Fudō-Dachi - Soto Kamae

Yes, it’s me again — with another Fudō-dachi and another “shape.” 😅

I get a few people who like to point out that it’s just a shape and they’re right. It is a shape, and I love it. That’s one of the beauties of karate and martial arts, in my opinion: the vast number of techniques, stances, postures, and “shapes.”

But this is much more than a “shape.”

It’s a kamae — a posture of body, mind, and intent, a moment of readiness where stillness and action meet.

Fudō-dachi, with an open kamae, isn’t just about standing still. It’s about feeling grounded, stable, and connected to the floor, yet alive and ready to move.

Power draws up from the ground through the body, while the upper body remains calm, with tension only where it’s needed. The focus is sharp, yet never over-tense — open, inviting, but prepared to respond.

I often train from this kamae, exploring different ways to block, move, and counter. Learning from the structure. Turning the shape into karate.

Fudō-dachi isn’t just a stance — it’s a state of being. Still, but ready.

There’s always a deeper lesson behind these “shapes.” 🥋

Seishin Shotokan Karate Club