After learning how to stand in the three fundamental stances (ba dachi, tora dachi and hebi dachi) you should then practise walking forwards and backwards in them. As a preliminary you need to learn the special defensive hand position that is utilised within Shinseido Shorin Ryu.

Hand wedge - Kusabi-ti

Pronounced 'Koo-sah-bee-tea'. This term relates to the hand and arm positioning only. The position that the feet have adopted is immaterial. Simply raise the open hands to a wedge position in front of the chest. The left hand should be in front of the right, which should be positioned with the fingertips near the left inner forearm. Don't permit the elbows to rise up, rather keep them close to the body in a defensive attitude. The hands should form a straight line with the forearm. This hand and arm positioning is called 'wanto' which means 'arm sword'.

If the right foot is advanced forwards when the command is given, then the right hand should be positioned in front of the left and vice versa.

Having learned the Shinseido defensive hand position, now incorporate it with a half length tiger stance (tora dachi) to make the orthodox posture (following).

Orthodox posture - Seito gamae

Pronounced 'Sey-toh-gam-aye'. This term is more often shortened to 'Kamae' (Kam-aye). Step back smartly with the right foot into a half length tiger stance (tora dachi) - and raise the hands into the kusabi ti position. Ensure the hips are squared to the front. This position is always adopted as a prelude to walking practise.

Practising on the spot - Tachi-ba

Pronounced 'Tah-chee-bah' I have included tachiba in this section in order to put the walking forms into their proper context. Any practise that maintains the feet on the starting position is called tachiba. For example, any practise that utilises a static standing position such as yoi dachi or musubi dachi, or any practise in which one foot steps forwards or backwards into a stance such as tora dachi, hebi dachi or ba dachi just once, then returns to the starting position after a number of repetitions of a hand or foot technique have been made. Thus the feet always remain in their relative starting positions for the duration of an exercise.

Stepping - walking, one foot past the other - Ayumi

Pronounced 'Aye-oo-mee'. The action of stepping first one foot and then the other foot in a forwards or backwards direction. Successive right and left steps forwards or backwards. A step can be defined as the action of propelling one foot past the other from one rooted standing position and into a new rooted standing position. The step from yoi dachi forwards or back into a stance is also called ayumi.

Advancing forwards - Shinko

Pronounced 'Shin-koh'. Stepping or scooting forwards. Any forwards advancing movement.

Retreating backwards - Kotai

Pronounced 'Koh-tie'. Stepping or scooting backwards. Any backwards retreating movement.