(Bladed Position)
What people mean by “Soft Ready” posture
In self-defense / officer-safety contexts, “soft ready” usually means a non-threatening, relaxed-looking stance that is secretly “ready”—hands visible and usable, balance and angles managed, and your body positioned to de-escalate, create decision-time, and respond fast if attacked.
You’ll also see the same idea taught under names like:
• Interview stance / field interview stance (law enforcement)
• Ready stance / open-hand ready stance (officer safety / DT)
• “The Fence” (Geoff Thompson / many civilian combatives lines)
So:
Soft Ready = “I look calm, but my structure is primed.”
Core structure (the “Soft Ready” checklist)
1) Feet, knees, and balance (mobility without looking “fight-y”)
Common, well-sourced elements across interview/ready stances:
• Feet about shoulder width; knees slightly bent (not locked)
• Weight evenly distributed to allow rapid movement
• Blade the body (often ~45°) with your “reaction side” forward and your “weapon/dominant side” slightly back (or just generally angle off)
Law-enforcement DT texts describe this as a natural, sustainable platform that preserves mobility and stability.
2) Hands: visible, open, and already “in play”
The “soft” part is mostly hands + facial affect:
• Hands in front of the body and not hidden (not in pockets / not tucked into a vest)
• Open hands (not clenched fists) to keep options (parry/grab) and reduce how aggressive you look
• Palms may be open/palms-out depending on context; some DT guidance explicitly calls for open hands/palms oriented toward the subject while maintaining a barrier and sightline to hands/waistband.
3) Head/eyes: calm face, aware eyes
• Chin slightly tucked is commonly taught for protection
• Maintain direct engagement while using peripheral vision for environment awareness
What “Soft Ready” is designed to do (functions)
A) Buy “decision time” without escalating
Interview-stance guidance explicitly frames distance/angle as creating “decision-making distance” and time to observe/react.
B) Keep your tools available while looking non-aggressive
• Open-hand, hands-up positioning is taught as preparedness that reads as defensive, not offensive—useful with witnesses/cameras and for de-escalation optics.
C) Manage distance and lines of attack
A “ready stance” article describes hands acting as a barrier and improving distance control, while still allowing quick block/entry if attacked.
D) Enable fast transition: talk → move → protect
Police training discussions emphasize one platform that transitions smoothly between interviewing and defensive action (hands rise, guard forms, feet already stable).
Relationship to Geoff Thompson’s “Fence” (common civilian framing)
Many civilian combatives sources describe The Fence (bladed stance) as an open-hand, non-violent posture used while talking, subtly controlling space and pre-empting surprise attacks.
Think of it as Soft Ready with a specific “boundary-setting” emphasis: your hands and positioning “own” the space between you and the other person while you de-escalate.
Note:
when confronted look surreptitiously, quick glance, at the feet to judge according to their approximate height that they are at least that far away (their height from feet to you) and use your movement and boundary setting to maintain that distance.
Variants you’ll see (same principle, different audience)
1. Officer interview stance: hands above beltline, reaction leg forward, weapon side back, 45° angle, two-arm-lengths+ distance.
2. Ready stance (DT): hands higher (mid-chest), body more bladed; explicitly warns against clenched fists; emphasizes “alert, assertive” without provoking.
3. Concealed-carry “soft ready”: sometimes described as open hands hovering near the waistline for quicker access (context-dependent and controversial for public optics).
Common errors (and why they break the posture)
• Hands hidden (pockets/behind back/vest) → slows reaction time and removes “honest signal”
• Locked knees / squared up too close → less mobility, more vulnerable to sudden shove/strike
• Clenched fists too early → looks aggressive and reduces parry/grab options
• Standing directly in front → worse angle control; reduces time if someone launches forward
Traceability map (claim → source)
• “Hands visible above beltline; don’t hide them; reaction time suffers if hidden.” → ASP field interview stance
• “Feet shoulder width; knees slightly bent; blade body; weight evenly distributed.” → Corrections1 interview stance + ASP
• “Open hands (not fists) preserve options and look more defensive.” → PoliceMag + DAAT ready stance note
• “Ready stance: bladed, relaxed-looking posture; open hands/palms; hands act as barrier; distance control.” → NTOA ready stance
• “Open/ready/defensive stance progression with hands rising from waist to chest and higher.” → DAAT student text
• “Fence posture: talk while hands subtly manage space; credited to Geoff Thompson in many modern discussions.” → CRG/Thompson article + CCW Safe + NRA Women
Fact check (of what I claimed above)
High confidence (directly stated in sources)
• Interview stance fundamentals (hands above beltline, knees slightly bent, bladed stance, weight distributed, distance/angle guidance).
• “Don’t clench fists” rationale (options/energy/appearance).
• Ready/open stance progression and purposes in a formal DT text.
• “Ready stance” details: bladed + relaxed appearance; open hands/palms; barrier/distance benefits.
Medium confidence (concept is solid; the label varies)
• That “Soft Ready” is essentially the umbrella label for interview stance / ready stance / fence concepts. The mechanics are strongly supported, but different communities use different names, and “soft ready” is not a single standardized term across all systems. (Supported by overlap across DT/interview/fence descriptions.)
Lower confidence / context-dependent
• Concealed-carry “soft ready” hands hovering at the waistline: it’s documented as a class finding in one article, but it’s not a universal best practice and has big legal/optics considerations depending on jurisdiction and circumstances.
Visual illustration — what people mean by the “Soft Ready” posture
How to read the illustration
Think of Soft Ready as a calm conversation stance with hidden structure. The visuals above typically show the same underlying elements, even when labeled differently.
1) Lower body: stable but mobile
• Feet about shoulder-width
• Knees softly bent, not locked
• Body angled (≈30–45°) rather than square-on
• Weight balanced so you can step, pivot, or retreat instantly
Visually: it looks casual—like someone standing comfortably—yet grounded.
2) Hands: open, visible, already useful
• Hands up and in front of the torso (between waist and chest)
• Open palms or relaxed fingers, not clenched fists
• Elbows slightly bent, forming a soft barrier
Visually: it reads as “I’m not a threat” while quietly saying “don’t rush me.”
3) Upper body & head: non-provocative awareness
• Shoulders relaxed, not hunched
• Chin slightly down (protective, not submissive)
• Eyes engaged, using peripheral vision, not a hard stare
• Face neutral or conversational
Visually: calm, present, attentive—not aggressive, not passive.
4) Distance & angle: buying time
• Usually shown at (just beyond) arm’s-length-plus distance
• Body angle denies a straight-line rush
• Hands and stance work together to create reaction time
Visually: you’re “off the tracks,” not standing directly in front.
One-line mental model (what the picture represents)
“I look like I’m talking — but my body is already organized to move.”
Common visual contrasts (what Soft Ready is not)
• ❌ Squared up, fists clenched at chest height (overt fighting stance)
• ❌ Hands in pockets or behind back (false calm, slow reaction)
• ❌ Locked knees, stiff posture (looks tense, moves slow)
