I am starting to document all of Ken Norton's stances. Also Joe Frazier's, Tommy Hearns's and a few other people's
Chris Tsao
various kinds of cross arms stances of theirs is that they didn't
always hold their hands in the same position. That is, they had
different variations of their stances. Hence I am going to try to
document in photographs and drawings all of the different arm
positions of the stances I like. I shall continually post them in here
as the years go by.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/148/l_c50a78a677e54acb86411609682fd0ee.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/128/l_d160b972ce3e405e9754b941d8f4ca7d.jpg
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/118/l_54539a0c3afd438688b3ad83e375c246.jpg
side view
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/148/l_dc0d9c5331654e5686a152b60e644fc6.jpg
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/113/l_727e5ede285244f2bd4c440cd5358042.jpg
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/135/l_afc72bf1fac744e781413274aff1e604.jpg
Note how his left fist is near his right elbow (this isn't the stance
Floyd Mayweather uses where his left forearm and fist are wrapped
around his stomach).
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/86/l_e444ebff1c2449dea96707a6605c5671.jpg
The model in PICTURE 6 has shifted his protecting right glove off his
forehead to show you why and how he is safe from right-hand shots,
left jabs and other punches.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/137/l_2bb4bf472364438ea45a98e9f1ae7610.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/120/l_1608b7219c6542aba6775720650ff475.jpg
The Cross Guard Stance
This is essentially a hybrid between a crouch guard and a Philly
shell.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/120/l_20e0529b8d8345ad8eaa3971078d6a24.jpg
This looks like a combination between Ken Norton and Joe Frazier.
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/121/l_769915f9c3444c4d841cceb165242a03.jpg
Joe Frazier's stance and a different kind of _cover up_. Note well in
Picture 2 that each fist is pointing in a different direction (this is
the most common way).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8bgkhMQAT4
Ezzard Charles 5:06 waiting for a few potential right crosses
employs the _skull and crossbones_ (a block easily employed from a
cross arms defense). Archie Moore at 5:45 into the video, uses the
closed door defense (a block)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2XlGWhY_5I
George Foreman (against Gerry Cooney) sticks each of his hands way out
past the sides of his face to make his arms parallel (a la Joe
Frazier) as seen at 2:48, 6:13 (he does this a few times in this
fight).
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/145/l_8a66ac827ea04ca1b606819cb3ec8f09.jpg
Elbows McFadden's stance. *George “Elbows” McFadden was a lightweight
boxer, active between 1894 and 1908.
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/130/l_fe0e07cf945c4617b7a72b07b3db8d51.jpg
I have noticed that a lot of the times that people talk about this
stance, they refer to Ken Norton; but if my memory serves me
correctly, he more often held his left arm dangling low like Cassius
Clay. I've even seen Ken Norton hold his left hand covering the center
of his left thigh and below his crotch no less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIOUNkSaUd4
Check out the video at 2:24 if you're so inclined. I couldn't remember
a time I saw Joe Frazier put his wrists over one another and move his
arms up and down, thusly I axed one of the people who made the video
and he replied with "Joe would bang his gloves, and when he slip in
shot off the jab to load the hook. but most times he just walking in
firing the right hand and hook. so we modified the guard to give you
either hand to hook from cause in 52 we switch alot either lead."
I always remembered that the knuckles on Joe Frazier's left hand were
facing out and that the knuckles on his right hand were facing up, but
here the knuckles of both of the demonstrator's hands are facing up.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/145/l_0e975feb4c5140dda5359ae8242a3878.jpg
Joe Frazier's stance. The model in this photograph is keeping his
bottom arm at a slight decline.
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/131/l_b7f77852b0544d7aa43707601d0c0723.jpg
For the peek-a-boo, the gloves are sometimes open. I used to have a
boxing instruction book written by the late great Floyd Patterson and
I swear he kept his left hand up close to his face--unlike the model
in this photograph.
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/150/l_c6501a005dec4922a3fdddf26e872f03.jpg
Mike Tyson's (both fists touching)
DCI
> What I've sometimes noticed when I was trying to imitate millers using
> various kinds of cross arms stances of theirs is that they didn't
> always hold their hands in the same position. That is, they had
> different variations of their stances. Hence I am going to try to
> document in photographs and drawings all of the different arm
> positions of the stances I like. I shall continually post them in here
> as the years go by.
>
>
> http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/128/l_d160b972ce3e405e975...
>
> http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/118/l_54539a0c3afd438688b...
> side view
>
> http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/148/l_dc0d9c5331654e5686a...
>
> http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/113/l_727e5ede285244f2bd4...
>
> http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/135/l_afc72bf1fac744e7814...
>
Trimmed
Chris, you are onto a very important aspect of varied stances and arm/
hand position. I would've enjoyed your post contained better home-
photos. Keep of the good work. Maybe take a look at foot work or
placement, too
DCI.
Chris Tsao
> Chris, you are onto a very important aspect of varied stances and arm/
> hand position. I would've enjoyed your post contained better home-
> photos. Keep of the good work. Maybe take a look at foot work or
> placement, too
>
> DCI.
I know how to do footwork, I just don't look graceful and fluid, so I
look like an amatuer. The slower I do, the less of an amatuer I look
like.
I'm guessing that in order to look like an expert, I'd have to
practice at a high speed.