One of the things I heard about, when I first began learning the martial arts, was that the hips are the basis of power. Being involved in Kenpo Karate, I didn’t understand, for that art is not set up for hip power. I kept coming across this concept of hip power, however, and how it was developed by the Japanese classical Karate arts.
One of the first things I read had to do with keeping the hips stable. Apparently tilting the hips is reserved for kicks, and all other moves are done with the hips based and stable. This was an interesting concept, and easily understood and even taught through a simple exercise.
Simply stand in a front stance, then pivot so you are standing in a front stance facing almost ninety degrees to the side. Once you have the motion down, you hold a broomstick across the front of your hips. When you snap the hips watch the ends of the broomstick and try not to let them wiggle.
Within a very short time, that I was able to snap this hip power into a punch. It was like slamming heavy and very large door. All I had to do was minimize power loss due to wiggle of fist or other body parts.
Now, the next thing I had to learn was how to make the transition to hip power while in motion. The way to do this ended up being simple, but requiring an amazing amount of concentration and control of musculature. There are two steps I use when teaching this concept.
First, communicate to the student how a sprinters prepares himself for the take off – as a runner puts his feet in the chocks and knuckles on the line, he must position the hips so that they are between the feet and the target, that is the finish line. He must find the exact line of body so that he can get maximum leg push, and not leave his line of intention for the goal. Doing this requires much analysis of the frame and muscles, and learning how to utilize the most muscles in the launching action.
Second, get the student to understand that he must use the concept I have just taught him about launching his body in every single technique he does. No matter what posture, he must set his body so that the legs are prepared for maximum push. He must align the foot and the hip with where he must go in the technique, and then maximize and focus and concentrate and align his efforts to get there.
Once one has low hips, and the resulting low stance, he is able to use the power of his energy center, which is located a couple of inches below the navel. This can be a brutal part of training, as the student must get lower and lower, use more power, more energy. The work will be worth it, however, for this is one of the crucial secrets of Karate, and of the martial arts.
