Front Stance

-Lesson 2 -

The front stance is defined by the position the body maintains from the waist down and is crudely performed by holding the position after taking a large step forward. Of course, such a position doesn't make for a very effective stance. Therefore, let's take a detailed look at this stance.

The front stance posture is performed by standing with one foot in front of the other. The feet should be positioned so that they are as wide as your shoulders and twice as long. The toes of the front feet will point forward and the rear will point off at a 45 ° angle. The front ankle will have a 90 ° bend and the rear ankle will be much more acute. The front knee should be straight above the front ankle. The rear knee should not be bent. The Hips should be square. That is, they should point straight forward.

To get a better impression of the front stance posture, let's look at it from overhead. From this perspective, the stance can be transposed onto two right triangle. The outer edge of the front foot is parallel to the long side of the 90 ° angle. The hips are square with the short side and the rear foot is parallel with the long edge of the opposing right triangle.

Hips - The hips play an important role in generating power for upper body strikes. By rotating (or vibrating) the hips, great power can be transferred from the legs to the upper body. However, this article is only concerned with the stance. Therefore, keep your hips square. Notice that my arms arm akimbo. I hold this arm position when working on the front stance to assure me that I am keeping my hips square.

Knees - The front knee should be bent so that it is directly over your front ankle. If you are in a front stance and look down at you front foot, your knee should hide your toes. If you see your toes, your knee is too far back and should be moved forward. Be careful not to go too far forward. Although this affords extra protection from an attack to your knee, it will set you off balance and leave you vulnerable for throw. Likewise, be too far back will make your knee vulnerable to an attack. Therefore, it is critical to find that perfect spot in between. The rear knee should be straight. It will bend for movement or for striking but when the posture is hold static, the rear knee is held straight.

The toes and feet and are critical to making your stance stronger. Think of your toes as claws and push them into the surface you are standing on. Likewise, think of your foot as a tripod. The heel, ball of the foot and entire outer edge of each foot should make contact with the ground. Be especially careful that the outer edge of your rear foot is firmly grounded for this is a common trouble spot.

Both of your legs should support your weight with a bias towards the front leg. To be more specific, 60 percent of your weight should be in your front leg and 40 percent is in the back. Sink your hips to lower your center of gravity and actively push your legs into the ground.

This active pushing will make your legs sore but is must be done. This will creates pressure in the legs and is the difference between a great front stance and a feeble attempt. Without pressure, your stance will not work effectively for you. So, be sure to press your legs into the ground like roots.