Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

As a white belt, I have received a lot of coaching regarding the fundamentals of foot position during the last two months. Keep the foot low to the ground when sweeping or reaping. Point the foot. Turn the foot to the inside when sweeping. Think of drawing a circle on the ground with your big toe when reaping.

I was trying to practice foot mechanics in my garage while wearing a pair of Converse All Stars (shoes with a flat, rubber bottom). As I began, it was predictably sloppy, however it only took a few tries before realizing that sweeping while dragging my big toe is a bad idea... because I can't! (Unless I count my shoe bouncing and vibrating across the floor as the rubber grabs the concrete.). On the other hand, if I point my foot and drag my little toe, the shoe slides quite nicely. It sort of sweeps the floor.. hmmmmm. Reaping worked the same way (only opposite), and then I understood.

I doubt that many readers are having trouble with this fundamental, but my point is this: if you can't figure out a way to make a beginner point their foot and flex from their knee, then you might consider inviting them to put on a pair of Converse All Stars and try it on concrete.

Great feedback Karl. People should definitely try their martial arts (be that Aikido, Judo, Jodo, Karate, etc.) with different footwear on different surfaces. It provides an entirely different set of sensory inputs. I catch myself doing little footsweep motions regularly, and flip-flops make it feel different than my New Balance hiking boots.

Great point. You probably don't want to practice like that all the time but every so often you should definitely change up the environment and your training clothes. check out these recent blog posts from two of my students...

http://ichigodojo.blogspot.com/2009/07/ ... 71109.html

http://epicramble.blogspot.com/2009/07/ ... icles.html

😉 P

Im not a Judo guy but I do like the idea of trying out stuff w/ different shoes, clothing, and environment. Gives your brain some extra sensory input, so it doesn't freak out if you have to move on the fly...

Since the foot sweep clinic, I find myself constantly sweeping things across the floor, I believe someone said that a famous judo guy would sweep pennies across the floor into a cup, but that could just be my imagination... ???

Flip flops are a great to try stuff with, its probably the worst shoe to get jumped in but if you stay on the balls of your feet you can still move surprisingly well...

I figure you never know when someone will attack you in the shower, so I try to practice buck naked whenever I can. I'm not allowed to do that in the dojo anymore, though...

😄

Sean Ashby wrote:I figure you never know when someone will attack you in the shower, so I try to practice buck naked whenever I can. I'm not allowed to do that in the dojo anymore, though...

😄

perhaps you could paint yourself blue and practice naked - all in the name of a historical exercise - of course.

Sean Ashby wrote:I figure you never know when someone will attack you in the shower, so I try to practice buck naked whenever I can. I'm not allowed to do that in the dojo anymore, though...

😄

Yeah, but do you practice with soap in your eyes?

James, flip-flops are my regular footwear in the summer as much as I can get away with. So, it makes sense to practice a little footsweep stuff here and there. I should get a roll of pennies and have fun in Judo class though.

Kyle Sloan wrote:flip-flops are my regular footwear in the summer as much as I can get away with

Same here, I find myself constantly--well a lot, sweeping in them or doing the walking movements.

This past weekend I was at a local un-named establishment in the city to watch UFC 100...in my flip flops. Been a few times before and never seen any trouble but this time, across the other side of the place..maybe 50-60 feet away..we heard a ruckus and then the sound of smashing tables, chairs, glasses. A couple of big boys were going at it. Wasn't able to see much of it, just the aftermath, as most every body in the joint stood up to look.

Anyway, the point of that was, for the rest of the evening I sat with my foot out of my flip flops..on top of them..so I could just go bare foot if I needed. Of course I didn't, but I think I am going to start doing that from now on, whenever I am sitting. Whenever I did get up to walk, I was more conscious of how I moved in them than usual.

Sean Ashby wrote:I figure you never know when someone will attack you in the shower, so I try to practice buck naked whenever I can.

Uh..gross!

Sean Ashby wrote:I'm not allowed to do that in the dojo anymore, though...

Maybe it's just the time of day you go. Have you been on a Tuesday or Thursday evening lately? I'm just saying....you may like it.

For several years in Dallas I always practiced Jodo wearing flip flops on the playground outside the rec center after Aikido class, dodging holes and tufts and bare spots. After that I've never had trouble with footing.

Going barefoot in a bar might be risky behaviour.

Jack Bieler wrote:Going barefoot in a bar might be risky behaviour.

Point taken! 🙂

From what I understand, Musashi was unkempt and stank because he didn't want to take baths, and he didn't take baths because he couldn't be armed while doing it, and was therefor vulnerable to attack. Maybe that's the way to go...

Sean Ashby wrote:From what I understand, Musashi was unkempt and stank because he didn't want to take baths, and he didn't take baths because he couldn't be armed while doing it, and was therefor vulnerable to attack. Maybe that's the way to go...

I thought you already were doing that... my oops... 😛

I definitely agree that you should try different footwear when you train. When I was training at Susan's farm, I was always barefoot. You start to become aware of all the surface variations, and you use all the tiny muscles in your feet you don't normally use. Since we have become spoiled with paved surfaces, our bodies have forgotten some of our more primal abilities. When training on rough and uneven surfaces, your toes and other parts of your feet grip the ground. Try training barefoot on uneven ground. If you do it for a little while, your feet will start to hurt. You are feeling all the muscles in your feet that you don't really have to use much anymore. It is a very enlightening experience. You see your training in a whole new light.