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FOOT
MOVEMENTS
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| Primarily they
teach us to move in a "Shuffle" or succeeding feet manner
(Tsugi-ashi), in keeping with good posture, balance and co-ordination.
Furthermore, they help us to maintain a right or left defensive, yet
natural posture, whilst moving. Normal walking (Ayumi-ashi) is a
succession of right & left defensive postures and the retention of
balance can be difficult, particularly if large steps are taken. Simply
they are about natural and efficient movement. They are basic building
blocks and once mastered they can be applied to any discipline.
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| BASIC FRONT POSTURE (Nami-Shizentai)
(Yamada Sensei performing section 2)
- 1) STRAIGHT, FORWARDS & BACKWARDS
- 2) SIDEWAYS, TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT
- 3) CORNERS, FRONT & REAR, LEFT & RIGHT
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Stand upright, knees soft, with the feet in-line & shoulder width
apart, hands resting lightly on hips with fingers extended, pointing
slightly downwards.
Yamada
Sensei
performs Unsoku in 1959
(pictures courtesy of
Kikusui Kai)
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1) STRAIGHT, FORWARDS & BACKWARDS
COUNTING "ONE": Step forwards with the left
foot, immediately bring forward the right foot behind it.
COUNTING "TWO": Step backwards with the right foot, immediately
bring backwards the left foot. Maintain the relative feet positioning
(left in front of right).
COUNTING "THREE": Take a further step backwards with the right
foot, immediately bring backwards the left foot. Maintain the relative
feet positioning (left in front of right).
COUNTING "FOUR": Return to basic front posture by stepping
forward with the left foot then immediately bringing forward the right
foot.
COUNTING "FIVE, SIX, SEVEN & EIGHT": Repeat the sequence
starting with the right foot.
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2) SIDEWAYS, TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT
COUNTING "ONE": Step to the left side with the
left foot, immediately move the right foot towards the left foot,
maintaining the correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "TWO": Return to basic front posture by stepping
sideways with the right foot then immediately bringing the left foot
towards it.
COUNTING "THREE": Step to the right side with the right foot,
immediately move the left foot towards the right foot, maintaining the
correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "FOUR": Return to basic front posture by stepping
sideways with the left foot then immediately bringing the right foot
towards it.
COUNTING "FIVE", "SIX", "SEVEN" &
"EIGHT": Repeat the sequence starting with the right foot to the
right side.
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3) CORNERS, FRONT & REAR, LEFT & RIGHT
COUNTING "ONE": Step forward and turn the body
through 90 degrees to the left, immediately move the right foot towards
the left foot, maintaining the correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "TWO": Return to the starting position, basic front
posture, by stepping with the right foot then immediately bringing the
left foot towards it.
COUNTING "THREE" & "FOUR": Repeat the sequence
starting with the right foot and turning the body through 90 degrees to
the right, before returning to basic front posture.
COUNTING "FIVE": Sweep the right foot in an arc to the left
rear, turning the body through 90 degrees to the left. Immediately move
the left foot towards the right foot, maintaining the correct distance
between the feet.
COUNTING "SIX": Return to the starting position, basic front
posture, by stepping with the left foot then immediately bringing the
right next to it, still maintaining the correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "SEVEN" & "EIGHT": Repeat the sequence
starting with the left foot and turning the body through 90 degrees to the
right rear, before returning to basic front posture.
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