Basics - Foot positions for first kicks

Apart from the breakdown of the actual kicks (which will be taught to you at the dojo), you need to practise holding your feet in the right position when kicking.  You can do this while watching TV etc.  Just take your socks off and get used to moving the toes to copy the following positions:

Mae geri keage - Front snap kick

Pull all your toes back and extend your foot as shown.  The power of this kick is delivered through the ball of the foot.




Yoko Geri Kekomi - Side thrust kick
Yoko Geri Keage -  Side snap kick

The foot position for both of these kicks is the same.  Bend your big toe up and force the other four down.  This will help you to lock your foot into the correct position.  These kicks use the blade of the foot for the attack.




Mawashi Geri  Jodan -  Round house kick to the head

Keep your toes straight or bend them downward a little for this head attacking kick, as you will be attacking with the instep of the foot.



Mawashi Geri  chudan -  Round house kick to the body

This kick attacks the body - eg the ribs.  Pull all your toes back and hit the target with the ball of your foot.


Keep practising with both feet until you can hold these positions automatically ... then practise them some more.

Villayat 'Wolf' Sunkmanitu
Images by Will Huggins

Basics ... making a good fist

A good fist must be tight and well formed.

Open your hand and straighten your fingers ... keep them tightly together.

Fold your fingers down to the top of your open hand.

Now fold your fingers tightly into your palm.

Now close your thumb under the closed fist.

Never close your fist around your thumb.  If you punch someone with a fist shaped as below,
you'll break your thumb.

This is how a correctly formed fist looks from the side.

Remember that when you punch in Karate, your energy and power is delivered via the first two knuckles only.  When we do press-ups on our knuckles, we only balance on those four knuckles.

Villayat 'Wolf' Sunkmanitu

Images by Will Huggins

Why the low stances in Shotokan Karate?

It's an exercise to build up your muscles.

I remember when I first started training ... teaching methods were more basic but they achieved results in terms of performance and discipline.

If you can manage to train successfully in a low stance, you'll find that your kicking techniques will have more speed and power in a self defence situation where it's likely that you'll be in a slightly higher stance.

It usually takes about three months to get into the habit of getting into that long, deep stance ... then you'll find that your legs will stop shaking and the stresses and strains of holding that stance will become less and less as you progress in your learning.

Remember that the work that you do in the dojo is only a part of the effort needed to progress up the grades towards a Black Belt.  You will need to practise these stances and techniques at home too in order to build up the necessary strength in your legs.

The next time you're watching your favourite TV programme, try viewing whilst standing in different stances and hold them for five minutes at a time?  I guarantee that you'll feel the benefits when you train at the dojo.

Villayat 'Wolf' Sunkmanitu