Your Stance
Start with your feet together (see below).
Then step straight back with your dominant side foot approx. Your shoulder width (see Below).
Next put your weight on your heels and rotate your feet turning your toes 45 degrees to the dominant side. Front toe should be toward your opponent (see below).
Now step to the dominant side with your back foot slightly bending your knees getting on the balls of your feet. If you were to draw a straight line back from your front toe to your back foot it should end up somewhere between your instep and your heel. Starting at your ankle should put you close (see below).
Now if you were to draw a line from your front toes to your back toes it should always be a diagonal line. Keep it diagonal (see below)
This should give you a triangular base.
Keep a triangular base. Your back foot should be anywhere from 45 to 90 degrees no more no less. Keep your weight on both feet. This will help you center your weight giving you good balance (see below).
Adjusting your stance.
Once you have done this you can check your stance by raising both your hands above your head. Then quickly dropping bending your knees and placing your hands one on each side of your lead foot, bring your butt all the way down. As you come down if you feel you are going to fall to one side or the other slightly adjust your feet.
Once you feel you are where you want to be try the hand checking routine mentioned above again but do it with your eyes closed.
Now you are ready to set your upper torso.
1. Put your ***chin down ***.
· Raise dominate hand (BACK HAND) then drop the elbow to your side not your back, relax dont squeeze.
· Place the right hand so the base of thumb is at eye level.
· Rotate your head and shoulders to line up with your lead hip and knee (close that target).
Raise your lead hand above your head the drop it placing your lead elbow out over lead foot. (as if there was an imaginary string from that elbow to the lead foot).
Place lead hand thumb (thumb up, pinkey foward ) just outside and at your left eye level.
Keep hand about one hand space from face.
Remember these five things make a solid stance.
Chin down, hands up, elbows in, knees bent, balls of feet
and keep the triangle.
