Korean Karate. Sihak H. Cho

      • Others

      In addition to those karate stances we have covered, there are many others which are often used in training: even stance, inward bent knee stance, low stance, and short forward stance will be briefly explained in this section.

      Even Stance (Koroo Seh). A good example of even stance is side stance; the body weight rests evenly on both front and rear feet. However, even stance is often used in free fighting as a variation of back stance. The toes of both feet point inward, so that the whole body remains tense. The upper body stays straight upward in either a half-front facing or side-facing posture with the eyes watching straight forward along the left leg line. This type of stance can be used in free fighting as a static stance to arm block or guard in a tight position against your opponent's offense, without making a defensive body shift.

      Inward Bent Knee Stance (Moorup Ohkoohryo Seh). As a variation of even stance, inward bent knee stance is sometimes used in practicing karate (tae-kwon do) basics in a tense leg position. Both feet remain flat on the floor and toes point in an inward direction. Both knees are bent, tensing inward, with the front knee directly over the big toe of the front foot and the rear knee bending farther inward. The distance between the left and right feet can vary from that of natural stance to that of side stance, and both feet stay somewhere between the side and front direction. From this stance, short hand moves are primarily applied in a side or forward direction. Occasionally this type of stance is used in free fighting to make a sudden stop of the body advancement or to change the direction of motion for a continuous offense.

      Low Stance (Natchwoh Seh). Low stance is an extension of forward stance primarily used for hand attacks with a thrusting motion. In general, the distance between the front and rear feet is longer, the diagonal distance between the left and right feet is shorter, and the upper body remains lower than in forward stance. This type of stance results from making a thrusting attack in free fighting, but it also can be used to cover a long distance and ultimately provides a stronger body advancement than regular forward stance. The weight distribution of the body between the long distance of both feet hinders a fast body shift, and the narrow distance between the feet makes the body balance weak from a side angle.

      Short Forward Stance (Pahn Chun-gool Seh). As the name implies, short forward stance is very similar to forward stance except the distance between the front and rear feet is less, and the body is higher than in forward stance. The shorter distance between the feet usually provides better mobility for shifting. Because of the shorter distance, the rear knee can sometimes be bent slightly.

      Part III Free Fighting Basics and Foot Moves

      7 Basic Position and Adjustment for Distance

      The karate (tae-kwon do) trainee should not free fight until he masters the basic karate moves to the point where they can be used instinctively in any free-fighting situation. In order to master these basic moves, he usually practices them alone, assuming an imaginary opponent before him. However, such practice is quite different from the application of these moves against an actual opponent in free fighting. The real opponent presents a moving target, in contrast to an imaginary opponent or stationary bag. The real opponent can also attack the trainee, who must be prepared to make both offensive and defensive moves. In other words, the actual free fighting techniques of the trainee are his ability not only to execute simple karate moves, but also to effectively apply both offensive and defensive moves in free fighting.

      The karate free-fighting position is somewhat different from the fighting positions of boxing, wrestling, or judo, because the karate attack is not limited to the fist alone as in boxing, or a throw as in wrestling or judo, but utilizes the finger tips, palm-heel, knife-edge, elbow, and many varied foot techniques. In addition, many defensive techniques are also applied in order to protect the numerous vulnerable spots of the body. Most of all, the combination of strong hand-and-foot attacks requires a strong body balance, and the effective application of defensive moves, along with offensive moves, requires good coordination and superb balance to be advantageously applied in free fighting.

      The main free-fighting stance must be one which provides an intermediate distance between both feet to facilitate complete mobility. Back stance, even stance, short side stance, or short forward stance are better to start with than forward stance or low stance, which provide a strong balance but lack mobility because the body balance is spread between the front and rear feet. Cat stance usually allows a fast pick-up of the front foot for kicking, but the short distance between the feet might result in a weak foundation for both hand and foot techniques. However, the main free-fighting stance must be changed from time to time from cat stance to back stance, short forward stance, even stance, and so forth, depending upon the moves you want to make.

      A half-front facing posture is preferable to a front- or side-facing posture in free fighting. The front-facing posture is usually good for attacking with the hands and feet, but it exposes the front part of the body and is a disadvantageous posture for defense. A side-facing posture leaves less of an opening and is safer for defense, but limits offensive moves and lacks advancing force. The half-front facing posture is best suited as an intermediate position for both offense and defense.

      The body should always be erect and relaxed and the eyes should look directly at the opponent. Do not watch his legs or hands for indications of his movements, but rather his eyes. The front-guarding arm is held at the front-body line with the elbow bent and shoulder relaxed. The fist is tight and stays no higher than the shoulder level. The forearm is slightly inside the body line so it guards the front-facing ribs. The rear arm is held in front of the body with the fist somewhere around the solar plexus. The guarding position of both arms is approximately at the midsection of the body, from which they can be raised or lowered to protect other sections of the body. The knife-hand edge may be used instead of the fist. You must always be in a tightly guarded position whether you remain stationary or move. Be sure not to allow your opponent to induce you to relax your guard. While attacking, always move in a guarded position to protect yourself against the opponent's potential counter moves.

      • Vital Spots of Human Body

      • Adjustment for Distance

      Many otherwise well-executed attacking moves are wasted because of the improper distance between the attacker and his opponent. Consequently, the attacker expends his energy senselessly. In general, karate practitioners maintain the free-fighting distance between each other that is either favorable to their own moves, or such that the opponent is in an unfavorable position to make an initial attack. The distance maintained must be slightly beyond reach of a simple attack with hands or feet. An initial attack from such a defensive distance should be preceded by closing the distance so that the attack can reach the specified target.

      The adjustment for distance is an offensive step performed by extending the front foot or by bringing the rear foot forward or sideway. It primarily precedes a simple stepping or attacking move. The adjustment for distance gives the proper distance and direction for the execution of a successful attack. While adjusting, the attacker estimates the fighting distance and assumes the correct