What is the best stance?

[younwhadoug]

i like back stance cause i kick the most with the front leg. and any kick can work from the backstance if you turn your hips at the right time. i have nothing but bad luck with front stance. kicking from the back leg may have more power but its most likely to be blocked. riding stance leaves you open for an attack which i would and have exploited. whatever the stance might be i want my side kick ready and available

along with any other techinique

[KarateK]

How do you mean back stance?

Our style - back stance is front foot facing forwards, back foot at 90* angle, both legs slightly bent. For us you wouldnt be able to use all kicks from this stance - for example round house kick - maewashegeri, wouldnt work as it would be too slow and very ovious what you are about to do.

Am really interested in the differences in stances between the styles.

Ultimately I agree that a loose fighting stance is best - keeps you open for all possibilities - including moving into a different stance ie cat stance when necessary

[younwhadoug]

sounds like our back stance is about the same, basicly an L shape with your feet. but i can pull off a roundhouse from this stance, its pretty obvious when i do though. if im sparring my back stance is wider then regular basic technique. hope that shed some light on things..

whats a cat stance?

[KarateK]

nicoashidachi (prob spelt wrong)

Its basically as if you drop on to your back leg from fighting stance. All weight on your back leg, both legs bent and basically just your coshi of your front foot touching the floor. Probably not explained well!!

Our back stance is generally wider in technique than when sparring

[Brandon Fisher]

Just a little addition to the description. Neko Ashi Dachi or the cat stance does put a lot of weight on the back leg about 90% normally and the other 10% on the front leg.

Here is a image of a Shotokan cat stance I found on google

http://www.keithgeyerkarate.com/tipshtml/stanceimages/catstance.jpg

One more of a Wado-Ryu karate-ka:

http://www.wadoryu.co.uk/gallery/images/photo6.jpg

I hope that helps a little.

[Sohan]

Just a little addition to the description. Neko Ashi Dachi or the cat stance does put a lot of weight on the back leg about 90% normally and the other 10% on the front leg.

Here is a image of a Shotokan cat stance I found on google

http://www.keithgeyerkarate.com/tipshtml/stanceimages/catstance.jpg

One more of a Wado-Ryu karate-ka:

http://www.wadoryu.co.uk/gallery/images/photo6.jpg

I hope that helps a little.

In Shorin-ryu our cat stance is somewhat deep, but not as deep as the cat stance in Hung Gar, which requires much more flexibility. I'm not sure how useful an extremely bent supporting leg would really be (rising power?) but I feel I have more mobility and grounding with a more upright cat stance, almost like a Muay Thai boxing stance.

With respect,

Sohan

[KarateK]

Yeah thats kind of like ours, only not as deeply sat down, and its literally only the front of the toes that touch the floor.

I have never used it in sparring only kata so far, I can see the reason it is used but don't find it entirely practical. Its supposed to be used I believe when up close to an attacker, you drop back slightly out of his way and it is usually teamed with kiketi - like an open uchi ukem then a grab

[Brandon Fisher]

I personally use the cat stance I learned in Shorin Ryu mostly because thats where I first learned it but I am most comfortable with it.

[cross]

A good place to start would be feet about shoulder width apart, one side forward, about 50% weight on each leg, knees bent a little.

[SatyagrahaKF]

the stanceless stance...