how to get more power into my jab from this position (I'm not unsure how to do it, I'm just struggling to be consistent) and I do have a harder time keeping my rear hand facing forward than I do my front hand.
This basic palms forward guard transitions easily into Long Guard, Dracula Guard, and Diamond Guard too. As with all guards, you don't just sit in one guard. You move between guards.
Just something to keep working with and keep seeing what comes out of it.
You can find how Wangchannoi teaches and uses the open palm guard here:
#94 Wangchannoi Palangchai - Deadly Step Counter Fighting (70 min) - watch it here
About Chicken Wing punches (and elbows):
Here is a 2016 technique vlog I did about using a wall to correct your form:
All my Technique Vlogs for Patrons
If you enjoyed this technique vlog check out my other Patron-only technique vlogs:
#21 Your Ambient Footwork (15 min)
#20 Jang-wa, Rhythm and Timing (15 min)
#19 Training Ruup & Composure (13 min)
#18 Closing the Door in Long Guar (11 min)
#17 Static Block for Balance (9 min)
#16 The Diamond Guard (20 min)
#15 Mental Gym, Beginning to Advanced Visualization (19 min)
#14 Getting the Right Hand In (13 min)
#13 Rising on Techniques (6 min)
#12 Control of the Kick (6 min)
#11 Body Position First (11 min)
#10 All About How I Recover (12 min)
#9 Creating Power and Distance At Close Range (9 min)
#8 Where Are Your Feet? Foot Position (9 min)
#7 Evolving in the Long Guard (10 min)
#6 The Power of Eye Contact (10 min)
#5 Dieselnoi's Lowkick in the Clinch (12 min)
#4 Air Knees in the Corner (8 min)
#3 Acceleration at the End of Strikes (10 min)
#1 Dealing With Fear, How to Cut it Out (13 min)
Comments
I love playing with the palm facing forward too, especially to go into the jab-into-elbow chain Karuhat shows so often, or to go into elbows (and hand control) in general. I found that I chicken wing most often on my right cross, which I fixed by stepping slightly out with my left foot when I throw the cross. I noticed when I threw the 1-2 together without that step out on the cross, that's when I chicken winged the most. Stepping out and concentrating on throwing from the ribs (plus pulling the opposite shoulder back like it's on a string being pulled backward by a puppet master) really made a huge difference (and gave me more power).
I love to use paulm facing guard while i'm on a long distance range. I love hand control :D and this is the best way to do it for me. I use in to control the weight of my opponents or sparring partner to pivates and set up my kicks. I also love it to pull them into my knees or enter the clinch. I dont really use it while being on boxing range though. Not feeling comfortable to boxe paulm fowards since i feel more open for blows to the head. I feel having a better defense with my paulms facing inside! Also not feeling my punches coming out has quick and powerful that way. But at the end it's just a matter of practice and what feels good to us! But i love to play with both, depending on the range i'm striking from :). Also, what really helped me to not chicken wing too much is to align my fists to my elbows and my elbows to my hips, and working on pushing my elbows foward with my hip (wich wear all the power comes from anyway) like a linear movement. I'll give a try to box with my paulm foward to see what could come out of this! Thank you!
Jim Molter
Sorry Kevin, Sylvie does what she wants. LOL.
Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu
I usually hit with the flat part of my wrist or the inside of the glove itself. I don't think there's an ideal other than what works.
Skiamakhos
When you do those little quick inside parries, are you ideally making contact with the inside of the glove against their glove, with the inside of your wrist/forearm against their wrist, or the ridge of your ulna against their radial nerve?
JR Lonergan
I've always loved this "mummy guard" look. Glad it's working out for you
