Special Footwork Technique 3: Following Step


Today's footwork technique is found in Karate and Kungfu. I have originally found it in Taijiquan in a sequence of steps called "Push Four Corners". Long before that, however, I have found it in some of Karate's katas.

The function of this step is to throw your weight into the punch you deliver.

It throws body weight as far forward as possible with as much momentum as possible. The difficult part of this movement is that you end up having only one foot to stop this forward charge from going too far. Judoka can easily exploit the situation of having your weight on your lead foot, so you will most likely find that teachers of Japanese Karate will discourage you from using this step in a fight.

Nonetheless- it is a better way to close the gap between your opponent and you than bending your body to reach over to him (or her- I swear I mean either gender whenever I say "him"!)   

In my Taijiquan forms I start off with this back-legged stance found with the lute playing move and shoot my hips forward onto my front foot.



 The forward momentum is channeled into my fist and it shoots out like a passenger in a head on collision who has neglected to wear a seat belt. The fist clenches at the end of course for that extra burst of power.


When doing a Canon Punch (Chinese Uppercut) I use the same method. The upward shot with my fist is synchronised with my weight arriving at my front foot.




I have adopted this type of footwork after incorporating Taijiquan and Xingyiquan into my fighting style of Wenhsiuquan. It ended up looking less like kickboxing. Practicing this type of movement is also less strenuous than with Jeet Kune Do/ Kickboxing movements and feel a lot more earthed and relaxed. 

I found with my first couple of months learning WSKF Karate, however, that the habit of my rear heel raising whenever I have stepped into a forward stance during kihon practice gets noticed by Senseis and they are not pleased with it. 

That is only with kihon and kata, though. In kumite I get left alone with it. For kihon purposes I have found that the heel-raising issue is solved when I do not throw my weight into the punch during kihon. This robs the punch of a considerable amount of power, but keeps you rooted and more resistant to grappling techniques.

In spite of this step not really being taught as part of kihon in Karate schools a number of katas feature this step:


Heian Godan
https://youtu.be/dBFe54glhTs
Pinan Godan
https://youtu.be/RC-xzOEm2eU

The Shukokai Kata Matsukaze:

https://youtu.be/dAiiYi0hBAc

Gojushiho Sho
https://youtu.be/0_0MMzh2E3U

Bassai Dai
https://youtu.be/qkg4IvPMbsU

Enpi and Kanku Dai
https://youtu.be/jBP8-6DtBBs


Compare these katas with the Xingyi form you see here.

Xingyi Five Elements
https://youtu.be/iQZ3xn-UmjI


That concludes my three-part series of posts on special footwork techniques. Until we meet again- stay well!

This is the last page of my book on Pulling and Pushing!

The cover of my book on Defense

Here is the blurb to the book on defense now. Next week you will get the first on the content.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blindfold training

Image
Now here's something I have not yet written about. :D I have been interested in the Zen side of Japanese martial arts since the age of 16. It was about at this age when I began with Qigong as well. As a young karateka back then I did not have the confidence, strength or aggression of my classmates and looking back- I think it was a good thing. Because of that classes scared me. Now- had it not been to exposure to the mental training techniques provided to me by Zen- I would not have seen this hostile dojo environment as the ideal testing grounds for the things I have read. This is one major factor to which I attribute my development as a martial artist. One very important training tool that has always served me well and that continues to do so to this dat is Zen Meditation. This, in itself, has provided me with a number of benefits about which I can write in detail. One of those- was the development of intuition and sensory acuity. It is actually wonderfu...
Read more

Tai Chi Movement #3- Wave Hands like Clouds

Image
I have just started searching for examples of this movement on the internet and realised that among all the people doing Tai Chi out there I might just be the only one who would apply Cloud Hands the way I do. I have found different variations of the movement itself as well. This makes my writing about my version and its application a bit unfair as you will be missing out on some really elaborate applications. Now- how I always did this movement is starting from a posture like the Lute Playing posture like the picture below- or the Spread Wings posture like this: From either one of these ready postures I then rotate my front foot and let my body follow while my leading hand makes contact with an imaginary thrust and I then complete the rotation by passing the attack while I guide its force past me with minimal effort and my free hand follows the blocking hand to wind up for an outward strike. When the rotation and step is complete I shift weight ...
Read more

Learning a Martial Art- some basic guidelines

Image
I think we have by now come across a couple of people who are studying some martial art or the other on their own. Back when I tried doing it at the age of 10 I used a book and later more books followed. Well- even after I did join an actual dojo more books followed even then... People are quick to say that you can't learn a martial art from a book. That is understandable. I for one know that you can't work as a lawyer if you have only gotten your law degree. In fact- few people feel as incompetent as a bright graduate starting out as a candidate at a law firm. The main reason why martial arts can't be learnt by reading alone is that experience plays a large part in developing the skills that any martial art has to offer. Knowledge is not enough. Nonetheless- self study is possible. We may argue about to which extent, but the history of Chinese and Japanese martial arts feature instances where people studied a scroll or a f...
Read more