Stances play an essential role in Taekwondo. They allow for greater power in attack and defence while providing a solid platform from which the martial artist can work from. A proper stance can make techniques effective; an improper one could render them weak or even unsuccessful. There should also be consideration given to positioning of legs, arms and hands when taking a stance.
Taekwondo employs various stances that can be utilized. Some can be used for kicking and sparring while others are more frequently employed during forms or poomsae (kata). Commonly seen stances include front, back, horse-riding and fighting positions.
Front Stance (Gunnun Sogi)
This position refers to when one foot is facing forward; either full or half facing. Feet are shoulder width apart and parallel, with heel of front foot aligned with big toe of rear foot; weight distribution should be 60 percent on rear foot and 40 percent on front foot.
This stance is ideal for close range fighting as it allows the fighter to easily step forward and attack or backwards and defend. Arms are extended outward with fists loosely clenched.
Cat or Tiger Stance (Gyeonjunbi Sogi) is an extremely effective form of fighting stance that provides great balance and support while lunging forward. Foot placement varies slightly compared to walking stance, with front foot holding more weight while heel is off ground; chin down and arms ready to block or strike when appropriate.
Another effective defensive stance is the horse-riding or “jucumseogi stance (Gyeonjunbi Sogi). This type of stance makes the body present a smaller target to an opponent and makes them harder to hit. Similar to an extended front stance with one leg chambered for throwing kicks and another foot guarding. Both hands remain in closed blocking position for added defense.
However, this stance may present several problems: If the feet are too wide they can cause unbalanced torso movements and slowdown any movements; on the other hand, too narrow feet can result in instability and lack of power. Therefore, an ideal middle ground would be shoulder or hip width feet for maximum balance while still permitting quick switching between stances to evade attacks from opponents; otherwise they are an easy target!