Kawasoe Masao Sensei - Ushiro Geri preparation

[Hotora86]

I was taught differently. We turned and stood in a neko-ashi-dachi-like stance, then thrust the leg.

[NormaStitz]

I was taught the cat stance way too.

[Toxeh]

That's the basic way i believe, if you do that then it's only power from the kicking of the leg, where as the way shown in the video, power is generated from the turn and it's also a quicker kick. :-)

[Hotora86]

Maybe so, but you need a lot of control and balance to perform it this way, it could become a sweeping uchi-type motion if you do it this way. If you do the neko-dachi wariation quickly and smoothly you can release the power of the turn and body as well.

[Toxeh]

watch?v=bHD8DDJF7_E

Yamaguchi demonstrates exactly what I was trying to explain.

[Hotora86]

I understand.

He also showed the mawashi variation.

[b34rh34d]

The reason that kawasoe teaches the kick this way is because it means the kick begins as your front foot turns in for the body rotation, rather than your front foot turning prior to the kick and giving it away. This does make the kick a lot harder to perform and control, but very nice once you've got used to it. This is how my teacher, who is taught by Kawasoe, taught me the kick

[redmistpete]

That 'dropping' front knee, at the start of the technique, seems to work for all techniques (when moving forwards). I use it a lot because it allows you to quickly initiate movement of your body-mass and immediately drive forwards by pushing with the supporting leg instead of having to pull the legs together first before being able to push forward; increases speed dramatically. ;)