I am studying Shorin ryu Shidokan Karate I love the art but the one thing that get to me is that a lot of their kick are from a back stances. I do ITF Taekwondo and I do my kicks from a upright stance but some of the black belt there are telling me to only do the kicks in a backstance. The Sensei there is really good and he don't say anything about it. I just want to see what people think about it kicking from a backstance.

I wouldn't do it.

I could see a usage for kicking in back stance if you had someone's arm and was pulling them into you, since one of the purposes of back stance is controlling someone even if they are larger and stronger than you. You could use a sidekick to brace yourself, and push the leg inward against their ribs while pulling their arm outward in an attempt to dislocate their arm.

Messy application? Yes. Will it work? Probably not, but it IS painful to have that done to you.

But hey, I'm just trying to see where the people at your dojo is coming from.

Abluemoon

Might be just something that they do in that specific dojo, or it might be something that they have you doing at the level in which your training at the art in their dojo.

I personally don't much care for the backstance--assumeing we are talking about the same "backstance" here.

But that may be because my backstance isn't very good.

IMO, if its not causeing you any pain or injury--and the head teacher seems ok with it--then do it as requested.

You might find you hate it or you might find it works well for you, but there is little point in learning a "new" system if your not actually going to try things in a "new" fashion.

His dojo, his rules.

Unless of course your being asked to do stuff that is harmful or injurious--in which case--your body, your rules.

Old style TKD use to spar from a back/T stance and deliever all their kicks from that stance. You could see how it could be used. You are already crouched to jump or spin from this stance and front leg kicks are quick most of your weights on the back leg. Things have changed the upright stance maybe better?? Seems more availble for sweeps and throws, but thats another topic.

Kicking from a back stance works, but seems old fashsion now
it used to be the way it was done, in some dojangs.

I do everything their way. I like there blocking stlye a lot better then TKD. The only kick I don't like doing in a backstance is the back leg snapkick cuz it's the 90 degree stance.

it is not that difficult providing you have the flexibility (hip) for it. At times, I would fight in a deep back stance when fighting someone I felt didn't have the power to move me or penetrate a deep, solid defensive posture. This would bring them in closer to me and then I would kick to the head from that deep stance. It would catch them off guard everytime.

This was all done if free sparring. It (kicking to the head from a deep stance) had no practical application in a real scenario. It was fun to see their eyes get real big when you shoot a kick from being almost on the ground to their face.



The biggest benefit for me was that it pulled people in because they thought they only had to worry about my hand techniques when I was that low or that deep in my stance. Once they closed the distance, I went from there. I had no lateral mobility from that stance but usually didnt need it as they would come to me and then try to use power to penetrate the stance.

There are a few good options from back stance. In particular front snap kick or a low level savate type kick.

I study Shorin-ryu also. If back stance is neko dachi, it is a legitimate technique. Speaking generally, you should be able to kick from any stances or most stances. If I am in a natural stance, I kick from that stance. if I am in cat stance, I kick from that stance. Changing from cat/back stance or any other stance to an upright stance adds time to the delivery of the technique.
Trust the instruction you are getting; with time it will make more sense to you.

I have a love for the backstance, and have kicked from it many times, but I cheat at it pending on the kick. In doing any kick off the front foot is rather easy. Now off the back foot to do a kick, I just simply shift my weight forward. Thus my backstance turns into a upright stance for just a split second so my back foot is free.
Good luck.