| ign="center"> | | | | of the push. This can be severe enough to tweak |
| Shotokan Karate is one of the most important | | | | the back, and even (in extreme cases) lead to |
| karates styles in the world, so many systems are | | | | problems with lower spine. |
| derived from this style, and thus are corrupted | | | | To fix this the footwork all one needs to do is |
| with some very incorrect concepts. Thus, | | | | turn the rear foot to about 45 degrees or less |
| whether you study Shito ryu, Isshin Ryu, | | | | towards the direction of the push. This will position |
| Kyokushinkai, or any style that has the Heian kata | | | | the foot for proper traction, and set up the |
| as a base, you probably are making the errors I | | | | major muscles for the launch of the body. Of |
| am listing in this article. It doesn't mean your | | | | course, this is going to alter the essential nature |
| karate stance is terrible, it just means if you | | | | of the stance. |
| make a couple of adjustments you can make it | | | | Thus, when you turn the foot to the proper |
| better. | | | | angle, you are going to have to figure out the |
| A good karate stance will be a perfect balance | | | | better angle of the hips, and put the weight more |
| between mobility and solidity. Mobiity is when one | | | | on the rear leg. Doing this will prepare the body |
| can launch their body quickly through space. | | | | for maximum launch, but shotokan instructors will |
| Solidity is when one can grip the ground with their | | | | usually not like this alignment of the body for a |
| feet. | | | | simple reason: it lacks the sensation of shotokan |
| In the Shotokan kokutsu dachi stance, however, | | | | power. But this merely proves that the system |
| the ability to be mobile or solid has been | | | | has been corrupted for sake and sensation of |
| compromised. If you study the feet you will see | | | | power, and not for the balance between gripping |
| that they are pointing in directions that are more | | | | the ground and launching the body. |
| than ninety degrees apart. This means the stance | | | | To get past this, Shotokan masters have set the |
| can't make up its mind whether it is supposed to | | | | system up to rely on overly aggressive front |
| be mobile or solid. | | | | stances. What they have done is okay, but only in |
| If the rear foot is angling away from the target | | | | specific instance, and the proof is in the fact that |
| the major muscles are not pointing towards the | | | | the kokutsu dachi stance is more for rooting than |
| target. The foot being in the incorrect position | | | | for shooting. Thus, you have a choice at this |
| means that there is not going to be enough | | | | point, do what you are told in Shotokan Karate, |
| traction for the foot. The leg being pointed in the | | | | or other classical martial arts styles, or analyze |
| wrong direction means that the major thrusting | | | | the physics I have presented here and alter your |
| muscles of the leg can't be properly utilized.in | | | | stance in accordance with these physics. |
| addition, the hips will be angled improperly, and | | | | The difference between art and slop in shotokan |
| when one pushes with the leg there will be a | | | | karate is in the physics. If you want to learn The |
| 'power leak,' in the structure. That is to say that | | | | Correct Physics of shotokan karate drop by |
| the hips will not want to support the entire weight | | | | Monster Martial Arts. |