Search: “kamae stance”

The Kamae subfamily encompasses the five standard sword guards (go-gyō-no-kamae) used across Japanese sword arts — chūdan, jōdan, gedan, hassō, and waki-gamae. [1] Each kamae positions the sword to de...

Chūdan-no-kamae (middle guard) positions the sword with the tip (kissaki) pointed at the opponent's throat or eyes, the tsuka (handle) held at navel height, embodying the principle of centre-line domi...

Jōdan-no-kamae (high guard) raises the sword overhead with the arms extended, threatening an immediate downward cut to any target. [1] Jōdan is the most aggressive of the five standard kamae, projecti...

Gedan-no-kamae (low guard) positions the sword with the tip pointed downward toward the opponent's knees, the tsuka held at hip level. [1] Gedan is a defensive and inviting guard that conceals the wie...

Hassō-no-kamae (eight-direction guard) positions the sword vertically beside the right side of the head, with the tsuka at mouth height and the blade pointing upward. [1] This guard radiates threat in...

The Standard Square Stance positions both feet even, shoulder-width apart, with the body facing forward, knees slightly bent, and hands up guarding the head. [1] The standard square stance provides a ...

The Standard Wrestling Stance positions the fighter in a low, staggered stance with the lead foot slightly forward, knees bent at approximately 90-110 degrees, hips low, back straight, and head up wit...

The Orthodox Stance subfamily covers the fighting stance with the left foot forward and the right foot back, used by right-handed fighters as the standard stance in boxing, kickboxing, and MMA. [1] Th...

The Staggered Wrestling Stance subfamily covers the low, wide fighting stance used in wrestling, with one foot slightly forward, knees deeply bent, and a low centre of gravity. [1] The wrestling stanc...

The Square Stance subfamily covers the fighting stance where both feet are approximately even, with the body facing the opponent more directly rather than being turned sideways. [1] The square stance ...

The Southpaw Stance subfamily covers the fighting stance with the right foot forward and the left foot back, used by left-handed fighters or as a tactical choice by right-handed fighters who 'switch' ...

Waki-gamae (side guard) conceals the sword behind the body with the blade pointing rearward, hiding the weapon's length and the wielder's intent from the opponent. [1] This deceptive guard denies the ...

Terza (third guard) positions the hand with the palm facing to the right (half-supinated), the blade extended along the centreline to threaten the opponent's chest or face. [1] Terza is the most neutr...

The Military Sabre Guard subfamily covers the defensive positions and parrying stances used with the military sabre, typically numbering between three and seven guards depending on the national tradit...