The Stances.

Every martial art has "stances" and I would have to think that when most people imagine any martial art they picture a classic stance.  Heck, you can even purchase figurines showing various Tai Chi Chuan stances...which is a bit ironic since a practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan is supposed to always flow, never assuming any static posture.

I think there is an important point to be made here: stances are not supposed to be static positions; they are merely transient conditions which the practitioner flows through. Shotokan Karate has the added element of "kime" where the practitioner locks down with snapping contraction at the completion of each technique.  One consideration here is the root source of the word "kime": it comes from the verb for "decision". That implies a tipping point where the practitioner makes a change of directions or actions: the practitioner does not actually freeze or stop: they merely finish one action and start the next.

Here are the stances and what I think I know about them.

Zenkutsu-Dachi: front stance.




















Kokutsu Dachi




















KIBA DACHI



Kosa Dachi


Neko-Ashi Dachi



Sochin Dachi






Location: 3460 Selkirk Ave, Powell River, BC V8A, Canada

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