List of Karate Stances
In Karate, students need to learn proper stances (i.e. front stance and back stance). These stances will be used in Karate katas (i.e. Shotokan Karate katas), kicking techniques, etc. This page provides the English and Japanese names for each stance.
Amazon – Karate Books
List of Common Karate Stance Names – Links to Shotokan stance videos, etc.
- Back Stance – Kokutsu Dachi
- Cat Stance – Neko Ashi Dachi
- Closed Leg Stance – Heisoku Dachi
- Crane Leg Stance – Tsuru Ashi Dachi
- Crossed Leg Stance – Kosa Dachi
- Foundational Stance – Moto Daichi
- Front Stance – Zenkutsu Dachi
- Half Moon Stance – Hangetsu Dachi
- Horse Stance – Kiba Dachi
- Hour Glass Stance – Sanchin Dachi
- Immovable Stance – Fudo Dachi
- Natural Stance – Shizentai
- Open Leg Stance – Hachiji Dachi
- Parellel Stance – Heiko Dachi
- Ready Stance – Hachinoji Dachi
- Muwatte – Not necessarily a stance but a foot movement used in turning between stances.
Stances by Karate Style – Videos & instructions for stances used by different Karate styles. Many styles use slightly different stances or have different stance names.
Basic Shotokan Karate Stances