Karate stances
31 stances of Karate with their own page, plus entries from Wikipedia technique lists.
- KarateFront stanceLeg position
- KarateHachiji dachi (八字立)Karate stance
- KarateHorse stance (騎馬立)Posture in Asian martial arts
- KarateMoto-dachi (基立)Foundational stance
- KarateMusubi-dachi-heiko (結び立)-
- KarateNeko ashi dachi (猫足立)Karate stance
- KarateSanchin dachi (三戦立)Karate stance
- KarateKōkutsu dachi (後屈立)Karate stance
- KarateRenoji Dachi (レの字立)Stand like the character
- KarateZenkutsu-dachi (前屈立)Forward stance
- KarateFudo Dachi (不動立)Rooted stance
- KarateUchi Hachiji Dachi (内八字立)Inward feet stance
- KarateSagi Ashi Dachi (鷺足立)Heron stance
- KarateChokusen-seisan-dachi (直線十三立)Straight line universal stance
- KarateHan Zenkutsu-dachi (半前屈立)Half zenkutsu
- KarateHan-Kokutsu-dachi (半後屈立)Half kokutsu
- KarateKosa dachi (交差立)Cross-legged stance
- KarateSeisan-dachi (十三立)Universal stance
- KarateSōkutsu-dachi (側屈立)Side long stance
- KarateMusubi dachi (結び立)Karate stance
- KarateHangetsu dachi (半月立)Half-moon stance
- KarateHeikō dachi (平行立)Parallel attention stance
- KarateHeisoku dachi (閉足立)Formal attention stance
- KarateKarate stancesBody position used to create power, flexibility and movement
- KarateIaigoshi Dachi (居合腰立)Kneeling stance
- KarateShiko dachi (四股立)Square stance, often called horse stance where kiba-dachi is not used
- KarateNaihanchi-dachi (内歩進立)
- KarateKatashi DachiCrane-like stance
- KarateYama DachiMountain stance
- KarateTeiji Dachi (丁字立)T-stance
- KarateTsuru Ashi DachiHanging leg stance
Karate stances in technique lists
| Technique | Japanese | Meaning | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heisoku Dachi | formal attention stance | Stances | |
| Musubi Dachi | informal attention stance, both heels touching and feet at 45° angle | Stances | |
| Heiko Dachi | parallel attention stance | Stances | |
| Hachiji Dachi | outward feet stance | Stances | |
| Uchi Hachiji Dachi | inward feet stance | Stances | |
| Iaigoshi Dachi | kneeling stance | Stances | |
| Fudo Dachi | rooted stance | Stances | |
| Hangetsu Dachi | half-moon stance | Stances | |
| Kiba Dachi | horse stance/side stance | Stances | |
| Kokutsu Dachi | back stance | Stances | |
| Kosa Dachi | cross-legged stance | Stances | |
| Neko ashi Dachi | cat stance | Stances | |
| Mitsurin Dachi | jungle stance | Stances | |
| Renoji Dachi | Stances | ||
| Teiji Dachi | t-stance | Stances | |
| Sanchin Dachi | hourglass stance | Stances | |
| Katashi Dachi | crane-like stance | Stances | |
| Sagi Ashi Dachi | heron stance | Stances | |
| Gankaku Dachi | crane stance | Stances | |
| Tsuru Ashi Dachi | hanging leg stance | Stances | |
| Zenkutsu Dachi | front stance ТжвЧ | Stances | |
| Yama Dachi | mountain stance | Stances | |
| Sochin Dachi | high-low blocking rooted stance | Stances | |
| Shizen tai | natural stance | Stances | |
| Heisoku-dachi | 閉足立 | Feet together stance | High stances |
| Musubi-dachi | 結び立 | Joining stance | High stances |
| Musubi-dachi-heiko | 結び立 | - | High stances |
| Hachiji-dachi | 八字立 | natural stance, literally "stand like the character | High stances |
| Uchi hachiji-dachi | 内八字立 | stand like the upside-down character | High stances |
| Heikō-dachi | 平行立 | parallel stance | High stances |
| Seisan-dachi | 十三立 | universal stance | High stances |
| Renoji-dachi | レの字立 | stand like the character | Sidewise high stances |
| Teiji-dachi | 丁字立 | stand like the character | Sidewise high stances |
| Chokusen-seisan-dachi | 直線十三立 | straight line universal stance | Sidewise high stances |
| Sagi-ashi-dachi | 鷺足立 | Heron-foot stance | Special high stances |
| Naihanchi-dachi | 内歩進立 | Middle height front stances | |
| Sanchin-dachi | 三戦立 | Three Battles stance | Middle height front stances |
| Hangetsu-dachi | 半月立 | Halfmoon stance | Middle height front stances |
| Moto-dachi | 基立 | Foundational stance | Middle height front stances |
| Kosa-dachi | 交差立 | Crossing stance | Middle height front stances |
| Han Zenkutsu-dachi | 半前屈立 | half zenkutsu | Middle height front stances |
| Han-Kokutsu-dachi | 半後屈立 | half kokutsu | Middle height front stances |
| Kiba-dachi | 騎馬立 | horse stance or rider stance | Low frontal stances |
| Shiko-dachi | 四股立 | square stance, often called horse stance where kiba-dachi is not used | Low frontal stances |
| Zenkutsu-dachi | 前屈立 | forward stance | Low frontal stances |
| Nekoashi-dachi | 猫足立 | cat foot stance | Low frontal stances |
| Iaigoshi-dachi | 居合腰立 | Kneeling stance | Low frontal stances |
| Fudō-dachi | 不動立 | unshakable stance | Low sidewise stances |
| Kōkutsu-dachi | 後屈立 | back long stance | Low sidewise stances |
| Sōkutsu-dachi | 側屈立 | side long stance | Low sidewise stances |
| Heisoku dachi 閉足立 | Gallery | ||
| Musubi dachi 結び立 | Gallery | ||
| Heikō dachi 平行立 | Gallery | ||
| Hachiji dachi 八字立 | Gallery | ||
| Kiba dachi 騎馬立 | Gallery | ||
| Shiko dachi 四股立 | Gallery | ||
| Zenkutsu dachi 前屈立 | Gallery | ||
| Kōkutsu dachi 後屈立 | Gallery | ||
| Sanchin dachi 三戦立 | Gallery | ||
| Hangetsu dachi 半月立 | Gallery | ||
| Neko ashi dachi 猫足立 | Gallery | ||
| Kosa dachi 交差立ち | Gallery |
See also
Technique lists quoted from English Wikipedia: List of shotokan techniques, Karate stances (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data: Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0); Wikidata (CC0 1.0); JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.