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FOOT MOVEMENTS
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| Primarily they
teach us to move in a "Shuffle" or succeeding feet manner
(Tsugi-ashi), in keeping with good posture, balance and co-ordination.
Furthermore, they help us to maintain a right or left defensive, yet
natural posture, whilst moving. Normal walking (Ayumi-ashi) is a
succession of right & left defensive postures and the retention of
balance can be difficult, particularly if large steps are taken.
Simply they are about natural and efficient movement. They are basic
building blocks and once mastered they can be applied to any
discipline.
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| BASIC FRONT POSTURE
(Nami-Shizentai)
(Yamada Sensei performing section 2)
 | 1) STRAIGHT, FORWARDS & BACKWARDS
| 2) SIDEWAYS, TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT
| 3) CORNERS, FRONT & REAR, LEFT & RIGHT |
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Stand upright, knees soft, with the feet in-line &
shoulder width apart, hands resting lightly on hips with fingers
extended, pointing slightly downwards.
Yamada Sensei
performs Unsoku in 1959
(pictures courtesy of
Kikusui Kai)
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1) STRAIGHT, FORWARDS & BACKWARDS
COUNTING "ONE": Step forwards with the left
foot, immediately bring forward the right foot behind it.
COUNTING "TWO": Step backwards with the right foot,
immediately bring backwards the left foot. Maintain the relative feet
positioning (left in front of right).
COUNTING "THREE": Take a further step backwards with the
right foot, immediately bring backwards the left foot. Maintain the
relative feet positioning (left in front of right).
COUNTING "FOUR": Return to basic front posture by stepping
forward with the left foot then immediately bringing forward the right
foot.
COUNTING "FIVE, SIX, SEVEN & EIGHT": Repeat the sequence
starting with the right foot.
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2) SIDEWAYS, TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT
COUNTING "ONE": Step to the left side with
the left foot, immediately move the right foot towards the left foot,
maintaining the correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "TWO": Return to basic front posture by stepping
sideways with the right foot then immediately bringing the left foot
towards it.
COUNTING "THREE": Step to the right side with the right
foot, immediately move the left foot towards the right foot,
maintaining the correct distance between the feet.
COUNTING "FOUR": Return to basic front posture by stepping
sideways with the left foot then immediately bringing the right foot
towards it.
COUNTING "FIVE", "SIX", "SEVEN" &
"EIGHT": Repeat the sequence starting with the right foot to
the right side.
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3) CORNERS, FRONT & REAR, LEFT & RIGHT
COUNTING "ONE": Step forward and turn the
body through 90 degrees to the left, immediately move the right foot
towards the left foot, maintaining the correct distance between the
feet.
COUNTING "TWO": Return to the starting position, basic front
posture, by stepping with the right foot then immediately bringing the
left foot towards it.
COUNTING "THREE" & "FOUR": Repeat the sequence
starting with the right foot and turning the body through 90 degrees
to the right, before returning to basic front posture.
COUNTING "FIVE": Sweep the right foot in an arc to the left
rear, turning the body through 90 degrees to the left. Immediately
move the left foot towards the right foot, maintaining the correct
distance between the feet.
COUNTING "SIX": Return to the starting position, basic front
posture, by stepping with the left foot then immediately bringing the
right next to it, still maintaining the correct distance between the
feet.
COUNTING "SEVEN" & "EIGHT": Repeat the
sequence starting with the left foot and turning the body through 90
degrees to the right rear, before returning to basic front posture.
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