How you stand or position yourself is extremely important in martial arts training and a conflict situation. There are a great many different ways in which you might stand or sit. Each position has advantages and disadvantages that should be understood so that the best stance or posture can be adopted at the appropriate time.

Let’s take a moment to discuss some vocabulary because it can be confusing at times. Here are some terms you will encounter related to Kamae.

• Kamae refers to posture. It is the term used when no modifier is present. So, if you are talking about posture in general then you would use the word Kamae.
• Gamae refers to posture as well, but it is the form of Kamae that is used when a compound term or specific type of posture is referenced. For example, Gedan Gamae would refer to a mid-level posture or a posture in which the legs are bent significantly.
• Tachi refers to a stance. Like Kamae, it is the form used when no modifier is present. So Tachi would refer to stances in general, rather than to a specific stance.
• Dachi is the form of Tachi that is used when a compound term is utilized. For example, [glossary}Kiba Dachi[/glossary] would refer to a specific type of stance. It is also a form of Gedan Gamae.

Tachi