The hands.. the Hands! Get the hands up!

O.k... I've been working on the hip, and managed to improve that aspect a little. Now.. for my hands. They need to be higher up in guard position.



This is how my fighting stance has developed up until now. Sure.. it's a nice position, but for Kyokushin training, I need to get my hands up higher to guard my head more... similar to a boxer's stance. Sort of like this:



That's Muhammad-Ali in the picture. Wow.. I'm going to try to imitate Muhammed-Ali. Me? Oh well.. if that is what is necessary. I found that I can train my abdomen muscles to be stronger to take impact, but my head cannot be trained.

I learned recently that women are far more prone to concusion than men. It might have to do with the physical reality that women's skulls are thinner then mens, or that women's necks are not as built up to become the shock absorber of the strikes. "High School- And College-Age Girls Playing Soccer Sustain 64% More Concussions. In basketball girls were 300 percent more likely to get a concussion."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/02/eveningnews/main3321766.shtml

So therefore, I'm working on getting my hands up higher as I spar. Sure it seems like just a 4 inch difference, but oh man.. that difference is really difficult to hold up there. At least that is what I find. If I keep my hands at shoulder level, I do not feel tired, but lift them up to near chin level, and OUCHIES!