Karate is about discovering a path between Self-Protection and Self-Perfection. “Karate“, a Japanese word, meaning “empty” (Kara) and “hand” (Te).

Karate, a martial art known for its discipline and technique, encompasses a variety of stances that are fundamental to its practice. Each stance in Karate serves a distinct purpose, contributing significantly to the practitioner’s movement, defense, and offense strategies.

Stances are the foundation upon which other techniques are built, including strikes, blocks, and kicks. Understanding and being able to properly execute these stances ensure that students can move with balance, stability, and power – three critical components in Karate.

Here is a comprehensive list of the basic stances in Karate, each detailed with its purpose and method of execution, acknowledging the subtle differences that might be found across various styles. This list serves as a guide for beginners and a reference for advanced practitioners, illustrating the depth and complexity of this respected martial art. These variations reflect the rich diversity and adaptability of Karate as a discipline.

Heisoku Dachi

Heisoku-dachi is the ready stance used in some kata. It is similar to musubi-dachi, but the feet are kept together.

• Put your feet together at the heels and toes,
• Put your arms alongside your body,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt the pelvis upward,
• Be fully present mentally,
• Breathe naturally but calmly.

Mosubi Dachi

Musubi-dachi is the formal way of standing in Japanese martial arts and in Japan. This stance is very important and is used to perform the formal respectful bow called rei. Musubi-dachi and rei should be performed before and after warmups, kihon, kata, kumite or any interaction between people.

• Put your heels together, open your toes at about 45 degrees,
• Put your arms alongside your body,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt the pelvis upward,
• Be fully present mentally,
• Breathe naturally but calmly.

Heiko Dachi

Heiko-dachi is an attention stance or “get ready’ stance used in some styles. It is generally performed after bowing (musubi-dachi), right before kihon practice or kata. Heiko-dachi is also the stance performed when listening to instructions.

• The feet are shoulder width apart, facing forward, 
• Put your arms alongside your body,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt the pelvis upward,
• Be fully present mentally,
• Breathe naturally but calmly.

Hachiji Dachi

Hachiji-dachi, also known as yoi-dachi is a formal waiting posture used in some styles of Karate. Hachiji-dachi can also be used after standing bowing of while performing tsuki. ‘Yoi’ posture is not common in Okinawan Karate.

• Put your feet at shoulder width,
• Put your feet out at a 45° angle, toes pointing forward,
• Move your arms slightly forward, with fists closed and elbows slightly bent (if used for Yoi),
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt the pelvis upward,
• Be fully present mentally,
• Breathe naturally but calmly.

Zenkutsu Dachi

Zenkutsu-dachi is one of the most common stances in Karate. It’s a stance that allows you to reach far and generate a great deal of power generation moving forward. Zenkutsu-dachi is a stance used as a conditioning exercise, not for self-defense nor kumite. The “long” version is a stabilizing stance that strengthens and tones the thighs, hips and glutes. 

• Put your front foot in front of you,
• Bend your front knee so that it prevents you from seeing your front foot,
• Keep a distance of approximately two shoulder width between your feet,
• Keep both legs are about shoulder width apart,
• Distribute your weight to 70% on the front leg and 30% on the back leg,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Han Zenkutsu Dachi

Han Zenkutsu-dachi is the shorter or half version of Zenkutsu-dachi. It’s a stance suitable for self-defense and kumite or sparring as it offers greater mobility. Han Zenkutsu-dachi is a neutral stance that allows you to quickly move back into the defensive Neko-ashi-dachi or the thrust forward into a full Zenkutsu-dachi or Sanchin-dachi.

• Put your front foot in front of you,
• Slightly bend your knees,
• Keep a distance of approximately two shoulder width between your feet, 
• Distribute your weight evenly on both feet.
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Kokutsu Dachi

Kokutsu-dachi is a defensive position that allows you to quickly retreat or move back and counterattack. It’s great to evate attack from your opponent.

• Bring your rear leg backwards with your foot at a 45° angle,
• Keep your front leg in front of you, with your foot pointing forward,
• Keep a distance of approximately one and a half shoulder width between your feet, 
• Distribute your weight to 70% on the back foot and 30% on the front foot,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Kiba Dachi

Kiba-dachi is a fundamental position of Karate that not only used to practice basic strikes like the seiken tsuki, but that can be integrated into self-defense or kumite practice as well. This is a very strong stance for defending against side attacks. Kiba-dachi is a posture that strengthens the legs, the back and to some extent, the core. There are some minor variation of kiba-dachi from schools, such as the distance between the feet, and the height of the stance.

• Feet are about two shoulder widths apart, toes are facing forward (parallel),
• Lower your center of gravity by bending your knees forward,
• Push your knees towards the outside,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward,
• Distribute your body weight equally on both legs.

Shiko Dachi

Shiko-dachi, also known as the ‘square stance’ is pretty much the same as Kiba dachi but the feet are open at about 45° angle. 

• Feet are about two shoulder widths apart, feet are open at a 45° angle,
• Lower your center of gravity by bending your knees forward,
• Push your knees towards the outside,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen,
• Distribute your body weight equally on both legs.

Sanchin Dachi

Sanchin-dachi is a fundamental Karate posture that offers great stability and rooting. The majority of Japanese styles like Shotokan use this stance only in kata, but Okinawan styles uses it for self-defense and kumite, particularly Naha-te styles like Goju-Ryu and Uechi-Ryu.

• Put your feet close together about one shoulder width apart and are turned inward, at a 45° angle,
• Bring your front foot is forward, aligned with back foot toes,
• Bend your knees and turned them inward (to protect the groin),
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward,
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Fudo Dachi
Fudo-dachi is a rooted stance that looks pretty much like a combination of Zenkutsu-dachi and kiba-dachi. Contrary to Sanchi-dachi, another rooted stance, it’s not ideal for mobility.

• Put your front foot in front of you at a 45° angle,
• Bend your front knee so that it prevents you from seeing your front foot,
• Bend your rear leg, put your rear foot is at a 45° angle.
• Keep a distance of approximately two shoulder width between your feet, 
• Distribute your weight evenly on both feet.
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Neko Ashi Dachi

Neko-ashi-dachi is a great defensive stance as most of the weight is on the back leg, allowing counterattack with kicks and quick sideways evasions. Sadly unpopular with karateka this stance as perfectly suited for both self-defense and kumite.

• Bring your rear leg backwards with your foot at a 45° angle,
• Pull back your front leg with only the ball of your foot lightly touching the ground,
• Keep a distance of maximum one shoulder width between the front and rear legs,
• Your weight is 90% on the back leg and 10% on the front foot,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

• Be fully present mentally,
• Breathe naturally but calmly.

Tsuru-Ashi-Dachi

Tsuru-ashi-dachi is a stance used to avoid attacks and to transition into other techniques.

• Raise one leg and place its ankle behind the knee of the standing leg.
• Slightly bend you standing leg,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward, 
• Tense up your lower abdomen.

Kosa Dachi

The cross stance is generally performed for turning, dodging to the side or when landing from a jump.

• Move your back leg forward so that the back knee is tucked in to the back of the front knee,
• Your whole front foot is fat on the floor,
• Your rear foot’s toes and ball of the foot touches the ground,
• Keep your back and neck straight,
• Tilt your pelvis upward,
• Tense up your lower abdomen.