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Shotokan Technique · Stance

不動立ちFudō-dachi — Rooted / immovable stance

Fudō-dachi (不動立ち, “immovable / rooted stance”; also sōchin-dachi) is a strong, wide, low stance — roughly a front stance widened toward a horse stance, with both knees bent and driven outward and the weight even. It is the defining stance of the kata Sōchin.
TypeStance (dachi)
Also calledSōchin-dachi
Weight50 / 50
CharacterRooted, immovable
Signature ofSōchin

See the technique型

Toggle between the phases. These are simplified schematics of the shape of the technique — pair them with the step-by-step below and your instructor.

A diagram shows the shape, not the speed or feel. For full-motion form, watch the reference video below and train it live.

How to perform it

  1. Take a stance about as long as a front stance but wider, feet roughly shoulder-and-a-half apart.
  2. Bend both knees deeply and press them outward over the feet, sinking the hips.
  3. Distribute the weight evenly (about 50/50) between the legs — unlike the forward-biased front stance.
  4. Keep the back upright and the hips square, tailbone tucked, rooted into the floor.
  5. Grip the floor with the feet; the outward knee tension is what makes the stance immovable.

Key points

  • Weight even (50/50), both knees driven outward.
  • Longer than a horse stance, wider than a front stance.
  • Rooted and low — power comes from the ground.

Common mistakes

Knees caving inward instead of pressed out.
Weight drifting onto one leg (drifting toward a front stance).
Standing too high, losing the rooting.
Leaning the torso instead of sinking with bent knees.

Where you’ll see it

Fudō-dachi appears across the Shotokan kata syllabus, including:

SōchinJionBassai Dai

Application (bunkai)分解

A stable, immovable base for delivering and absorbing heavy power in any direction — Sōchin is built on it, holding “strength and calm” by staying rooted while striking.

Note: applications are interpretive and one shape carries several valid uses — explore them with a qualified instructor.

Watch a reference performance演武

To see Fudō-dachi performed at full speed, watch instructor demonstrations:

▶ Watch “Fudō-dachi” on YouTube

Related techniques

Zenkutsu-dachi前屈立ちKiba-dachi騎馬立ちSanchin-dachi三戦立ち

Fudō-dachi — frequently asked questions

Is fudō-dachi the same as sōchin-dachi?
Yes — in Shotokan the terms are used interchangeably for the same rooted, immovable stance. It is named sōchin-dachi after the kata Sōchin, where it dominates.
How is fudō-dachi different from front stance?
Front stance (zenkutsu-dachi) is forward-weighted (~60/40) and narrower; fudō-dachi is wider with the weight even (50/50) and both knees driven outward, so it is stable in all directions rather than just forward.
Which kata use fudō-dachi?
It is the signature stance of Sōchin. It also appears in kata such as Jion and Bassai Dai and in the transitions of several advanced forms.
Why is it called the immovable stance?
The wide, low base with the knees pressed outward and the feet gripping roots you firmly — hard to push or pull off balance in any direction.