TOUGHEST KICK: JODAN MAWASHI GERIThere are many leg techniques
in Kyokushin Karate and if we ask which is the toughest leg
technique or kick then we will get different answers. Some people
will name some unorthodox or uncommon kicks (kicks used very rare
in kumite) like different Kaiten Geri or Tobi Geri. Those kicks are
special techniques and it depends on ability and skill of the
karateka, requires very high level of physical fitness & body
flexibility and lots more. So my definition of a tough kick is The
Kick which is used very often, which every karateka can perform
very easily but lack perfection and accuracy as shown by our
respected Sosai .In my view, the tough kick or really the toughest
kick is Jodan Mawashi Geri. Some readers may feel surprise why I
have said so ,for them hope I will be able to make myself clear
throughout the article. Jodan Mawashi Geri is one of the most
popular and common kick in Kyokushin Karate. Jodan means Upper
body, Mawashi means Roundhouse & Geri means Kick. So Jodan
Mawashi Geri means Upper body Roundhouse Kick. The target of Jodan
Mawashi Geri is to hit either in jaw or face or side or neck. Jodan
Mawashi Geri can be of two types depending upon the part of the
foot used for strike, namely-1) Jodan Mawashi Geri with Naka-Ashi
or Ball of the Foot2) Jodan Mawashi Geri with Seashi or Instep of
the FootThe Jodan Mawashi Geri with Ball of the Foot is targeted to
hit mainly in jaw or face and the Jodan Mawashi Geri with Instep of
the Foot is targeted to hit side of face or neck. Both the two
types of Mawashi Geri are equally effective if applied in right
manner and right timing. There are more variations of Jodan Mawashi
Geri but it is not topic of our discussion rather our discussion is
bounded to the basic Jodan Mawashi Geri which we already mentioned.
I have personally felt Jodan Mawashi Geri to be the toughest kick
and I thought that may be its my personal problem. I consulted my
Sensei, Shihan and many other Sempais who were also of the same
opinion with me. They said that may be this kick seems to be very
easy but its really the toughest one and very less people can do a
perfect Jodan Mawashi Geri. I have also watched many instructional
videos, books and I have found in almost all of them they lead
maximum emphasis on Jodan Mawashi technique. Jodan Mawashi Geri, if
too right can cause enough damage even if it is blocked by Gaman
Cover ( Hand Guard) or it may hit overcoming the block also. This
kick is immense powerful and transfers a huge power if timing as
well as technique is accurate and thus can prove very fatal if hit
in temple of the skull. A perfect and timely hit Jodan Mawashi Geri
is enough to make a Ippon or K.O. in tournament. Due to its immense
power transfer it is often used in Tameshi-Wari by leg.Most people
dont do the proper Jodan Mawashi Geri. Some do mistake in rising
the leg, some do mistake in making the proper roundhouse, some do
mistake in making the proper hit to the target, some do mistake in
turning the leg and knee, some do mistake in hip movement and
movement of opposite feet to apply power whereas some dont do it,
some dont give the proper impulse in the kick instead they provide
a jerk and cause injury to themselves and last but not the least
some dont give Khiai. These problems arise mainly due to lack of
normal physical fitness especially under the waist part of our body
and then lack of our proper training, care and focus during
implementation. For making this kick perfect, the prime requisite
is to make your leg very much free. For this, practice these
exercises regularly in order as given 1) Knee & Flexibility
Exercise: - Bend your knees and lower your hips and balance your
body on ball of foot. Then place your hand on your knee and
straighten your leg pushing against the knee and balance your body
on your heel. After that join your legs and hold the knee and
rotate your knee both in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.
Now start the flexibility exercise by spreading your legs wide
apart, now bend one knee keeping the other knee extended and lower
your body. Place one hand on each knee and now try to touch the
calf muscle of the extended knee to the ground by pressing the knee
with your hand. Be careful that the heel of the bent leg should not
rise from ground. Repeat with both legs alternately few times. Now
standing in Heisoku Dachi try to touch the ground with your palms
which helps to free your calf muscles. If you can do then hold at
that position for few seconds, if you cannot then continuously give
light jerk and try to touch. Then grab just the top part of the
feet from back and try to touch your head between your knees.2)
Stretching Exercise: - Left leg then Right leg then front
stretching or both leg stretching. If your stretching is complete
then remain at the full stretched position for few seconds. If your
stretching is not completed then get at the maximum down position
you can do, hold for few seconds at that position and then give
light jerk continuously for few seconds. It will gradually make
your left, right and both leg stretching clear. After completing
these sit down fully on the ground at both leg stretched position.
A very important thing to note here is while you do both leg
stretching your Soko-ashi or arch of the foot must touched the
ground totally and when you sit in the both leg stretched position
your foot must be upward with the Kakato or heel touching the
ground and the Seashi or instep must be pointed outwards. Now bent
each leg with pressure to touch the Soko-ashi or arch of the foot
to the ground from that position without lifting your body as
during stretching. 3) Chest Touching Exercise: - After sitting in
both leg stretched position try to touch the chest to the ground by
giving slow jerk and then hold the chest with the ground for few
seconds with hands kept in front. After that touch the chest to
both left and right leg. You can do it alternately or you can do it
one by one and dont forget to hold for few seconds. After that join
the heel of both the feet together at the front, grab it and pull
it closer to your body as close as you can then do the butterfly
exercise by simply trying to touch the thigh to the ground giving
slow jerk. After completing it gives jerk to your thigh with your
knees to touch it with the ground. Then at the butterfly position
try to touch your chest to the ground and hold for few seconds at
that position. 4) Stretching Kicks Exercise: - After completing the
above, stand up and stand in Heiko Dachi or Yoi Dachi. Then perform
Maegeri-Age, Shotomawashi Geri and Uchimawashi Geri with both legs
alternately. The best technique to do these kick is by holding your
belt at the side which helps in proper body balance. All these
exercises help in free movements of the ankle joint, knee joint and
hip joint which is mainly required for this kick.Now we go for the
technical part of doing the perfect Jodan Mawashi Geri. Stand in
Heiko Dachi or Yoi Dachi. To make this kick perfect, I will suggest
everyone to do the kick in 3 counts as follows- 1) Lift your leg on
the side like in the form of Heza Geri with the knee pointing at an
angle of 45 and keep the instep pointed upward tightly if you are
going to hit by ball of foot and if you are going to hit by instep
then keep the instep pointed downward tightly. Try to make body
balance in this position for few seconds. Also try to raise the leg
to the maximum height you can do and if you are unable then grab
the leg at highest position by your same hand to hold it in that
raised position.2) Now turn your entire hip and raised leg to the
front from side and hold the leg at that position for few seconds
with your hand as in previous step. Remember that the knee now
point to an angle of 135 from the previous position i.e. if you are
kicking with right leg then the knee must point entirely to the
left and vice versa.3) Now release the hand with which you are
holding the leg. Keep that hand down and hit the kick just by
unfolding the knee completely and making the leg straight. The most
vital part of the technique is that the feet of the other leg on
which you are standing must turn 90 from the initial position and
followed by a loud proper Khiai to imply the full power. But dont
forget to keep the opposite hand up as Gaman Cover else opponent
will easily hit you Jodan Mawashi Geri.Do the kick in this manner
with both legs alternately. The more number of kicks you do in this
manner, the more your kick will tend to perfection. After
completing this follow the whole sequence in 1 count means normal
kick practice. While doing the whole sequence in one count you dont
need to grab your knee rather the same hand is lowered down at the
back to keep the balance and the opposite hand is kept as Gaman
Cover.The final touch to the kick to take it to the top most level
of perfection are- Apply full hip movement in the kick keeping the
body balance with the full feet movement of the opposite leg as
said above and increase the speed of raising and hitting the kick
i.e. in a sudden blow or impact. The application of hip and speed
to the kick will imply more power and generate a very strong
impulsive force which will make the kick perfect, powerful and very
effective. Now, you know the secret to improve your Jodan Mawashi
Geri. So all you need to do is regular hard training and practice
of all the exercises and the kicking technique I have mentioned,
all in the sequential manner as I have mentioned. Dont get too much
involve in the kick at first. Try to focus on the mistake you are
still doing and improve that point and go through this article
repeatedly and practice till you reach perfection. I hope this
article will be enough helpful for all. Wishing everyone a very
good health, life and success. Train hard today, Train Harder
tomorrow, Follow the Kyokushin Way of Life. OSU !! Jit Sarkar(4TH
KYU) KYOKUSHIN UNION INDIA RECOGNISED BY IKO-1 & ALL JAPAN
KYOKUSHIN UNION Email- [email protected]
N.B. -For any query, suggestion and anything please contact me
in this email or join me in facebook at
www.facebook.com/jitsarkar.sarkar
