Taekwondo stances, called seogi in Korean, are the positions of the feet and legs that every block, punch and kick starts from. A good stance gives you balance, lets you move in any direction and puts the weight of the body behind each technique. Beginners learn the walking stance (ap seogi) and front stance (ap gubi) first, then the back stance (dwit gubi), horse riding stance (juchum seogi) and tiger stance (beom seogi). In sparring, fighters use a side-on fighting stance. World Taekwondo (Kukkiwon) and ITF schools use different names for many stances, so this guide gives both.
| Korean word | Seogi (서기), meaning “stance” (sogi in ITF spelling) |
|---|---|
| First stances taught | Walking stance (ap seogi) and front stance (ap gubi) |
| What stances do | Keep you balanced, set up movement and add power to techniques |
| Main forms stances | Front, back, horse riding, tiger, cross and crane stances |
| Sparring stance | Side-on fighting stance (kyorugi junbi) |
| First form that uses them | Taegeuk Il Jang: walking and front stances |
Basics
What stances do in taekwondo
Every technique in taekwondo is only as strong as the stance under it. A stance has three jobs:
- Balance: it keeps your center of gravity over your base, so a kick or a block does not pull you off your feet.
- Power: the legs and hips drive punches and blocks. A strike thrown from a weak stance is mostly arm.
- Movement: each stance sets you up to step, turn or kick next. Forms are built from moving between stances.
Most stance names describe the shape. Ap means front, dwit means back, gubi means bending (the front knee bends), and seogi means stance. So ap gubi is the front bending stance and dwit gubi is the back bending stance. More words are in the guide to taekwondo terminology.
The stances
The basic taekwondo stances
Moa seogi
Closed stance
Feet together, legs straight. Used for attention, bowing and the start of some forms.
Naranhi seogi
Parallel stance
Feet about shoulder width apart, toes forward. The usual stance for the basic ready posture.
Ap seogi
Walking stance
A short, natural step with both legs straight and the weight even. Used for close-range blocks and punches.
Ap gubi
Front stance
A long, low stance with the front knee bent and the back leg straight. The main attacking stance in forms.
Dwit gubi
Back stance
Feet in an L shape, most of the weight on the bent back leg. A defensive stance, often used with knife-hand blocks.
Juchum seogi
Horse riding stance
Feet wide and parallel, knees bent as if sitting on a horse. Builds leg strength and is used for side punches and strikes.
Beom seogi
Tiger stance
A short stance with almost all the weight on the back leg and only the ball of the front foot touching.
Kkoa seogi
Cross stance
One foot crossed in front of or behind the other. A transition stance for stepping and turning in forms.
Hakdari seogi
Crane stance
Standing on one leg with the other foot drawn up beside the standing knee. Tests balance in black belt forms.
Front stance
How to do a front stance (ap gubi)
The front stance is the long attacking stance used for punches and blocks in almost every form. It is often confused with the shorter walking stance, so the two are compared below.
- Length: step forward about one and a half of your normal walking steps.
- Width: keep the feet about one fist apart side to side, not on a single line, so you stay stable.
- Front leg: bend the front knee until it sits over the toes, so you cannot see your toes past the knee.
- Back leg: lock the back leg straight and turn the back foot out no more than about 30 degrees.
- Weight and hips: most of the weight goes on the front leg, with the hips and shoulders facing forward.
| Walking stance (ap seogi) | Front stance (ap gubi) | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | One natural walking step | About one and a half steps |
| Knees | Both legs straight | Front knee bent, back leg straight |
| Weight | Even on both feet | Mostly on the front leg |
| Height | Upright | Low |
| Used for | Short steps, close-range techniques | Long-range punches and blocks |
Common mistakes
A stance that is too short, a back knee that bends, a back heel that lifts off the floor and feet on one line like a tightrope. Each one shows up at a belt test and makes you easy to push over.
Back stance
How to do a back stance (dwit gubi)
The back stance moves the body away from an attack while keeping the front leg free to block or kick. It first appears in Taegeuk Sam Jang.
- Feet: point the front foot forward and turn the back foot out to 90 degrees, so the feet make an L.
- Line: keep both heels on the same line.
- Knees: bend both knees, the back knee more deeply than the front.
- Weight: put about 70 percent of the weight on the back leg.
- Body: turn the chest to the side, toward the back foot, with the back straight.
ITF schools teach a very similar stance called the L-stance (niunja sogi), also with most of the weight on the back leg.
Horse riding stance
How to do a horse riding stance (juchum seogi)
- Feet: stand with the feet about two of your own foot lengths apart, wider than the shoulders, with the toes pointing forward and the feet parallel.
- Knees: bend the knees until the shins are close to vertical and the knees sit over the toes.
- Hips: lower the hips straight down and keep the back upright, as if sitting on a horse.
- Weight: spread the weight evenly over both feet.
Holding the horse stance builds the legs for every other stance. ITF schools call it the sitting stance (annun sogi).
Tiger stance
How to do a tiger stance (beom seogi)
The tiger stance, also called the cat stance, keeps almost all the weight on the back leg so the front foot can kick or step at once. It appears in Taegeuk Chil Jang.
- Bend the back knee and sink the weight onto the back leg.
- Place the front foot about one foot-length ahead, touching the floor lightly with the ball of the foot.
- Keep the front knee bent and turned slightly in to protect the groin.
- Keep the back straight and the hips level.
Sparring
The taekwondo fighting stance
The fighting stance is the stance used in sparring. Kukkiwon calls it a ready posture (kyorugi junbi) rather than a stance, because fighters move in and out of it all the time. It looks different from forms stances: higher, lighter and turned to the side.
- Feet: stand side-on with the feet about one and a half shoulder widths apart, roughly on the same line.
- Knees: keep the knees soft and stay on the balls of the feet, ready to bounce, step or kick.
- Weight: keep the weight even or slightly on the back leg, so the front leg can kick or block fast.
- Hands: hold the guard up in front of the body with the elbows close to protect the trunk.
- Head: keep the chin down and the eyes on your opponent’s chest, not the feet.
Sparring coaches talk about closed and open stances. In a closed stance both fighters have the same foot forward, so their chests face the same way. In an open stance they have opposite feet forward and their chests face each other. The stance changes which kicks reach the target, so fighters switch between them.
More on this in tips on sparring in taekwondo and the taekwondo footwork drills.
Compare
Kukkiwon (WT) vs. ITF stance names
The same stance often has a different name in ITF schools, and a few names mean different things. The biggest trap is “walking stance”: in Kukkiwon taekwondo it is the short ap seogi, but the ITF walking stance (gunnun sogi) is a long stance closer to the Kukkiwon front stance.
| Stance | Kukkiwon (WT) | ITF |
|---|---|---|
| Closed stance | Moa seogi | Moa sogi |
| Parallel stance | Naranhi seogi | Narani sogi |
| Long front stance | Ap gubi (front stance) | Gunnun sogi (walking stance) |
| Back stance | Dwit gubi | Niunja sogi (L-stance) |
| Horse riding stance | Juchum seogi | Annun sogi (sitting stance) |
| Tiger stance | Beom seogi | Dwitbal sogi (rear foot stance) |
| Cross stance | Kkoa seogi | Kyocha sogi (X-stance) |
| Fixed stance | — | Gojung sogi |
| Low stance | — | Nachuo sogi |
ATA and independent schools often use their own English names or a mix of both systems. At a belt test, use the names your instructor teaches. For how the organizations differ beyond terminology, see taekwondo styles and the ITF belt order.
Forms
Which forms use which stances
In Kukkiwon taekwondo, new stances are added as you move up the color-belt forms.
| Form | Stances introduced |
|---|---|
| Taegeuk Il Jang | Walking stance (ap seogi), front stance (ap gubi) |
| Taegeuk Sam Jang | Back stance (dwit gubi) |
| Taegeuk Oh Jang | Cross stance (kkoa seogi), left and right stances |
| Taegeuk Chil Jang | Tiger stance (beom seogi), horse riding stance (juchum seogi) |
| Keumgang | Crane stance (hakdari seogi) |
For how forms are scored and practiced, see the principles of poomsae training.
Practice
How to practice taekwondo stances
- Use a mirror: check stance length, knee position and foot angles from the front and the side.
- Drill transitions: step from walking stance to front stance to back stance and back again, keeping the head at the same height.
- Hold for strength: hold a horse riding stance or front stance for short sets, then rest, and build the time slowly.
- Add techniques: once the stance is stable, add the block or punch that goes with it. See taekwondo blocks and taekwondo punches.
- Work on balance: one-leg drills help the crane stance and every kick. See how to improve balance in taekwondo.
- Train at home: a few minutes a day on stances adds up. See how to practice taekwondo at home.
Note
This is general information, not medical advice. In bent-knee stances, keep the knee pointing the same way as the toes and never let it cave inward. If a knee or hip hurts in a stance, stop and ask your instructor or a doctor.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic stances in taekwondo?
The walking stance (ap seogi), front stance (ap gubi), back stance (dwit gubi), horse riding stance (juchum seogi) and tiger stance (beom seogi), plus the closed and parallel stances used for attention and ready positions.
What is the taekwondo fighting stance?
A side-on stance with the feet about one and a half shoulder widths apart, knees soft, weight on the balls of the feet and hands up in a guard. Kukkiwon calls it kyorugi junbi, the sparring ready posture.
What is the difference between a walking stance and a front stance?
In Kukkiwon taekwondo the walking stance (ap seogi) is one natural step with both legs straight and even weight. The front stance (ap gubi) is about one and a half steps long, with the front knee bent and most of the weight on the front leg.
What does seogi mean?
Seogi means “stance” in Korean. ITF schools spell it sogi. Stance names add a word for the shape, such as ap (front), dwit (back) or juchum (riding).
Why are stances important in taekwondo?
Stances keep you balanced, put the power of the legs and hips behind every technique and set you up to move. A weak stance makes blocks, punches and kicks weak too.
Are stances the same in WT and ITF taekwondo?
Many are similar, but the names differ and some do not match. The ITF walking stance (gunnun sogi) is a long stance close to the Kukkiwon front stance, and ITF teaches stances such as the fixed stance (gojung sogi) that Kukkiwon does not.
The short version
Taekwondo stances (seogi) are the base for every technique. Learn the walking and front stances first, then the back, horse riding and tiger stances, and use the side-on fighting stance for sparring. Practice them in a mirror and in your forms, and use the names your organization teaches.