Open and Closed Stances
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Open. In a open position, each opponent has the opposite foot forward. This means the front of both opponents’ bodies will be facing in the same direction. The open position is common when one opponent is right-handed and the other is left-handed.
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- Leading leg is somewhat limited in its attack options.
- Trailing leg still has a lot of distance to cover but it has more targets.
- Leading hand is still versatile but has limited attacks available.
- Trailing hand has more targets available.
No matter which stance is used while sparring, whether it is used in an open or in a closed position plays an important part in a competitor’s sparring strategy. The following strategies assume the sparring rules:
- Permit attracts to the head.
- Do not permit attacks below the belt.
- Do not permit attacks to the back.