Karateka Posted December 26, 2001 Posted December 26, 2001 Basic same principle. To keep your foot in place, grab the floor with your toes. It is to keep balance and power. "Never hit a man while he's down; kick him, its easier"Sensei Ron Bagley (My Sensei)
moobrack Posted December 26, 2001 Posted December 26, 2001 Thanx Karate-Ka Anthony Bullock1st Dan Black Belt - Shotokan Karate5th Kyu Yellow Belt - Aiki-Jutsuhttps://www.universaldojo.com Coming Soon
SaiFightsMS Posted December 26, 2001 Posted December 26, 2001 I have heard stories about old karate practitioners who could grip the ground so firmly with their toes that they could not be uprooted from their stance, any stance. Kind of like creating a suction cup our of their feet.
Karateka Posted December 27, 2001 Posted December 27, 2001 The action was not only of gripping the ground, but using your hara to weight yourself down, bending your knees, and think like a tree. That is what was necessary to get a strong stance. "Never hit a man while he's down; kick him, its easier"Sensei Ron Bagley (My Sensei)
MawashiGeri60 Posted August 3, 2003 Posted August 3, 2003 i myselve like to turn with the ball of my foot . but it can be done any way . wheather the ball of ur foot or the heels .. it all works great
G95champ Posted August 3, 2003 Posted August 3, 2003 We slid our back foot and turn on our toes. (General George S. Patton Jr.) "It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory."
IAMA_chick Posted August 4, 2003 Posted August 4, 2003 i usually do it on the ball of my foot or on my toes. but i might be thinking of a different thing than what you are talking about Tae Kwon Do15-years oldpurple--belt
Guest Posted August 4, 2003 Posted August 4, 2003 The whole thing about gripping the floor with your toes is crap. It's impossible. The chapter about being able to grip the floor so strongly came right after the story about Gichin Funakoshi being able to dodge a strike by disappearing and reappearing behind you. It's just a myth that everybody's buying to support thier theory of gripping the floor. And about turning on the heel. Myself, I turn on the ball of my foot. You have more control this way, because you have an extra joint at your disposal, the ankle. Try these excersizes: Excersize 1: Get a chair or whatever it is you need to be able to put your palm flat against the ceiling. Stand on it, then place your palm against the ceiling and grip with your fingers. Now lift your legs. Do you really think you can hang from the ceiling like this? Hell no! You can't get your fingers around the ceiling any more than you can get your toes around the floor. Like I said, gripping the floor is impossible. Excersize 2: Do a quick shuttle run on the balls of your feet and try not to let your heel touch the ground. Now do another, and try not to let the balls of you feet touch the ground. Point proven.
major_motoko Posted August 4, 2003 Posted August 4, 2003 I've trained in both Shotokan and Wado-Ryu and in both I have been taught to turn on the ball of the foot, never the heel. It works for me, so I'm sticking with it. I'm sure turning on the heel works for some people, but not me, it feels too unbalanced.. just MHO 2nd Kyu Brown Belt, Wado Ryu Karate-do"Daniel-san best karate still inside!" Mr Myagi
GrrrArg Posted August 4, 2003 Posted August 4, 2003 I turn of the balls of my feet because it gives extra balance, although until I had read the post I didn't know until I tried it out and watched my feet.. You can grip the floor with your toes to an extent smr, pushing down with your toes gives you better grip. Try opening a door when someone is blocking it with their foot. Smae principle as a rubber sole on a shoe offers a good grip on the floor, pressing down with your toes creates more friction when someone tries to move it-thus making it a bit harder to walk. Gravity also plays a small part in not being able to grip the ceiling with your hand!
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