Is 方 being used as a suffix in this sentence?

Question

I'm fairly certain 方 is being used as a suffix in the following sentence based on three things; as explained below, but I would like a secondary opinion to confirm or deny my claim.

実戦では、拳法のような型や構え方は意味がない。

1. According to Tai Kim's guide, 方 is used as a noun and is read in two different ways, かた and ほう. I doubt the 方 is being used as a noun in my sentence, based on my second piece of reasoning.

2. Seeing as 型や構え are two nouns connected by the や particle, 方 can only either be a verb (highly unlikely) or a suffix for the sentence fragment to make syntactical sense in Japanese.

3. In the definition of the かた reading for 方 here, the third provided definition "noun, noun - used as suffix translated as 'method of; manner of; way of' has the following example sentence.

   その少年はカーブの投げ方を知っている。

3.2 Seeing as how 投げ is most likely being used as a noun; and is before the 方; I came to the conclusion my 方 is also being used in the same manner; which appears to be as a suffix.

Answer 1

Yes this 方 is a suffix, and it's the same as 方 as in 投げ【なげ】方【かた】. 構え【かまえ】方【かた】 means "way of taking a posture". Although 構え can be used as a noun on its own, here it's used as a verb, forming a noun in combination with 方. That is, it's parsed like (型)や(構え方), not (型や構え)方.

By the way, what's the difference between 型 and 構え方? 型 ("form") includes moves of martial arts (e.g., how to punch, kick or throw), whereas 構え方 is only about taking a good posture.