Seisukohta

Seisukohta is a Finnish term that denotes both a physical and metaphorical position: the place where someone stands or the stance they adopt in a situation. The word combines seiso, “to stand,” with kohta, “point” or “location.” In everyday use it can refer to a person’s viewpoint or argument on a topic, as well as to how a person positions their body when standing or performing tasks that require balance.

In rhetoric and debate, seisukohta means a clearly stated position on an issue, often accompanied by reasoning. In biomechanics, sports, and movement sciences, it refers to the arrangement of the body’s segments relative to one another—foot placement, hip alignment, and shoulder posture that affect balance, support, and performance. The term therefore spans both intellectual and physical dimensions, and its precise sense is determined by context.

Examples: “Hänen seisukohdastaan on selkeä ja johdonmukainen.” “Hyvä seisukohdan hallinta on tärkeä osa kestävää harjoittelua.” English equivalents include stance, position, or viewpoint, with nuance depending on whether one speaks of opinion, posture, or technique. See also related concepts such as asento, näkökulma, and kanta.