karate long stances?

Question

any tips on getting stronger with my longer stances i keep slipping and sliding all over the dojo

Answer 1

What kind of floors does your Dojo have? Not all floors are the same.

If it is really really slippery see if your teacher allows MA shoes or sneakers on the class floor.

IF not, then find some solution you can apply to your feet to make them less sticky, go to a sporting good store of large or well known and see what they have for your feet to help with slipping while bare foot.

IF you can get the sneakers or shoes that will help alot, but not all classes allow them, esp traditional ones.

Answer 2

In traditional Japanese/Okinawan martial arts the students used to clean the dojo including the floor. Is it a hardwood floor that needs to be swept and dusted? If its a tile or linoleum floor that is one of the problems with them in that they become to slippery once you start to work out hard and your feet are sweating along with anything else. If that is the case talk to your instructor and ask him if you can put a small towel off to the side that you can occasionally step on and wipe the bottom of your feet on. Some people do suffer from a medical condition that causes excessive sweating of their feet.
Competitors on the national tournament circuit use a little Firm Grip or other such product that tennis players use spraying the bottom of their feet for the cement floors in the arenas where national tournaments are sometimes held to keep from slipping and sliding.
Perhaps you are trying to get your stances to long or to deep is a cause as well or may not be moving correctly from one to the other. Stances should be strong and have good balance and you should be able to move out of one into another without straining or lurching. It could of course be a combination of all the above so make sure the floor is clean, try a towel off to the side and if that does not work try a little Firm Grip or other similar spray on product on the bottom of your feet at the beginning of your workouts.

Answer 3

If you are refering to deep stances; like a front stance, that are done in repetition across the length of the floor I think I can help. Some slipping may happen due to leg strength, balance issues, and the flooring.
A more traditional approach that I learned from my teacher and I in turn teach to my students is known as the Dragon Walk. It will help with balance and leg strength issues. You will need some open space with no obstacles, and some light hand weights.(You can add obstacles like Plum Flower Poles later.)
Dragon Walk-
Begin at one end of your open space. Pick up your hand weights. Now step forward into a deep lunge and stretch your arms out to your sides. Hold it for about 3 seconds. Step your back foot forwards so that both of your feet are together and pull your hands into your chest. Repeat this action. Cross your open space. Once you hit the end of your open space turn and repeat until you have returned to your starting position. Repeat until you feel fatigued.
This exercise will help, but don't over do it.
If you find that you are slipping on a polished floor then you might try some TKD shoes if your teacher allows them to be worn.
Also... ask your teacher if he/she recommends anything that can help you. They should be able to watch you and make recommendations based on what they see you doing during the class.

Answer 4

People see the stances we use in the Bujinkan and say, "Nobody fights like that. It's completely impractical." And they're right. Nobody fights like that. They are completely impractical. But there is a point to a wide, deep stance. Training in the dojo is about developing the muscles to make proper movements easier. You do it "wrong" in the dojo, so that, if your life depends on it, you can do it right. The deep stances build inner thigh muscles, core strength, etc, all of which translates to more explosive power when the stance is narrowed. By not training deep, you don't get the full effect. If you follow the link below, Arnaud Cousergue has an article three or so down called "Training Wrong to Fight Good" that may be of some assistance. It's not shotokan, but it applies to any martial art.

Answer 5

Just what is your instructor doing? Perhaps they're busy with other matters.. perhaps not... You should ask however - if not of them, then at least from the senior students..

In any matter, here are a few pointers that might aid you in correcting this mistake.

Keep your feet below your knees. Press downward with your rear leg. Keep your chest above your waist. Put the blade edge of your foot into the stance and not the heel... Move foreward, backward and sideways without raising and lowering the hips. Keep the knees bent during motion...

Best of luck - keep practicing and practice using control of these things... Pay attention - observe the motions and mechanics of your seniors and peers - ask your instructors/teachers for advice and counsel... - Get on with it!!

Answer 6

The style I do, Isshinryu doesn't have as many longer stances as other styles, but one way I've found helps is to focus on keeping your feet under your knees. This requires a bit of flexibility and leg strength, but will improve your stances greatly.

Answer 7

Is it just you or are other students slipping to? I know polished wooden floors don't like bare feet ( especially if a liberal amount of sweat is applied.)
Perhaps a wax polish can applied to reduce slipping. After all, i would think any dojo owner would be happy to take measures to reduce any public liability risks.

Failing that wax your feet - worked for me.

Answer 8

Keep practicing. Practice makes perfect....if it is perfect practice.
Try to focus on your foot grabbing the floor.
If other students seem to be doing ok with the floor than the issue is your stance.
As suggested your first stop on this journey should be with the senior students at your school. Use them as a training resource instead of trusting a bunch of strangers on the Internet.

Answer 9

Short horse stance(like a boxers stance).
Bow stance is a stance you use for a technique.
Cat stance the same way, depends on what technique your going to use.
I suggest you practice your stance when sparring.
BUT! watch out for sweeps if there going to be opened wide(stance).
Good Luck.

Answer 10

All the above options work well, but short of that, practice them on a carpeted/matted floor that won't allow your feet to slip. This will train your muscles to stay put.