Stance Depth

It is my theory that stances as originally taught, i.e. circa early 1900's, were meant to be deeper for only this reasoning - they were meant to teach proper positioning, body alignments and structure along with strengthening the legs. It was never meant to be the actually fighting kamae one assumed as dependent on the attack and defense techniques. 

It can be observed in some historical footage of the Okinawan masters who used the deeper stances in training and practice to assume a more natural stance in a combative scenario. It may be, my theory remember, that the short duration of training the western military gained in Okinawa resulted in the belief that the stances as they were originally taught were the correct end-result in training stances. 

This same model also, I believe, led to the position and posture of assuming said stance before applying a technique - a stationary and momentarily held stance if this describes it adequately. The term "kamae" is meant to convey to the practitioner the impermanence or fleeting stance, i.e. where a stance if it is obtainable in a fight is only held for a micro-moment in the application of power regardless of the technique used. 

Stance depth like many aspects of the training and practice of martial principles is not necessarily the end-result one might assume or perceive in martial training of the west but rather a fundamental foundation which the practitioner uses to reach higher for the actual end-result - human natural position or stance.

I feel that Tatsuo-san used the more natural body movements, i.e. stances, etc., so that his disciples could get to the essence of the fighting system. I also feel he may have felt it more appropriate for the western military students since most if not all are in great physical conditioning already leaving the need out of deeper stances to build strength, etc.

Note: it is also very difficult to maintain unnatural body positions in the heat of an emotionally charged fight if for no other reason than the affects of the chemical flow of the body due to the stress, anger and fear induced adrenaline, etc.

Read also "Deep Stances"

Read also "Stance Effectiveness"

Read also "Stance Usage or Important Fundamental"

Read also "Shizen dachi"

Read also "Deep Stances, what is their true purpose?"

Read also "Why do some systems have lower stances?"