How wide should my stance be?

[Telko]

So basically i've been going to kendo practice and I think at least 2 people so far have told me to widen my stance, but when I do it feels super awkward so I was wondering if there is any sort of measurement of how far away your feet should be, thanks!

[jjcruiser]

Since it sounds like you a beginner, just try to do what is suggested to you -- they can see it and we can't.

I will say that the most common instruction I've been given is one fist apart between left and right side-to-side and two fists apart between left and right forward-and-back.

That said, when I watch senior people few of them have the exact same stance, and I think it might depend a little bit on your body type. But others with more experience can answer that more authoritatively.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Walk normally and stop with your right foot in front. That's a good starting point, width-wise, although you will likely have to tighten it up some length-wise. But really you should be listening to your instructors.

[b8amack]

So basically i've been going to kendo practice and I think at least 2 people so far have told me to widen my stance, but when I do it feels super awkward so I was wondering if there is any sort of measurement of how far away your feet should be, thanks!

If you're new, then you shouldn't expect it not to feel awkward. It's not a "normal" way of moving, or standing, because you've never done it before. It will feel more normal the longer you stick with kendo. Beyond that, what everyone else is saying. Listen to your instructors.

[MikeW]

The way we usually tell our beginning students to find their stance is to stand with both feet together, rotate (from the heel) the left foot 90 degrees to the left, then rotate the same foot 90 degrees (from the front of the foot) so that both feet face forward. So basically the width of the stance is almost a person's foot wide and the toes of the left foot are about equal with the heel of the right foot (its easy to show but is hard to write out clearly so I hope everyone understands what I meant). As others say this is just an approximation for beginners and typically people will adjust this slightly to better suit their physique but is easy to do and give the beginners a way to approximate a correct stance.

[Shunsoku]

I'm more curious as to WHY you were told to widen your stance? Great advice from all who posted, especially regarding your stance fitting your body type...
take care!

[JSchmidt]

I'm more curious as to WHY you were told to widen your stance? Great advice from all who posted, especially regarding your stance fitting your body type...
take care!

Uhmm, I'd venture a wild guess and say that it's because it was too narrow?

[Cailin Coilleac]

We're taught the same trick that MikeW posted.

@ Shunsoku:
It might not be about his stance in kamae, but his footwork in general. For me personally, my kamae is fine but whenever I start moving things go to bits. My feet move closer and closer, until they're either against eachother again, or even in line. This leads to a lot of instability, especially when doing a 180 after striking.

[Thunder]

Everyone has a different body mass and center of gravity.....after years of practice and concentrating on good practice, you will learn your specific needs for your stance.

[Shunsoku]

We're taught the same trick that MikeW posted.

@ Shunsoku:
It might not be about his stance in kamae, but his footwork in general. For me personally, my kamae is fine but whenever I start moving things go to bits. My feet move closer and closer, until they're either against eachother again, or even in line. This leads to a lot of instability, especially when doing a 180 after striking.

Aloha!

LOL... I have my share of tangled feet, and have seen other kenshi tangle up during movement...but when Telko said, "stance", I assumed kamae.
Take care!