planting your feet properly

[Shotokannon]

Hi Guys,

A few days ago I (well, my Sensei) made an interesting discovery.

Over the past year I have developed an apparently very bad habit, where in Zenkutsu Dachi my feet touch at the half step as usual, then I step out as usual, however I have a habit of not applying my weight on the front foot until JUST after my foot lands.

This apparently is due to the fact I don't plant my foot properly, I literally just place it there and apply my weight afterwards!

Has anyone else come across this problem? If so, how have you corrected it?

[Eagle105]

Can't say I've come across it - I can't really imagine how it would look if you don't put your weight on your front foot after stepping.

[sensei8]

Without seeing it for myself, it sounds like you're NOT finishing the stance. And when you do "finish", as you know it, you'll plant your feet shortly thereafter. Albeit, your Zenkutsu dachi step is too short, and possibly not the width that is required.

Also, how's your posture? Are you just transitioning or are you engaging your hips in a technique while stepping into Zenkutsu dachi?

Something's to think about. What does your Sensei thinks/advise??

[Bulltahr]

Are you "stepping" or "sliding" as you go forward?

[Kanku65]

Hard to say without seeing the movement.

Don't rise up when you reach the centre point. Keep your centre of gravity low that way your weight doesn't shift up and back down again, it just transitions forward in a smooth motion.

What I mean to say, is stay level. Instead of stepping forward, glide forward like you're ice skating or roller blading.

[Shotokannon]

I believe this is a case of learning to step all over again, and practice until it's perfect as the issue seems to lie in when I begin stepping, not when I finish

[pers]

I don't know how long you have been training .

i think a long time ago I probably had this problem too ,not completing everything at the same time .

the remedy for this and anything else similar to this is to train in them SLOWLY ...S..L..O..W !

in zenkutsu dachi stance ,moving slow allows you to think of each part of the movement ,think of the initial push off your leading foot and the push from your back leg to propel you forward ,check the halfway stage as your kness come in close together and then the final stage as you land and contiousely think of puting your weight down into your front foot ( about 70% on forward foot and 30% on the back foot .

keep repeating this many times until it becomes like second nature when you don't need to think about it .

As a beginner I was really terrible at karate ,did not come to me naturally and I lagged behind other students in my level .

It took me a lot of effort and good few years but eventually it paid of and those that I used to run away from in kumite and finding myself mostly on the losing side started running away from me and losing to me .

mostly because once I got to brown belt and all the way to second dan I never stopped attending the basic class as they did and did both the basic and advance class for about 10 years ,towards the end even higher dan grades than me who were my seniors I found myself getting the upper hand on them , just because of all those kihon training .

[Titanium]

I always say, place your feet and walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet. (this is high control)

For a strong stance, grip the floor with your toes, be unmovable.

[P.A.L]

Hi Guys,

A few days ago I (well, my Sensei) made an interesting discovery.

Over the past year I have developed an apparently very bad habit, where in Zenkutsu Dachi my feet touch at the half step as usual, then I step out as usual, however I have a habit of not applying my weight on the front foot until JUST after my foot lands.

This apparently is due to the fact I don't plant my foot properly, I literally just place it there and apply my weight afterwards!

Has anyone else come across this problem? If so, how have you corrected it?

this is a very interesting subject , if i understood correctly , i like your stepping better. let's say Zenkutsu dachi is 70/30 , you can't just appear in zenkutsu dachi unless you stomp your front foot and weight into the stance, i think of body mechanic and i don't like to step like that. in zenkutsu dachi the knee comes over the big toe so seems more natural to put the ball of foot down then the knee moves forward and down for its final position.

one of my shorin ryu teachers says "step like you' rolling a rice grain under your foot".

could you explain the way your teacher wants you to step and the weight transition.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I have come across it previously and it comes down to retraining.