An example of the kokutsu-dachi (back-leaning stance) used in modern Shotokan, compared to the kokutsu-dachi depicted by Funakoshi Gichin (founder of Shotokan) in his book, Retan Karate-Jutsu
Karate has, like all things, changed over the course of time, for a variety of reasons, from sociopolitical considerations, to sports science and movement theories, to simple aesthetics. Breaking down the myriad changes that have taken place within it would be an impossible task, but one can isolate some specific examples for study, which make for an interesting look at the development of the art over time, by different people, or other martial arts such as Jiu Jitsu also help with this. One such example would be how head height is managed within the practice of kata. This is a topic which many karateka are unfamiliar with, and may seem inconsequential in the solo practice of kata, but becomes important in its application. There are four approaches to this which will be discussed in this article; maintaining a level head height, changing height based on stances, changing height within stances, and changing height regardless of stance.
Angel Lemus demonstrating Naihanchi Shodan, which maintains a level head height and focuses on rotational power
In some styles, the idea of maintaining a level head height throughout a kata has become a strict requirement. Most often, the reasoning given for this is that having a lower stance makes a person more grounded, and therefore allows them to generate more power, so there is no reason to rise up and lose that power. In truth, maintaining a lower, rooted stance can actually rob a technique of power, depending on what that technique is doing (which has been discussed in a previous article: LINK). Primarily, the limitation with this approach is that keeping a lower stance does not allow a karateka to effectively generate upward power for techniques that move upward, such as jodan-uke (high receiver/”block”), or age-ura-tsuki (rising under thrust/uppercut). Additionally, keeping oneself in a lower stance makes it difficult to lower any further, which means that it is difficult to benefit from gravity by dropping your body weight into a technique that moves downward, such as gedan-barai (low sweep/”block”). In some cases, these lower stances can also be difficult to move in and out of, effectively making it more difficult to deliver power by moving your body directly into the target (or away from it, in the case of pulling techniques). There are kata, however, where there may be little to no need for the karateka’s head height to change. For example, the Naihanchi kata of Shorin-Ryu utilize the same stance throughout, and due to the focus on rotational power, there is no need to change levels. Similarly, the Sanchin kata found in Naha-Te styles do not typically utilize level changes, since they also use the same stance, throughout, and tend to focus on structure.
The author demonstrating the opening sequence of Pinan Nidan, which features sinking and rising based on transitioning between stances of different heights
In other styles, head height is allowed to change throughout a kata, provided it is changing in accordance with the stances being used. This is evident in the Shorin-Ryu (Kobayashi) version of Pinan Nidan, for example. From the initial yoi (ready) position, the next stance is a neko-ashi-dachi (cat leg/foot stance), which is lower. Then, the karateka steps forward into a han-zenkutsu-dachi (half front stance), which is higher than the previous neko-ashi-dachi, before turning around and dropping into a zenkutsu-dachi (front stance), which is lower than the han-zenkutsu-dachi before it. On the other hand, when transitioning between stances that are the same height, the karateka’s head height stays level, for the most part. This allows a person to move more freely, and generate power in more ways than maintaining a level head height at all times, but it does tend to focus on fixed representations of stances, which can also be limiting in application. It is important to remember that one must transition between stances as appropriate for the situation (as previously discussed, here: LINK). The late Richard Poage (Renshi, Godan), was a strong proponent of this approach to movement in kata, and covered it regularly in his classes (as seen in this video: LINK).
Ulf Karlsson demonstrating sinking in shiko-dachi as part of Tachimura no Naihanchi
While there may be sufficient power generation involved in the transition between stances, the stances, themselves, can provide for additional power, range of motion, and evasive methods (as discussed in a previous article: LINK). It can be easy to look at the postures of kata and believe that stances are static, as if they were photos in a book (as they often are), but many stances do provide additional range of motion within their limits, depending on how strictly one defines the stance. How low can a shiko-dachi (four corner/Sumo/horse stance) be before it is no longer correct? How high can it be? How far forward or backward can a zenkutsu-dachi be before it is no longer a zenkutsu-dachi? Likely, depending on the style, there will be many different answers for this. By exploring the full range of motion possible within the stance, we can find additional uses for the techniques being used in conjunction with it. Additionally, one gains the benefit of being able to move more fluidly, making it easier to maneuver themselves around an opponent, either for evasive purposes, or to apply a technique. This is a major factor in the Tachimura no Naihanchi kata of KishimotoDi (as discussed in a previous article: LINK), but it also features in other styles, such as Goju-Ryu, where powerful drops are used in their grappling methods.
A demonstration of the beginning of the ITF form, Won-Hyo, which begins the same way Pinan Shodan does
In some arts, the exploration of head height changes goes beyond the stances used on the kata. For example, the International Taekwon-Do Federation espouses a theory of movement they call the “Sine Wave Method” for generating power. This method is based on the idea that dropping your body weight into a technique allows you to generate more power which, as previously mentioned, is true for certain techniques. The way this is done in the “Sine Wave Method” is by sinking slightly in your stance, rising up, then dropping back down as you execute the technique. In some cases, you will see practitioners of this method actually rise completely out of their stance before sinking back down. This can help maximize the amount of body weight drop behind a technique, which is helpful for those which move downward, in particular. The rising action could be beneficial for techniques which move upward, although that seems to be rarely done by those who utilize this method of movement, which limits its utility to one of support (allowing for a greater distance to drop into the stance). If one were to use the rising action to support an upward motion, and then follow with a downward motion supported by the drop, they would get the most efficiency out of the process.
Higaonna Morio demonstrating a sequence from the kata, Sepai, which features both head height changing due to different stances, and dropping within a stance
As with most things in the martial arts, there is no “one true way” of doing something. Each of these methods has its place, and its own pros and cons. There are general principles which can be used to help understand them, and determine how best to implement them, but the best way to learn martial arts is through practice. Simply knowing that these different approaches to managing head height exist will not enable one to benefit from them, but knowing that they exist is a good start. By looking at the kata you practice, and experimenting with the stances and transitions in order to explore these varying approaches, you will likely find that consistently using just one of them may not seem as fitting as it once did. In application, each of these methods can be used effectively, given the right situation and technique, and it is only through thorough practice and experimentation that you will find those which work best for you.