If you have too much weight on the front foot you have to redistribute it in order to lift the front foot when you do fumikomi.

"This will allow a good forward pressure, but also allow you to move back while holding a strong position"

I've been taught never to move back http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Jakob

kamae stance
 

Hi guys

well few days ago my girlfriend and I had a bit of a discussion about the correct stance during a kamae. (ohh.. yes... she has been learning kendo for about 3 years {nikyu}, and I {gokyu}, only have been learning it for about 5 months, but yet my fighting ability is the same level as her and the people in her level). http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gifhttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif

The problem is that what I was taught is that we have our weight mostly on the right foot (the back leg), approx 70% right and 30% left and also most of our weight going forward. But what she was taught is to have 70% on the left and 30% on the right and having most weight of our wieght going forward. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gifhttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/frown.gif

Now the question is... who is correct???
Is most of our weight suppose to be on the left foot or the right foot???
http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/confused.gif http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/confused.gif

hope you guys can answer the problem....

This is a really good thread. The mechanics of correct kamae are quite subtle but fundamental. Alex has the right idea above when he talks about it all in terms of what it's supposed to achieve. He obviously has no problem with fumikomiashi (at least none that I can see from here http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif). The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought.

Weight distribution is very important though and worth discussing I think. It doesn't just allow you to do correct footwork, but also informs the ability to put pressure on your opponent.

Originally posted by deanoclark
p.s we also do a bit of work on moving back strongly, to draw your opponent into a false sense of security.
Food for thought.

I must admit I have tried it. But doing it at my old Japanese Dojo resulted in Sensei whopping my across the backside though.

Hyaku

Bens got it !

Your weight distribution must change depending on what you are doing,.

Eg., in when attacking (fumi komi ashi) maybe rear 90/ front 10, at the instant you commence 100/00, when your front foot lands after the cut - 00/100, moving around (hiraki ashi) varying constantly. However, you cannot attack if you have more weight on the front, as it is the rear foot that provides the propulsion.

Last weekend an 8th dan explained that 80/20 was a good commencing distribution, but that 50/50 may have been appropriate a seciond before or after.

Whatever, you must be positioned and balanced to attack and move forward and you can't if you are flat footed.

Kendoka

I would say that if you are grinding your left foot it means that at some point in your cut your hips are twisting and causing your left foot to move off to an angle. This will of course happen just as you are about to take off and cut. Of course if you twist your hips in cudan your left foot will move. Keeping your hips straight and "pointing" at the opponent should help you.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Hi alex...
hmmm about passinng the opponent.... just wondering.. isnt it abit unsafe to be at least issoku ito no maai distance... becasue if you miss.. and you reach that distance.. once you turn around, you will be very exposed for your opponent to get a point.
What I was taught is that you should have enough momentum to pass the opponent and be about double the distance of issoku ito no maai.... well approx....

Hi john....

Yes, that is what I thought... well my girlfriend admitt that her senior was wrong... and what she said is that now she has to change the way she does kendo... she wasnt happy, but ok now since she knows what she has to improve on....

Thanks for your help...http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Our sensei puts a lot of emphasis on never stepping back or side-stepping during free practice. We are told to show indomitable spirit and overwhelming confidence. Push, press the opponent...
Might have something to do with zmcnulty's thread about winning through confidence. You overwhelm the opponent with your ki. Happens everyday, in all walks of life. You've gone to high school, right?
Ki isn't supposed to be some funky smoke or light coming off you but one's spirit, energy and/or confidence(vibe, aura, "force"?). Supposedly, you 'win' over your opponent before striking. Win and strike, not strike and win. Or so my sensei says.
Then again, it's all hearsay. I'll believe it when I can do the overwhelming. I'm usually on the receiving end.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/tongue.gif
Back to kamae. When I kick back with my left foot during a strike, I sort of twist and grind the sole of my left foot against the floor. Maybe it's because my left foot isn't pointing straight forward. Or maybe it's because I'm putting too much weight on it.
Any thoughts? Advice would be welcome.

Hi all

I don't really understand all these formulaics to describe a simple procedure such as fumikomiashi. You just kick back with the left foot taking a large stride forward with the right now with enough momentum to go past the opponent enough to, when you turn, you're at least in issoku ito no maai.

Most of you weight will be carried bu the kicking leg, the left. How can you carry weight in a foot that is up in the air?

Cheers,

Alex Polli

Weight exchange between front and back foot is always fluctuating. It has to because kamae is never totally static. Sometimes it's (for the sake of discussion) 55 back/45 front and sometimes its the opposite. Of course sometimes the weight exchange is much less than that. I don't believe a totally static kamae is a good, or natural, thing.

A connected aspect to this which is very important is posture. Many mudansha have a tendency to flex their left knee in kamae, especially as they push off for fumikomi. This has the effect of tilting their spine backwards and puts their centre of gravity behind them. Their centre of gravity then has to travel extra distance to reach their opponent.

I've always been told to keep my weight evenly distributed for better balance. If someone goes men i can easily react with a debana kote or a hikimen, whichever suits the occasion. If they try to run into me (ugh...iforgot how to spell it...taitare or something) I can easily push back and try to deck them on the floor. If I go men and they completely dodge me, I can easily correct my balance and and get back to kamae...I've noticed if I go men with my weight flying forward, they can move out of the way and easily push me out of the court.

Hi,
Lets see now, I have been told that you should have 30% on the front foot (right) and 70% on the back foot (left).

Basically if most of the weight is on the front foot it will be very difficult to do the correct footwork rquired to deliver a good, concise cut. By this I mean fumikomi-ashi (stomping footwork), all your weight will go forward and downwards meaning that when your back leg comes into the cut you will "stall", leaving you open for a counter-attack from your opponent.

By leaving all the weight in the back leg your front foot will have less restriction in movement and you will be able to go forward strongly and have that "snap" in your back foot. This will enable you to move pass the opponent after the cut with enough distance between you and your opponent that you can either attack or defend effectivley.

My instructor told me that when you cut your movement should be stable but you should feel like a bullet/missle (something that moves fast and is deadly) towards and past your opponent. Easier said than done though, I have to constantly work on my kamae!!

Hope this helps!http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif