15/09/2008 In Knowledge Base by andy
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Though each unsoku step has a different purpose, they all work on the same basic principles of movement. Mastering these principles will make your unsoku more effective. You can apply the concepts below to any unsoku practice and should keep them in mind when practicing jissen as well.
Expansion/Contraction on Sidesteps
When we begin learning unsoku, we tend to start off with the misconception that it is somehow related to walking. A casual analysis shows that this is not the case.
When we walk, we pick up one leg and begin to lean forward. As gravity takes over, the unweighted leg swings forward. The rear leg pushes at the ankle to increase the forward movement. The forward leg then catches the ground, and momentum carries the hips forward. Et cetera. This is not unsoku. Walking is mostly passive. It is a simple sequence of leveraging the upright body from one leg to the next, using gravity to do most of the work.
15/09/2008 In Knowledge Base by andy
Below are the basic patterns and routines for practicing unsoku. I’m willing to bet that you haven’t mastered them all…
Unsoku 8po
The most basic unsoku practice is unsoku happo, which contains the eight unsoku movements. The order is: SO - IN, KA - GEN, KO - TEN, TSUI - TAI. Notice that they are grouped in pairs of obverse movements. Unsoku happo is a very important practice in Taido. It is simple, yet contains all of the eight steps. It doesn’t require a lot of space to practice, and the pairing of like movements helps to remind us which unsoku work together.
15/09/2008 In Knowledge Base by andy
Below are technical notes for the various types of stepping in Taido’s unsoku.
The Eight Steps
Let’s go over some points for executing the eight steps of unsoku happo.
SO
So-soku is an advancing step for narrowing the distance to the target. Since it moves closer to danger, its very important to begin with a solid face cover. Likewise, the punch should be strong and direct to prevent the opponent from attempting to control your step. Notice that so-soku terminates in neko ashi dachi, with one leg supporting most of the weight. This allows the unweighted foot to move quickly for changing directions or initiating an attack.
IN
In-soku is the reverse of so-soku. It is used to gain distance quickly. Here again, a cat stance is employed to maintain mobility after the motion. Also be aware that the outstretched soete helps to keep the advancing opponent at bay. In-soku is probably the least-practiced and most underestimated of all the unsoku movements, but when understood correctly, it can be employed to good effect in jissen.
