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Post by Paul Bedard on Dec 10, 2010 3:34:34 GMT
Recently as i was training with master Yutaka Yaguchi, he corrected us & used me as an example on how to improve our forward stance ( zenkutsu dachi ). I was not alone in being a bit to comfortable in stance & obviously not quite correct. I1m sure that my weight distribution was more 50-50 rather than 60-40. Sure I had my knee over big toe, but I was leading to much with my hips, so that my chest would be back a bit & therefore my head also back a bit more. Master Yaguchi had me press more weight onto the front leg & adjust my body so that jodan, chudan & gedan were plumb or in line with each other. It did not take long on focusing on this point, that I began driving forward faster & more powerful. As he was pointing out what I had been doing required 2 moves, first move to get my hips & body over the front foot, the secondly to move. Here I thought I was doing o.k. & I just improved in a manner of minutes with his coaching. Master Yaguchi has a saying `Not easy way`, which I guess I was guilty of. So here is what I`m asking of you. Are doing `easy way`. Check yourself out, make sure that you truly have 60% of your weight over the front leg, have the front knee over the big toe & have your body inline, or plumb if you will, so that jodan ( your face ), chudan ( your solar plexus ) & gedan ( your groin )are moving together. Of course remember to grab the floor with the front foot, which is pulling until the hip passes over it then it is pushing the technique. Correct posture will make moving in zenkutsu dachi so much easier. Osu Paul B
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Post by shinzan on Dec 10, 2010 23:07:52 GMT
Interesting Paul. When I move forward in zenkutsu dachi attempting to traverse a level plain; my hips start in hanmi; at the halfway point they are in shomen; until they reach hanmi again with the opposite leg forward. Is it correct practise for my shoulders to remain at the same angle as my hips throughout the movement? I hope I've used the correct terms
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Post by Paul Bedard on Dec 11, 2010 0:35:51 GMT
David, I don`t want to confuse you, but the answer is yes to the shoulders following the hips, but yes & no on the starting in hamni & finishing in hamni. This would depend on what it is that you are doing. for example if you are doing oi-zuke forward lunge punch, you are finishing in shomen, so you stay square all the way through, finishing the technique with vibration. For example the three punches near the end of heian shodan. Now if we were doing the three age uke near the begining of heian shodan this would be how you described it. Then there is going forward with gyaku zuke.. Here you are in shomen at the end of the technique, so you want to be at hamni at the half way point, utilizing hip rotation. A good exercise for this is when you are standing with your feet at shoulder width in yoi. Bend both knees & drop your weight at the same time open your hip to the right, keep the feet straight. Your weight should now be primarily over the right leg, right hip over right foot. Now push the right foot ( drive it to the floor ) & extend the left leg into zenkutsu, as the leg reaches out keep driving the right leg rotating your hips to shomen & punching gyaku zuki at the same time. When you have this feeling well, you can progress to doing the same with tsugi ashi shifting. This is when you are in stance, & bring in the rear foot halfway the drive out the front foot. Hamni halfway, then finish shomen. You can do the same thing going backwards, as you pull the front leg halfway, then slide the rear foot back to stance. Shomen, hamni , shomen. Add kazami zuke to the hamni & pull that arm back hard when closing the hip to shomen with same time gyaku zuke, doing the 60-40 zenkutsu dachi with your jodan, chudan & gedan in line & you should have a very snappy punch. Remember moving in stance should enhance your technique, so timing is very important. Finish stance & finish technique at the same time.. Hope that I haven`t babbled on too much.. Osu Paul B
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Post by shinzan on Dec 11, 2010 11:00:26 GMT
Thanks Paul. Not confusing at all great descriptions and very clear and understandable. Thanks for taking the time to post it's really helpful (i'm sure I'm not the only one here with questions). Moving backwards may require a new thread (not so subtle hint there)
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Post by Paul Bedard on Dec 11, 2010 15:35:53 GMT
Glad you something out of this post David! Good idea you have there for a new post. Moving backwards in stance. O.k. I `ll give it some thought & try my hand at writing it up. Osu Paul B
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Post by tomobrien on Dec 14, 2010 3:16:07 GMT
I hate moving backwards in zenkutsu dachi! But it reminds me that I should do it more often. I'm gonna train doing it tomorrow night. Thanks for the unwelcome reminder. Tom
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Post by fujicolt on Dec 18, 2010 2:12:20 GMT
As you are aware this site is the brainchild of Liam Watt and his Dad George (Dod) Watt. you are also aware that they have, as a family, been fighting through the tragic further illness of Mum (Kim Watt Shodan) It has been a terrible time BUT a nice thing happened today.... I spoke to Dod today and he was genuinely very pleased that his hope for this site is coming true. Namely Karateka from various countries (irrelevant of age, gender, ethnic origin, organisation or rank) coming here to discuss and debate 'our shotokan studies' and helping each other. on this thread we have David (a Kyu Grade. Scotland) and Paul ( a Yondan. Canada) debating things and Paul helping David. Dod was really pleased. think on this folks cos it says a lot about Dod and those posting. Dod was genuinely overjoyed that David (his student) is visiting the site and asking questions. Many Instructors (out of fear of students gaining info from elsewhere) would not even allow it let alone be pleased. It shows the calibre of Dod as an Instructor I think. then we have Paul, willingly helping a young student. again - speaks volumes. And David, confident and inquisitive knowing he has a Sensei who encourages openness and sharing, learning. then Tom (Oldest Dan Grade in USA ), Humble and bluntly honest - as ever. It was great to hear Dod happy and animated. first time in a while that he has sounded like that when we speak - a sign that lovely Kim is fighting her way back. Respect to all of you - you made a good man happy today. now back to sorting out this Zenkutsu Dachi eh?
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