From Emiliano Mazlen, Shihan
Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club

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Step First - Set Feet/Save The Hip.

Stepping first is one of our most fundamental technical principles. Our
feet must be set in their final position before we launch our technique.
They should not move when we are completing our technique. At the same
time, we also need to make sure that the hip is "saved" at the moment the
feet are set (rather than the hip, too, already being set in its final
position at the same time as the feet) so that the hip can launch the
technique (as Kyoshi Baker thoroughly discussed in a very recent TFTW).

Appying both principles is particularly challenging in Oi-tsuki, chasing
punch. It is a common error to punch with the back heel off the ground,
suffering a serious loss to foundation. It is a common mistake, once the
setting both heels before punching is achieved, to have completed the hip
movement before punching, thereby losing a great deal of power.

We need to step first, completely set the feet and then let the hip movement
launch the technique.

Domo arigato gozaimasu to all.
Emiliano Mazlen
Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club
Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA
founded by Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro
under the direction of Hanshi Robert Scaglione