There are few better ways to get involved in a sport that can teach you valuable aspects of self-defense as well as help you get into great shape than by taking up the martial arts. Even with a pretty large variety of choices of martial arts in Fairfax, Karate should still be well up there in your list of the ones you try out.
With a history that comes from the Okinawa region of Japan, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, the martial art has grown in popularity and has developed into more than just a sport or way of fighting - it is now associated with being more of a way of life. When you first get into the sport in Fairfax, Karate may seem to be quick and easy to learn, but, in truth, it is a discipline that requires dedication and repetition to ensure you get the basics down before you move on to the more complicated Kata. One of the first things you will have to learn when you begin is the stances, which can be broken down, basically, into three heights and directions of facing - one of which is the front-facing position.
High Stances
In the high stances you stand with your knees slightly bent. There are three main subgroups, the first of which, the frontal high stance, has the most types of stances within it. These stances all vary, from the Seisan (where both feet are shoulder width apart and facing forwards, with one foot slightly ahead of the other), to the Musubi-bachi (which is used as the stance in which to perform a traditional and formal bow), and the Hachiji dachi (which is the basic ready-stance that you will learn when you first sign up for lessons in Fairfax). Karate stances in the high form are important as basic elements to learn to perform kata and are a perfect place to start.
Middle height front stances
The middle height front stance is one you will learn early on when you sign up in a dojo in Fairfax. Karate moves that require this general stance can be broken down further into around six stances. These generally require the martial artist to bend their knees more than they would in the high stances, but not to get as low as in the next level down. Some of the stances that you will learn for middle height front stances are the Moto-dachi (the basic ready-stance for kumati) and the Naihanchi-dachi (which keeps the knees bent with a lot of tension in the legs so that you are ready to spring forwards), just to name a couple.
Low height front stances
The third (but not necessarily taught in this order) type of stances for front facing positions are the low height stances. Moves that require the low stances are done so that minimal energy is needed to transfer from one power move to another. These include: Kkutsu-dachi, Skutsu-dachi and Fud-dachi, among others.
With a history that comes from the Okinawa region of Japan, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, the martial art has grown in popularity and has developed into more than just a sport or way of fighting - it is now associated with being more of a way of life. When you first get into the sport in Fairfax, Karate may seem to be quick and easy to learn, but, in truth, it is a discipline that requires dedication and repetition to ensure you get the basics down before you move on to the more complicated Kata. One of the first things you will have to learn when you begin is the stances, which can be broken down, basically, into three heights and directions of facing - one of which is the front-facing position.
High Stances
In the high stances you stand with your knees slightly bent. There are three main subgroups, the first of which, the frontal high stance, has the most types of stances within it. These stances all vary, from the Seisan (where both feet are shoulder width apart and facing forwards, with one foot slightly ahead of the other), to the Musubi-bachi (which is used as the stance in which to perform a traditional and formal bow), and the Hachiji dachi (which is the basic ready-stance that you will learn when you first sign up for lessons in Fairfax). Karate stances in the high form are important as basic elements to learn to perform kata and are a perfect place to start.
Middle height front stances
The middle height front stance is one you will learn early on when you sign up in a dojo in Fairfax. Karate moves that require this general stance can be broken down further into around six stances. These generally require the martial artist to bend their knees more than they would in the high stances, but not to get as low as in the next level down. Some of the stances that you will learn for middle height front stances are the Moto-dachi (the basic ready-stance for kumati) and the Naihanchi-dachi (which keeps the knees bent with a lot of tension in the legs so that you are ready to spring forwards), just to name a couple.
Low height front stances
The third (but not necessarily taught in this order) type of stances for front facing positions are the low height stances. Moves that require the low stances are done so that minimal energy is needed to transfer from one power move to another. These include: Kkutsu-dachi, Skutsu-dachi and Fud-dachi, among others.