Beginners must master low stance and posture, natural body positions are for the advanced.
Again, a famous master made this statement and I concur. What does he mean? Is this just a way of putting the beginners through difficult and arduous training just to test their resolve? Not really. When one starts a new activity you must condition muscles that you haven’t used before or not much. You need to get in shape for the activity that you are starting, otherwise you cannot properly do the necessary moves to perform your activity.
In karate there are many stances that we learn, partly to develop the legs but mainly to enhance ones power, balance and stability. In Shotokan karate we stress low stances in the beginning to build a foundation, to work upon. A Karate-ka must use the proper stance in the appropriate way or they may fall or get thrown in battle. A Karate-ka has many tools in his tool box and the first one is a good stance. If someone tries to take you down a good stance will make it difficult or impossible for them to throw you. I’ve had several students that were attacked by people who wanted to take them to the ground and they dropped into a deep stance and then dispatched their assailant. Many people say that most fights go to the grounds. However most of the people that wind up on the ground don’t have stance training.
When a karate-ka moves into the advanced category they may not need to resort to low stances to resolve their problem. An advanced Karate-ka should be adept at pivoting, moving, evading and fighting from angles. When you learn to evade an attack, there is no longer the need to drop into a low stance even though that tool is still available.
What this master was stating was that by working on stances first one is developing a strong foundation, much like the builder wants a good foundation for their house to stand upon. I explain to students that everything starts from the ground up. People talk about hips and hip power and sometimes hip rotation or movement but the hips have absolutely no power whatsoever. Hips are driven by the legs. Proper use of stances and the legs drive powerful techniques.
Build that foundation first and your karate will become strong. Ignore the importance of stances and leg power and your karate will be weak.
Master that low stance and watch what happens!
Written by:
Sensei Perry Culver 6th degree Black Belt (Shotokan Karate), Syu Sin Do Black Belt, Trained in Kickboxing, CDT and Personal Training.
