Many martial arts postures look awkward or “unnatural” at first glance.
But in reality, they are often Plan B positions — movements that emerge when Plan A fails and you must instantly adapt.
Take the Japanese sword’s jōdan (high guard) as an example:
From this stance, it’s nearly impossible to predict whether the strike will land on your head, hand, or leg. Suppose you assume it’s a head strike and raise your blade to block — only to realize the opponent is cutting downward toward your leg. In that moment, you can’t reset. Instead, you bend your body and let the sword drop straight down to intercept the attack.
The resulting posture might look strange in a still photo, but in context, it’s the most efficient path to survival.
That’s why many martial arts shapes are not designed to “look good,” but to capture the logic of real-time adaptation. What seems awkward in static form is often the residue of intelligent, split-second decisions in motion.
