why the stances?

[WhiteBelt]

I'll go for conditioning and because some of the higher ranks love to see the lower ranks in pain.

 

As for the low stances in katas, the only reason that has made sense to me so far is that they just look better (it shows your strength, balance, etc.)

[kataman]

You have to remember that stances were particular to each style shotokan style was use mostly by farmer thah why the back stance was so use,see on the farm there plany of holes in the ground the were using there front leg to find the hole so they did not hurt them self while fighting,as for goju-ryu they were the poeple living on boat so that why the neko-ashi-dashi stance was so commun that the best stance to when your on the boat and it rock,and so on for the other style,in today karate we kind of have the best of all those style no matter which style you are practicing.

[Sasori_Te]

kataman....???? Huh? Where did you get the information about where and why the stances came to be?

[shotokanwarrior]

I use the stances all the time while sparring. an example is that i used a low front stance and a neck crank to defeat a double leg take down

[Sauzin]

I agree with most of the points above, except for the farmer fighters who fought over holes. That’s ridiculous. Most Okinawan fighters were not farmers, and even if they were Shotokan’s deep stances were a modification that was made in Japan by a school teacher. They believed in sacrificing mobility for better stability thus offering a more forceful punch. Goju’s Japanese side followed Shotokan’s example and cross-pollinated a bit. The Okinawan Goju practitioners were greatly influenced by Miyagi’s Southern Chinese instruction, though their primary stance, sanchin-dachi, is not a low stance. This is true of Japanese Goju as well they just seem to emphasize low front and squat stances a bit more.

 

I would like to add that the difference between a fighter that is forced to the ground and one that can choose is his stance work. Even an elongated front stance works well when you have an opponent bent and elongated over your knee. In these cases mobility is not the issue. There are times when you need to be very low to the ground and rooted and there are other times when you need to take flight. There’s a stance for all these occasions. Having a multitude of deep and also more mobile stances gives a fighter the ability to adapt and find balance in any position.

 

-Paul Holsinger

[kataman]

kataman....???? Huh? Where did you get the information about where and why the stances came to be?

A year a go I went to a seminar with Hanshi CRuzz from California and there was one of his assistant who gave a lecture about the history of certain style and I belived it make sense,of corse there is no more people living on boat today but in those days it was common.It like saying,like my friend Sauzin that they were no farmer in Okinawa of corse they weren't any farmer that probably why all the weapons we use in karate were farm related.SAsori-te I am always open for new point of view if you have one.

[kataman]

Sauzin my friend you sound like a christian that been going to church for 20 years but have never open the bible' you are a martial artist that 's been going to training with out never asking any question, with out never open a book about karate history and take for only truth what your sensei said, well if it your way it find with me, but it not mine sorry.when my sensei say something I'am like a baby I ask why,why,why,till I'm satisfied with the answer and that the attitude a martial artits should have.

[Hohan-1]

In traditional Okinawan karate proper walking and stance training, can last for months depending on your ability to move in the right manner. The only reason for stance training is kigong (chigung).; both structurally and internally. It teaches one through repetition how your style generates balance, power, kinetic energy transfer and proper state of mind. After training in this way you can maintain structural equilibrium and mental preparedness. Proper training and clarity on its importance is crucial. It speeds the process of self-validation along. You gotta crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. This is when your fighting stance becomes any stance you are in.

 

You can't be some spaz', hyper, tense, off-balanced brawler and consider yourself a true martial artist. Wreckless abandon in action and thought leads to a dead "warrior". All this stuff was originally related to combat training of some sort, and preserving your resources/troops (or warrior monks). Yes understanding your center of gravity (dan tien; tanden) is the" ki" to it all. Core strength baby!!!

 

Train diligently and with understanding to learn more about you...

[Goju1]

The only reason for stance training is kigong (chigung).; both structurally and internally. It teaches one through repetition how your style generates balance, power, kinetic energy transfer and proper state of mind. After training in this way you can maintain structural equilibrium and mental preparedness. Proper training and clarity on its importance is crucial. It speeds the process of self-validation along. You gotta crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. This is when your fighting stance becomes any stance you are in.quote]

 

Right on, bro!

[zelgadis-3878]

there are lots of resions for stances some styles have stances ment to help you get a better work out while training in it.......some are ment for certion attacks.....and some are for relgion are tradsion resions.