Dojo manners and the stance line
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
The bow, the guard stance and the horse stance, and stepping along a line while staying in a stance. Every karate technique is done from a stance; a strong stance keeps the body balanced.
Words on this card Dojo, Rei, Guard, Ready stance, Horse stance
- Dojo
- The training hall.
- Rei
- Bowing to show respect.
- Guard
- The ready position with the hands up to protect the body.
- Ready stance
- Standing with the feet a shoulder-width apart and the hands relaxed in front.
- Horse stance
- Feet wide apart, knees bent out over the toes, as if on a horse.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Stand at the line, heels together, and bow from the waist.
- Step into the ready stance: feet a shoulder-width apart, hands relaxed in front. Lift the hands into the guard.
- Horse stance: feet wide, knees bent out over the toes, back straight; hold for 10 seconds.
- Step forward and back along the line, staying low.
Your part while they practise
Show the bow and the ready stance (feet shoulder-width, hands relaxed in front).
Step by step
- Bow at the line.
- Take the guard stance.
- A horse stance held for 10 seconds.
- Step forward and back along the line in a stance.
How much: 5 rounds 8 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Statues
Move to music; when it stops, freeze in the stance you call.
Who plays: 1 or 2 children; you work the music and call.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Children walk round the room to music
- Stop the music and call "guard", "horse" or "ready"
- Everyone freezes in that stance while you count to 10
- 10 stops; bow at the end
- Fair play
- A grown-up holds each stance with the eyes closed.
- Points
- 1 point for each stance held to 10 without the feet moving; 1 bonus point for a straight back.
- Fouls
- No points for that stop
- The feet move
- Rising up on the toes
- The wrong stance
- Winning
- Beat your best from 10 stops.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Hold for 5 seconds.
Hold for 20 seconds, eyes closed.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child rises on the toes
Feet flat, knees bent
Push the floor away. - they hold the breath
Breathe out slowly
Steady breaths in every hold.
Self-check
Hold the horse stance for 10 seconds without moving the feet, 3 times.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the knee or ankle.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains stance, balance, respect.
awiseathlete.com/sports/karate/karate-b1