2024-07-29

Teaching my regular classes at the Ross Farnsworth - East Valley YMCA.

During kata training in the adult class, I found myself returning to the importance of completing turns before stepping out into whatever stance comes next. I’m sure my students think I sound like a broken record, but this is so fundamental to proper movement that I can’t help but see it and call it out when it doesn’t happen.

Take, for example, the 270° turn after the first kiai in Heian Shodan. Many students will step behind themselves with the left foot and then turn, leaving them unable to look in the direction they’re going before going there, and generally resulting in a narrow front stance. Instead, I teach that the left foot should be drawn up to the right foot as you complete the turn, but the feet should still be together until you’ve fully completed your turn. Then, and only then, should you step forward into front stance. Not only does this allow you to see where you’re going, but it solves the narrow stance problem, as most students know not to step forward into a straight-line stance.

To put that another way, “leading with your leg” prevents you from seeing where you’re going, so you just end up putting your foot down blindly, which generally happens sooner rather than later, resulting in a narrow stance. By contrast turning (full stop) and then stepping out prevents both problems.