Stances: most mobile; most natural

[Hart]

Just curious to know what stances feel the most mobile and natural to fellow karatekas on this board.

[ps1]

We do not practice stances as static positions. They are just postures that occur through natural movement. So I guess they all feel pretty natural to me.

[french fri25]

well obviously, the higher, more natural stances would feel most comfortable to most people. i sure wouldnt go into a fight using my horse stance or walking stance. i'd use a nice, high fighting stance that would allow me to be in the most natural posture possible while still being able to protect my self as well.

[Justin Treadaway]

We do not practice stances as static positions. They are just postures that occur through natural movement. So I guess they all feel pretty natural to me.

I have to agree here, I mean I would never just stand in a horse stance, but if I had a lock on someone and was throwing them, a lot of times I would end up in a horse stance for power. But I would say the most natural would be earth stance or cat stance.

[bushido_man96]

well obviously, the higher, more natural stances would feel most comfortable to most people. i sure wouldnt go into a fight using my horse stance or walking stance. i'd use a nice, high fighting stance that would allow me to be in the most natural posture possible while still being able to protect my self as well.

I know, I am not a Karateka, but I thought I would chime in anyway!

Playing off of french fri25's point, I would use a fairly short stance as well, to stay mobile. Generally speaking, the closer the feet are together (like around shoulder width wide, and apart), then the more mobile the stance is. However, stability is sacrificed. The lower and more spread out the stance is, the more stable it is, but at the expense of mobility.

It really comes down to personal preference. If your footwork isn't particulary good, then you may want to just root yourself in a deep stance and let them have it, and let them come after you. If you can move well, maybe take a more mobile stance.

[evilgollum]

I would disagree that the higher a stance is the more mobile it is. It is like a continuum. Different amounts of leg bent/leg straight are good for different situations, with a solid "standard" somewhere near the middle of the continuum. If you are standing too high and your legs are too straight, then both your mobility and you stability will be weak (stand with your feet together, feel mobile or not?). Conversely, a stance which is too low and too wide is past the point of being well grounded, and becomes weak (how many of you feel strong and rooted while doing the splits?). It takes more to understand the dynamics of stances than just a "high stances are good for mobility, low stances are good for balance" statement.

My fighting stance, what I usually use and am fairly comfortable in, is somewhat like a loose rooted stance. Having my legs fairly bent allows me to use a springing actions for very quick and unexpected shifting.

[G95champ]

I don't know any instructor that would tell you to spar or fight in anything but a freestyle stance. Yes we all work low stances is basics and kata but its just for that. You may at times shift and drop into a lower stance for a certin moves but Funaksohi said himself low stances for beginner and higher natural stances for advanced.

[bushido_man96]

I would disagree that the higher a stance is the more mobile it is. It is like a continuum. Different amounts of leg bent/leg straight are good for different situations, with a solid "standard" somewhere near the middle of the continuum. If you are standing too high and your legs are too straight, then both your mobility and you stability will be weak (stand with your feet together, feel mobile or not?). Conversely, a stance which is too low and too wide is past the point of being well grounded, and becomes weak (how many of you feel strong and rooted while doing the splits?). It takes more to understand the dynamics of stances than just a "high stances are good for mobility, low stances are good for balance" statement.

My fighting stance, what I usually use and am fairly comfortable in, is somewhat like a loose rooted stance. Having my legs fairly bent allows me to use a springing actions for very quick and unexpected shifting.

If the legs are straight, then I don't consider it a stance. When I say "stance," then I am talking about some kind of athletic position. I don't mean just standing up straight, or lying in the splits. I should have been more clear.

[kotegashiNeo]

I find a 45 degree sumo stance very natural while it isn't the most mobile if it is deep it can be adjusted for speed by varying the depth of the stance. I like it because it allows for great hip rotation while still maintaining a low center of gravity great for in close stand up grappling

[evilgollum]

I suppose we could also go all Bruce Lee (or any other intelligent and skilled martial artist, which is more than I can really say more myself) and say "no stance," allowing us to be mobile and flowing, moving from one to another without any resistance.

I just personally like to have my legs bent more in order to have pressure which I can use to shift or do drive my entire weight into an attack. I don't mean I stand there still, I just mean than the whole 'bounce around' thing is more like 'shift around' for me, because I don't want someone to catch me when I am not feeling the floor well, because then I wouldn't be able to shift without sinking down in order to push. I apologize if anyone understood me as saying "root strong and sit there," that's not what I meant.