Itosu 8 point kicking drill

While I knew most of these kicks from Lewis Sensei's Chart II, It was only when I worked out this drill that John Sell's saved in his book "Unante" that I realized the power they had for interior line of defense/offense using  these kicks.

For example, I previously never considered kicking into the leg/hip joint to conclude an attack. That one idea alone was priceless.

You never really know what you will find seriously reading martial arts literature.

When I discovered John Sell’s"'Unante", he made reference to an Itosu 8 point kicking drill. I reconstructed it from his description and I discovered many fascinating kicking concepts.


The drill with a partner is essentially 8 different kicks (either delivered one after an other or with both partners alternating). As I see it they are (delivered from natural stance) :



a. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs

b. Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs

c. Right front kick to the solar plexus

d. Left cross front kick to the opponents left hip ball joint

e. Right cross front kick to the opponents right hip ball joint

f. Left front kick to the groin

g. Right cross front kick to the opponents inner thigh

h. Left cross front kick to the opponents inner 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.

An example of how we taught the drill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWsCvvwxW1E

Mike Cassidy working with Devin Van Curren

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.

 3. Scoop Kick – A rising front kick to the groin delivered with the top of the foot.

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Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the conversation being held about kicking technique but I do have a short story from Robert Orozco.


"When he visited my dojo, I believe the second time, he told me that Yonamime sensei (his instructor) would have then take off their obi, hold it at arms length, and attempt to kick to chin level without touching the obi. Now, I am not a flexible person by any means, but"this was impossible for me to do as well as all of my students."

 
"My instructor has always told me to never kick about belt level and this is what he brought back from Okinawa so this is what I also teach."