The basic stances are the key to all movements. In a good stance the martial artist is alert and ready to strike / perform any technique. A good starting position is vital to any following technique. If you start badly you are most likely to continue badly.

Things to consider in the basic stances:

• Weight should be equally placed on front and back feet and easily transferable back and forth.
• Stance is very important as the power for every movement ulitmately comes from the feet.
• "Balance, flexibility; good grounds for defensibility!."
• When starting, step forward and when finishing, step back. [When attacking (as in pairs techniques) the attacker must make their intention clear as the defender should step back.]