All Kyokushin karate stances: ready stances, movement stances, and fighting stance. Foot placement diagrams and video.

All Kyokushin Karate Stances

1. Ready and attention stances:

Yoi dachi – feet parallel to each other, weight 50/50

Fudo dachi – heels shoulder-width apart, toes turned out, weight 50/50

Heiko dachi – feet parallel, one foot-width apart, weight 50/50


Heisoku dachi – feet together, weight 50/50


Musubi dachi – heels together, toes turned out 90 degrees, weight 50/50


Uchi hachi ji dachi – “pigeon” stance (heels wider than shoulders, toes pointing inward), weight 50/50

2. Primary movement stances:
Zenkutsu dachi – front stance, weight distribution: 60% on the front leg, 40% on the back.


Sanchin dachi – “fortress” or “hourglass” stance, weight 50/50


Kiba dachi – horse stance, feet parallel; Shiko dachi – sumo stance, feet at 45 degrees, weight 50/50

3. Transitional stances:
Kokutsu dachi – back leg bent at the knee, rear foot at 45 degrees, front foot pointing straight on the ball of the foot, weight 70% on the back leg, 30% on the front


Nekoashi dachi – “cat” stance, similar to kokutsu dachi but considerably shorter, weight 90% on the back leg, 10% on the front


Tsuruashi dachi – “crane” stance, standing on one leg, weight 100% on the supporting leg


Kake ashi dachi – “twisted” stance with one leg crossed behind or in front of the other, weight 90% on the front leg, 10% on the back


Moro ashi dachi – feet parallel, shoulder-width apart, one foot advanced by one foot-length, weight 50/50

4. Fighting stance:
Kamaete dachi (kamae dachi) or kumite dachi – the standard fighting stance, weight 50/50

Kyokushin stances on video: