Raise your heel or not?

[joesteph]

Absolutely, but it's at a infinitesimal degree. Right before the kicking foot returns from its target, the heel MUST be down; heel's not up.

I was thinking of the heel question only in terms of punching, not kicking. I thought the kick warning about noticeably raising the heel, say by the supporting leg to have the kicking leg strike higher, is that you can knock yourself over.

[sensei8]

Absolutely, but it's at a infinitesimal degree. Right before the kicking foot returns from its target, the heel MUST be down; heel's not up.

I was thinking of the heel question only in terms of punching, not kicking. I thought the kick warning about noticeably raising the heel, say by the supporting leg to have the kicking leg strike higher, is that you can knock yourself over.

DOH! Sorry Joe, my bad. I'll go back to my corner! Sorry!

[sensei8]

As far as the heel being up when one is punching...I'm of the camp that the heel can be up or down depending on what the practitioner is doing at that moment.

Shindokan is 85% hand techniques, and we get very close and personal with our attackers. Whether we're employing one hand technique or another, we're also trying to employ our Tuite, which is a core staple to Shindokan.

For me to get close and personal with my attackers, I've got to create unimaginable angles of attack/defense, and in doing this, I've got to transition from one fixed position to another, and this means that my heel will be up and my heel will be down, and in that, the up/down of my heel will be continuous. Hence, I'm in constant motion.

The key for any and all achieved power in the above description is hip rotation, therefore, it matters not to me whether my heel is up or down while executing any and all hand techniques, what matters to me is that my hip rotation accompany's my every hand technique without any reservation and/or deviation.

[joesteph]

For me to get close and personal with my attackers, I've got to create unimaginable angles of attack/defense, and in doing this, I've got to transition from one fixed position to another, and this means that my heel will be up and my heel will be down, and in that, the up/down of my heel will be continuous. Hence, I'm in constant motion.

The key for any and all achieved power in the above description is hip rotation . . .

I think that all-too-often we think of hitting a target that's stationary, like a heavy bag or a WaveMaster, when in reality a human target is far from that accommodating.

[sensei8]

For me to get close and personal with my attackers, I've got to create unimaginable angles of attack/defense, and in doing this, I've got to transition from one fixed position to another, and this means that my heel will be up and my heel will be down, and in that, the up/down of my heel will be continuous. Hence, I'm in constant motion.

The key for any and all achieved power in the above description is hip rotation . . .

I think that all-too-often we think of hitting a target that's stationary, like a heavy bag or a WaveMaster, when in reality a human target is far from that accommodating.

Stupid, dumb human target....be still!

But in actuallity, a very solid post Joe. Hence, the I'm in constant motion!

[tallgeese]

If you look mechanically at a punch however, it's nearly impossible to achive hip rotation without some sort of accompanying heel lift.

[sensei8]

If you look mechanically at a punch however, it's nearly impossible to achive hip rotation without some sort of accompanying heel lift.

Nearly isn't completely, but, I concur with you here that the heel must, even if it's an infinitesimal degree, lift to proper hip rotation.

[bushido_man96]

I tend to agree with tallgeese on this one. In the over-extension that tonydee mentions, I think it is more of a need to practice the technique than whether heel up or down is the right way or not. I that the heel being up a bit allows for better ability to drive with the hips, and to bring power from the floor, as well as allowing easier transitions in using the lead of the rear hand with maximum power.

[Jay]

I tend to agree with tallgeese on this one. In the over-extension that tonydee mentions, I think it is more of a need to practice the technique than whether heel up or down is the right way or not. I that the heel being up a bit allows for better ability to drive with the hips, and to bring power from the floor, as well as allowing easier transitions in using the lead of the rear hand with maximum power.

I think the foot acts like a fulcrum which when lifted allows your weight to go forward rather than stay back. Moving weight=momentum which allows you to hit harder.

That is just how I see it.

[Nevinyrral]

I tried rising my heel while doing some kicks, adn I always ended losing my balance so I never rise it while kicking