Karate Stances - Japanese Terms

"Dachi" or "Tachi" means stance in Japanese, and describes primarily the position of the feet in various Karate stances. Stances are very important in delivering power and also quick responses in various situations and are thus emphasis in Kihon (basic training). Strong stances can give a smaller person a significant advantage over a larger attacker.

Stances - Dachi

Bensoku dachi	Turning cross leg stance
Fudo dachi	Free stance
Hachiji dachi	Natural stance (feet shoulder width apart toes slightly pointed out)
Han zenkutsu dachi	Half front stance (Short Zenkutsu dachi)
Hachiji dachi	Natural stance (feet shoulder width apart toes slightly pointed out)
Heiko dachi	Parallel stance (feet shoulder width apart)
Heisoku dachi	Closed foot stance (feet together)
Kiba dachi	Horse riding stance (feet parallel)
Kokutsu dachi	Back stance
Musubi dachi	Formal attention stance (feet together)
Neko ashi dachi	Cat stance
Renoji dachi	The letter L stance
Sanchin dachi	Hourglass stance
Sesan dachi	Side facing straddle stance
Shiko dachi	Straddle leg stance (horse stance feet at 45 degrees)
Zenkutsu dachi	Front stance

Fighting Postures - Kamae

The fighting postures (Kamae, sometimes also "Kame") include the position of the arms and legs as well as the body angle and center of gravity. For example, Gedan No Kame is a lower level fighting posture, with the legs in Shiko Dachi (thus the centre of gravity quite low), body angled at 45 (or even 90 degrees) and the arms ready to respond to lower and middle level attacks.

Gedan no kamae	Lower level fighting posture
Chudan no kamae	Middle level fighting posture
Hanmi no kamae	Half forward facing fighting posture
Jodan no kamae	Upper level fighting posture
Kame	Fighting posture
Morote no kamae	Augmented hand fighting posture
Shizen dachi no kamae	Natural fighting posture