Shikodachi

Shikodachi is a stance seen in sumo wrestling, and appears in many of the Gojuryu kata.  It is used for pulling opponents down or off balance, as seen in saifa and seiunchin. It's also ideal for getting beneath an opponent's guard to deliver strikes, whilst minimizing body exposure. Shikodachi is one of the lowest stances and it requires a lot of practice and endurance to develop a strong and stable stance.

Key points to observe for shikodachi are:

• The feet should be at the same angle to each other as in musubidachi - around 90 degrees; any wider and the stance will not be stable
• Weight should be evenly distributed between the legs
• Knees should be bent almost to a right angle (leave a very slight slope down from the thigh to the knee) with the knees turned outwards and the inner thighs rotated upwards
• Looked at side on, the top of the head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet should be vertically aligned with one another

Here is a helpful diagram for the feet positions, center of gravity, etc (it is available with further detailed explanations at this website);