Sells Sensei described a kicking drill on page 50:
“Itosu did not personally favor high kicking or techniques, he is known for a unique exercise called the “8-point kick”. This is called for the trainee to practice kicking at targets representing the floating ribs, solar plexus, junction of the legs and torso, groin and inner thighs in rapid succession.”
Finding that interesting, that evening I started to set up a kicking drill following those sequences. Here is what I tried.
Beginning facing a partner, both in natural parallel stance with both arms upraised, allowing free access to the target.
1. Right squat kick to the opponent left floating ribs.
2. Left squat kick to the opponent right floating ribs.
3. Right front kick to the opponent solar plexus.
4. Left front kick into the opponent left hip.
5. Right front kick into the opponent right hip.
6. Left scoop kick (with the top of the foot) to the opponent groin.
7. Right front kick into the opponent left thigh.
8. Left front kick into the opponent right thigh.
It can be done by one person against a static partner, or it can be done by two partners who alternate kicks. i.e.:
Partner 1. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 2. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 1 Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.
Partner 2 Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.
Continue with the rest of the drill.
This drill promotes inside line kicking techniques.
Notes:
1. ‘Unante’ by John Sells – published by W.M. Hawley 1995.
2. Squat Kick – An Isshinryu kicking technique with the ball of the foot, about ½ front kick and ½ roundhouse kick. The support leg flexes (into a squat) first. It really is a front kick delivered from the floor at a 45 degree angle, similar to the Bando shin kicks but delivered with the ball of the foot.
3. Scoop Kick – A rising front kick to the groin delivered with the top of the foot.
3 comments:
I had been doing karate maybe 20 years when I took the time to work out this drill. Thost kicks to the hip are meant to strike into the crease of the hip/leg to try to disrupt of break the hip joint. Not something for competition, rather to quickly put your opponent on the ground and incapicate him or her.
Now the rest of the story.
So long ago when I read about this drill, I was not content to let it become a memory. On my own I worked to recreate it using the Isshinryu kicking I knew. No doubt it is not what the original was, but it was sufficient for my purposes.
Then when practicing what I had worked out I found it added a new dimension to my kicking knowledge. I hand never thought of cross body kicks to the hip joints, or cross body kicks into the inner thigh.
By making the effort I learned a great deal.
Moving beyond the written words to the actuality of the drill, is something we can continually learn to work towards.
More –
When I worked out how to do this drill, I was astonished the kicks fit with the Isshinryu kicking vocabulary I was taught under Tom Lewis. Front kick, squat kicks, scoop groin kick, front kick to the hip joints and cross front kicks to the inner thighs.
Even more I had never considered kicking to the hip joints, a very quick way to down somebody. Likewise I had never considered kicking across to the other inner leg thigh to destroy an attacker. Priceless lessons,
I reserved this drill for the adult students, never shared this with youth students.
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