Published Mar. 2001 – Electronic Journal of Martial Arts & Sciences – Physical Training - Fitness For Combatives

A 10 Part Series on Hip Training

The Shotokan Way

From Paul Ianuziello:

I've been training my hips for just over 10 years, Shotokan karate has been my primary focus. Karate has some good exercises to train the various body parts that are needed to form sharp, powerful techniques. Shotokan is a style that has very linear techniques and displays awesome power. This power emanates from a strong powerhouse of which the hips are the main turbine. The hips comprise only one major part of your powerhouse; the other parts are your abdominals and buttocks. In my training and teaching, I have referenced the teachings of Nakayama Sensei of the JKA and any credit for the benefits, if forthcoming, are to Nakayama Sensei solely.

Working on low stances and beginning hip rotation, take a front stance right leg forward and knee bent almost 90 degrees, hands on hips thumbs at back, press the hips forward - 60/40 weight distribution and the back leg is straight. The upper body is erect and facing directly forward. Shift the hips strongly to the left side, rotate the hips and the upper body smoothly so that you are in hanmi, half front facing, 45 degrees from the front. Keeping the upper body straight, rotate the hips back to front facing. Keep the motion smooth and even. At the end of the movement apply power fully by thrusting the back leg down into the floor very hard. Remove all power and slowly return to half front facing. Repeat 10 times and then shift to left leg forward front stance and perform 10 times. When shifting do not allow the hips to rise, slide smoothly from right front stance to left front stance. The important points to consider are as follows:

- in the front stance when looking down you do not see your toes
- keep hips level and rotate them smoothly
- keep the back straight making sure to keep the buttocks held in tight
- the stomach muscles should be tight, you should have a sense of pressing your
navel in through to your spine
- do not turn the shoulders only, let the hips turn the upper body at the same
time
- breath through the movements, make sure you breath in through the nose, out
through the mouth with a sense of circulating the air through the lungs not
the stomach
- very important to remove all power at completion of technique