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Aug 19, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Improving footwork
by: Tanno

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for sharing your exercises. In the first exercise, you said "Try running with your heels". Do you mean "with heels up"?

I don't understand the last exercise, "Everyday try passing through people with both feet." What do you mean by "passing through people with both feet"? Do you mean run after striking with suri-ashi?

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The first training I mentioned, I meant the heels to touch the floor, like how you do suri ashi to slide forward (just like how you push a poker paper with your fingers, while you don't have the whole hand on the table).

The last exercise is a daily one I personally use, because it helps me to improve the reflexes and my footwork to help me pass through the people (in shiai it's also used to pass through opponents). I do it quite often to improve my diagonal footwork. :) And yes, it can also be used to run away after you hit your opponent.


Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your reply. I know it is very hard to describe any movements.

I still think you mean "toes" when you say "heels".

If you can upload pictures or videos, that would be so helpful for us to understand.

Thanks for sharing!
Jul 22, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Ways to improve your footowrk
by: Tanno

Just try some of the warm-up exercises:

- Try running with your heels on the floor without having your whole foot on the floor. It improves not only the stamina of your feet to hold up the weight of your body, but also it helps your feet getting used to glide much more and to speed up much more than they are.

- Like everyone does, you need to do the suri ashi a lot, not only on the wooden floor, but also on the marmoreal floor. The Marmoreal floor is also a good training place to help you improving yourself with the speed.

- Build up your whole legs and feet to improve both stamina and speed. In Kendo training, ji-geiko and kakarigeiko you always get tired, because you use more energy by using your feet, rather than your hands. Try the first exercise I mentioned earlier, or try bicycling.

- Try small suri ashi to gain speed, rather than doing the longer ones. The longer ones do eat more energy than the small one and it also helps you improve your speed.

- Everyday try passing through people with both feet. I do this quite often not only to reach my destination much faster, but also it helps my feet to be much faster if I want to use both feet for fumikomi either in Jodan No Kamae or in Nitto-Ryuu. It also improves your instincts. :)

I hope my suggestions helped you...

Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for sharing your exercises. In the first exercise, you said "Try running with your heels". Do you mean "with heels up"?

I don't understand the last exercise, "Everyday try passing through people with both feet." What do you mean by "passing through people with both feet"? Do you mean run after striking with suri-ashi?

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