Half Step

Half step is used in many kihon techniques but, I do not believe people correctly understand the mechanics and the reasons on what the karate student should be attempting to do during a half step.  I was quite guilty during my color belt years of over stepping during my half step in an effort to either speed up my techniques or cover more distance.

So what do I believe the correct use of the technique is? First the goal is to take the back foot and bring it forward directly placed under your hip. The feet should still stay shoulder width apart. You should be able to blindly fast bring your back foot directly underneath you in the correct spot without changing your balance on the front leg or causing any change in your open hip position or upper body. Back foot should be point at least 45 degree but, as forward as your ankle flexibility allows. If done correctly your back leg should now feel compressed like a spring and your hip muscles fairly torqued. But, fear not when done in kihon at normal speed you will only be in this position for a fraction of a second.

The idea behind this proper foot placement is the following. 1.) Maintain your hip open technique so that you have hip rotation available for the following technique to come. 2.) Your CG stays exactly the same meaning your not fighting inertia going in any other direction put in the direction of the technique. 3.) You can now maintain the same height 4.) Your back leg is a tight spring allowing you to generate a powerful second attack driving all the way from your back foot. 5.) Speed, speed, speed. Watch some one doing kihon with an incorrect half step and you will see the tempo is one-two-three. Instead you will now be able to make the half step part of the next attack with no pause in between.

Tell tale signs things are not right.
1.) The dreaded over step. If you over step you will raise your height and have that sea-saw effect in your technique. Up,down,Up,down. Oh and by the way you will be slower as you have no drive off your back foot.

2.) Over step causes you drive your next technique down into the floor instead of linearly straight towards your opponent. Root cause see #1

3.) Under step. If you hardly move the back foot than you may seem fast but, unless your opponent moved back only 3" your next technique covers no distance and you lose all power. An under step does not allow for full hip rotation nor the leg compression to allow a huge drive starting from the foot through out your hips and core.

4.) The boat anchor. Students who do not rotate their back foot to point as forward towards the opponent as possible. You will see students have their foot perpendicular to the direction of movement and drag their foot behind them after each technique. It is not obvious but, if your do not rotate your foot you no longer are using your quads, calves, and hip flexors to drive with the leg. Instead you are dragging it with the hip. Give it a try and see the muscles that are no longer active with under rotation of the foot.