Kiba dachi

The horse stance is an important posture in Japanese martial arts and takes its name from the position assumed when riding a horse. This stance can not only be integrated into fighting but also during exercises and forms. It is most commonly used for practicing punches or to strengthen the legs and back.

In Japanese martial arts, the horse stance (kiba dachi) has many minor variations between individual schools, including the distance between the feet, and the height of the stance. One constant feature is that the feet must be parallel to each other.

Note that the horse stance differs from the straddle stance (四股立ち shiko dachi), widely used in sumo, in which the feet point outward at 45 degrees rather than being parallel.

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