Karate Stances

HIGH STANCES – FRONTAL HIGH STANCES

In all these stances the knees are bent very slightly. There are no stances where weight rests on a leg with a completely straight knee.

Uchi Hachiji Dachi

• Uchihachiji-dachi ( 内八字立 , literally "stand like the upside-down character 八 ")The feet are at the shoulder width, toes facing inwards at 30-45 degrees, knees tense. This stance is used in some formal exercises, for example the tsundome. Also called Chun'be.

Musubi dachi

• Formal attention stance (feet together)• Stance of attention. Heels together.• Feet 45 Degree • Open Toe Stance• Heels together with the toes pointing out• Musubi-dachi ( 結び立 , Knot stance)

Heels together, toes open at about 45 degrees. This stance is used to perform the formal respectful bow, rei ( 礼 ).

Uchi Hachi Monji Dachi

• Feet wider than shoulder width• Feet Parallel

Hachiji dachi

• Natural stance (feet shoulder width apart toes slightly pointed out)

• It is also known as Soto Hachiji Dachi or Soto Hachi Monji Dachi

• Open Leg Stance• Feet are shoulders width apart with toes pointed out slightly.• Hachiji-dachi ( 八字立 , natural stance, literally "stand like the

character 八 ")The feet are at the shoulder width, toes open at about 45 degrees. Sometimes this stance is called soto-hachiji-dachi ( 外八字立 ). This is the basic ready stance in Karate.

Heisoku dachi

• Closed foot stance (feet together)• Informal Attention Stance• Stand straight with toes and heels together• Heisoku-dachi ( 閉足立 , Feet together

stance)Feet together. This is usually a transitional stance, although it is used as the ready stance in some kata

Kokutsu dachi

• Back stance or rooted stance• Back Stance• Feet are two shoulder widths apart with the

rear foot turned out at 90° to the front foot. Rear knee pushes outward. The front leg bears 30% of body weight and rear leg 70%.

• Kokutsu Dachi is back stance (one foot pointing forwards 30% weight loading) rear foot at 70% weight loaded

Sesan dachi

• Side facing straddle stance• Seisan (Universal) The feet are shoulder width

apart, as in Heiko-dachi, but one foot is forward to where the heel is parallel with the big toe of the back foot.

Heiko dachi

• Parallel stance (feet shoulder width apart)• Heikō-dachi ( 平行立 , parallel stance)

The feet are at the shoulder width, and their outer edges are parallel. This is a common transitional stance in many kata.

Zenkutsu dachi

• Front stance• Forward Stance• Feet are two shoulder widths apart with the

rear foot turned out at about 30°. The front leg bears 60% of the body weight and the rear leg 40%.

• Zenkutsu Datchi is front stance (both feet point forwards 70% front and 30% weight loaded back leg)

HIGH STANCES – SIDEWISE HIGH STANCES

Renoji dachi

• The letter L stance• It is also known as the T stance• Renoji-dachi ( レの字立 , stand like the character レ )

Feet are at the shoulder width. The foot in the front is fully frontal (toes facing forward), the rear foot is turned 90 degrees out, and is positioned in such a way that if the front foot is brought back, its heel will touch the heel of the rear foot. Thus the foot print is shaped like the character レ (or letter L). The weight is kept 70% on the rear foot.

Teiji Dachi

• Teiji-dachi ( 丁字立 , stand like the character 丁 )Similar to renoji-dachi, but if the front foot is brought back, its heel will touch the middle of the rear foot, thus the foot print is shaped like the character 丁 (or letter T).

Kosa Dachi

• Reversing Stance

Kihon Dachi

• Natural Walking Stance• Like Sanchin, Feet parallel

Hangetsu Dachi

Fudo Dachi

• It is also known as Sochin Dachi• Diagonal Straddle Leg Stance• Feet are about twice shoulder width apart and

one shoulder width when viewed from the front. Front knee is over the toes and weight is distributed slightly more to the front leg. Rear leg is bent.

Bensoku dachi

• Turning cross leg stance

Han zenkutsu dachi

• Half front stance (Short Zenkutsu dachi)• It is also known as Sho zenkutsu dachi

Kiba dachi

• Horse riding stance (feet parallel)• Straddle Leg Stance• Feet are two shoulder widths apart and

parallel. Knees pushed out. Weight distributed evenly

Musubi Dachi Heiko

• Musubi-dachi-heiko ( 結び立 - 平行 )From musubi-dachi, open heels until both outer edges of feet are parallel. Some styles don't distinguish this stance from heiko-dachi.

Neko ashi dachi

• Cat Stance• Rear knee is pushed forward slightly. Almost

all body weight is on rear leg. The heel of the front foot is raised and the knee pointed slightly inward.

Sanchin dachi

• Pigeon Toe stance• Hour Glass Stance• Toes are pointed inward and knees are inward

and then out. Rear toes are in line with front heel. Heels are about shoulder width apart and weight is distributed evenly. Pelvis should be rotated upward to the front.

Shiko dachi

• Straddle leg stance (horse stance feet at 45 degrees)

Sagi Ashi Dachi

• Crane or Heron Stance

KAMEFIGHTING POSTURE

Gedan no kamae

• Lower level fighting posture

Chudan no kamae

• Middle level fighting posture

Hanmi no kamae

• Half forward facing fighting posture

Jodan no kamae

• Upper level fighting posture

Morote no kamae

• Augmented hand fighting posture

Shizen dachi no kamae

• Natural fighting posture