Shiko Dachi is a challenge for many students, as it forces them to work hard to strengthen their leg muscles. When Hanshi Ron Martin first came out of retirement and taught a seminar at House of the Samurai in 2008, he introduced these games as a way to encourage students to improve their stance (as well as their leg strength).
Suggested Minimum Rank –
- Jukyu (Purple Belt) & Above
Prerequisite Knowledge – Students must already know…
- Stances
- Shiko Dachi
Hand Clap Game
- Set-Up
- Two students stand facing each other in Shiko Dachi. They should be squared up, and close enough that they can reach each other with a front punch. Hands should be up in front of them at chest height, palms facing out and elbows bent. They should not be touching each other yet.
- Play
- Players have two options: slap their hands into the opponent’s hands OR pull their hands away. At no time should they contact any other part of their opponent’s body.
- The object of the game is to force the opponent to break stance. The person who breaks stance loses the round.
- A player breaks stance when…
- They have to move their feet to maintain balance.
- They rise/sink to a point when they are no longer in Shiko Dachi.
- They fall down.
Tug o’ War
- Set-Up
- Two students stand facing each other in Shiko Dachi. They should be squared up, and far enough apart that they cannot reach each other with a front punch.
- Each player grips the end of a karate belt (which can belong to one of the players).
- Play
- Players have two options: tug on the belt OR give slack. At no time should they contact any part of their opponent’s body.
- The object of the game is to force the opponent to break stance. The person who breaks stance loses the round.
- A player breaks stance when…
- They have to move their feet to maintain balance.
- They rise/sink to a point when they are no longer in Shiko Dachi.
- They fall down.
Things to Remember
- Our purpose is to have students work on Shiko Dachi. It is very easy for the students to rise out of stance without realizing it. For that reason, it is helpful to have an instructor act as a referee for when students break stance. (You can supervise a room full of students who are paired up doing these games – there’s no need to have them go one pair at a time, unless you have a specific reason for that.)