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Hip Motion
Last week I wrote about the importance of using the lower body to power the
technique. Now, I'd like to address the hip movement itself within the technique.
I believe that every technique we do in karate uses "hip".
First, by "hip" we mean the large muscles of the lower body and hip area. Obviously, the hipbone itself can not initiate movement and therefore the
term "hip" does not refer to the innominate bone but rather the muscles surrounding it.
We've been encouraged by Kyoshi, especially as Black Belts, to discover how
best to use the hip for ourselves as each Deshi will be slightly different
due to our own body structure, etc.
However, within this overall freedom there are certain parameters that are
followed. For instance, we can determine that there are two general movements
of the hip and probably an infinite number of variations of their combination.
Horizontal hip
The first one we use, in the first technique of Fukyugata ichi is a
predominately horizontal or rotational movement of the hip, dropping into zenkutsudachi first and then executing the gedanuke. Speaking to Goldenberg
Sensei once, he described the movement to be one of the rear quadriceps, the
obliques, and the gluteals. In that sequence.
Vertical hip
The other gross movement of the hip is a predominately vertical use of the
hip. In fact, the second technique of Fukyugata ichi is one in which the hip
travels almost straight up as the legs straighten, with a rotation of the hip
downward at the end to drive the feet into the deck for foundation.
Other instances of vertical movement of the hip include nekowashidachi
shutouke where, instead of upward movement as in the second technique of Fukyugata ichi, the hip drops forcefully downward to power the block.
In each instance, however, it can be seen that probably no "horizontal" hip
movement is absolutely horizontal and no "vertical" hip movement is absolutely vertical. There are slight components of each overall movement
within each technique and each Deshi may have more or less of the other movement in their various techniques.
But try to adhere to the overall movements. For instance, don't try to make a
nekowashidachi shutouke into a horizontal movement where the front knee sweeps sideways. Rather, drop the hip to initiate the hand movement. And
don't make zenkutsudachi gedanuke into a dropping, vertical movement because
the drop was supposed to happen before the gedanuke began. Drop, then rotate
the hips.
Domo arigato gozaimasu,
David Baker,
Denshi/Shihan
Midtown Karate Dojo