Stances (tachikata in karate, seogi in taekwondo) are the base every strike, kick and block starts from. This lesson centres on the front stance (zenkutsu-dachi in karate): front knee bent over the front foot, back leg straight, torso upright over the hips, and more weight on the front leg. Styles set different dimensions: classic Shotokan texts describe a long stance with weight about 6 to 4 front to back, ITF taekwondo's walking stance is shorter with weight even, and WT/Kukkiwon taekwondo treats its long forward stance (ap-gubi) and short walking stance (ap-seogi) as two different stances. Use the version your instructor teaches. From the front a camera reads your knee tracking, stance width and head level; from the side, stance depth, back-leg straightness, hip position over the feet and back angle.
Set up for your style
Step one foot forward into a long stance. A common karate textbook description puts the length at about two shoulder-widths; ITF taekwondo's walking stance is about one and a half shoulder-widths between the big toes and about one shoulder-width wide. A study of experienced karateka found their natural stances were shorter than karate books suggest, so match your school's standard rather than forcing extra length.
a base long enough to drive from, short enough to step out of.
Point the front foot straight ahead and turn the back foot out a little. Sources give roughly 20–45° for karate and 25° for ITF's walking stance. The comfortable angle depends on your own hip, knee and ankle mobility, so don't force it.
both heels grounded, neither foot twisted against the knee.
Front knee over the foot
Bend the front knee until it sits directly over the front foot, with the front shin close to vertical from the side. Keep the knee pointing the same way as the front toes, not caving inward.
the shin stacked over the foot, the knee lined up with the toes.
Back leg straight, weight forward
Straighten the back leg and press the back heel into the floor. Lower your hips so the stance has depth.
one long line from the back heel up to the hip.
Let more of your weight settle on the front leg. Shotokan's classic description is about 60/40 front to back; other karate authors say 70/30, and ITF's walking stance asks for even weight. In one small study, experienced karateka actually stood close to 54/46.
settled forward, but able to shift back without lurching.
Back straight, head level
Stack your back directly over your hips, perpendicular to the floor, and face straight ahead with your head level. Hips face forward for the full-facing version; in the half-facing (hanmi) version the torso turns about 45° while the head still faces forward.
tall through the spine, hips low.
Learn the other base stances by name once the front stance is steady: the back stance (kokutsu-dachi / dwit-gubi), with weight biased to the back leg, and the horse stance (kiba-dachi / juchum-seogi), wide and side-on with weight even. In WT poomsae judging, using the wrong stance costs more than a slightly imperfect one.
each stance a distinct shape, not a blur between them.
Feel it
A correct front stance feels like pushing a heavy object forward: the back leg is a straight brace, the front knee sits over the foot, the hips are low and the torso is upright over them. You should feel rooted, but still able to step out of it. If moving from stance to stance feels slow and heavy, you are probably over-extending the length.
Fix-its
- Your stance is too short and high Step longer and lower your hips until the front knee is over the front foot. Check the length against your school's standard (about 1.5–2 shoulder-widths depending on style).
- Your stance is so long you can't move out of it Shorten it. Over-long stances slow every transition in kata, poomsae or patterns. Find the length where the front shin is vertical and the back leg can still straighten.
- Your back knee is bent Push the back heel down and straighten the back leg. If it won't straighten, the stance is probably too short or your weight is too far back.
- Your front knee caves inward or drifts past the foot Point the knee in the same direction as the front toes and stop it directly over the foot. If it shoots past the toes, lengthen the stance.
- You lean forward or sit back Bring your shoulders directly over your hips and look straight ahead, as the classic descriptions ask.
Drill
- Static check: step into a left, then a right front stance and hold briefly. Check front knee over foot, back leg straight, torso upright, head level. Reset and repeat a few times each side.
- Mirror or film check: from the side, check the front shin is close to vertical and your shoulders are over your hips; from the front, check the front knee lines up with the toes.
- Walking drill: step forward stance to stance down the room, keeping your hip height the same and arriving in the same shape every step.
- Transitions: move slowly between front, back and horse stances, keeping the knees lined up with the toes. Build speed only when the shapes stay clean.
- Safety: warm up first and keep transitions controlled. Researchers measured high ground forces in experienced kata athletes moving between stances, especially the horse stance, and knee pain is common in that group. Stop if a knee hurts.
Sources
- Loczi, J. — Biomechanics of the Oi-Tsuki in Zenkutsu-Dachi, ISBS Proceedings (1985)
- Kido Kwan — Forward Stance handout, quoting Nakayama, Best Karate Vol. 1 (1977) and Choi, Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do (1993)
- Lisowska, A. et al. — Ground reaction forces in basic stances in shotokan karate, Archives of Budo (2021)
- World Taekwondo — Poomsae Competition Rules and Interpretation (in force 30 Sep 2024)
Last checked 2026-10-26.