Easy push over

[GhostFighter]

I noticed i cant keep my balance very well compared to others e.g when someone hits the punching bag while i hold it. or someone just tries to push me over. I think most problem comes from my leg steps where im not really sure how to put them.

Any tips on how to increase my stability while standing?

[Jay]

Try bending your knees and lean slightly forward

[GhostFighter]

And then what...?

[P.A.L]

if you wanna have balance in a static position without taking a deep forward stance, i think a wide sanchin stance works great, but in reality you need to stay 50/50 , bending knee is good since it brings the center of mass lower leaning forward may gives you a short term solution but you can be a traget of all the throwing and sweeping techniques.

try this one:

take a natural forward stance a little bit more than shoulder wide, weight 50/50, now turn your foot slightly inward less than 45 degree, bend your knee ,if you feel too narrow ,you can make it wider with your back leg, i use this during all the makiwara training when somebody kicking the board on my chest. if you are losing balance because of direct force take the step with rear foot backward.

[KaratekaAndy]

I sort of cushion the blow by leaning back slightly as the blow lands before leaning forwards to keep my balance.

[Menjo]

I noticed i cant keep my balance very well compared to others e.g when someone hits the punching bag while i hold it. or someone just tries to push me over. I think most problem comes from my leg steps where im not really sure how to put them.

Any tips on how to increase my stability while standing?

Kata could improve your balance if your style has kata.

[Bushido58266]

be sure to stay on the balls of your feet, knees bent slightly, lean forward a little, have ur weak side in front (ex. if ur left handed have ur right leg and fist in front or if your right handed have your left leg and fist in front) be sure to keep ur feet under ur shoulders, you dont want ur stance to wide or short. front foot facing forward, back foot on a slight outward angle. this is a typical boxing stance and is good for balance

[patusai]

I wouild talk to my instructor. They can see what you are doing and perhaps can see something obvious. The other thing is that balance problems (even minor ones) can be caused by inner ear problems. If talking to your instructor does not work have a doctor take a look....just my opinion

[Whitefeather]

Try this: stand next to a railing and practice kicking EXTREMELY slowly. Start out with your hand not on the railing, and conciously think about keeping your balance by shifting your weight and using your non-kick leg muscles to keep your balance. Only when you are actually falling should you grab the railing. It is essential to only use the rail to keep yourself from falling on your face and to not just have your hand on it the entire time, as that would be like learning to swim while wearing a dry suit and a pfd, it just would not work. I would also reccomend running this idea past your sensei, and see if he/she has any other related better/worse ideas, and also keep your sensei updated on your progress.

Good Ridance and/or Luck (whichever you might so desireth),

Dave

[lordtariel]

I prefer bent knees and a 60/40 stance. In a 50/50 stance, you have to transfer weight before you can effectively move. It really all depends on where the the force is intercepting you. Humans only have two limbs in contact with the ground so there's always two directions in which you have little stability. A forward stance is vunerable to pressure to the sides while a horse stance would be vunerable to front and back pressure. The bent knees are important because they absorb and discharge the incoming force.