Gedan-no-kamae , frequently shortened simply to gedan, occasionally shortened to gedan-gamae, is one of the five stances in kendo: jōdan, chūdan, gedan, hassō, and waki. Gedan-no-kamae means "lower-level posture." This position is adopted when the sword is held out in front of the body pointing at the waist in kendo, or at the knee or sometimes the ankle in kenjutsu.