suwari waza

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[tim evans]

I just started doing this tonight any tips I have been doing chris heins taiso drills to build up my flexibility and core but still I,m moving like a rock. any tips.:straightf

[Ryan Seznee]

The best tip is to practice. As far as I know, there is no secret and no shortcut. Try doing laps around your dojo before class.

[jss]

Try doing laps around your dojo before class.
But build up slowly. Lots of practice is the only way to improve, but your knees are not used to this! Immediately doing a few laps before class every class will improve your suwari waza quickly, but mess up your knees at about the same speed. (A bit of damage every time adds up to a lot of damage in the long run. Stop practicing before your knees start to hurt.)

And relax your lower back. And remember it's not that different from normal walking.

[ninjaqutie]

I agree with the others. Practice. You will find it gets easier over time. One day it just sort of clicked for me and I got it. Now, going backwards... THAT I still haven't got. :)

[James Edwards]

You could also try to condition your quadriceps as well as practising shikko. Just remember to place your knees slowly as well rather than slamming them down when doing shikko. Then try doing irimi-tenkan and such on suwariwaza.

Slowly but surely you'll improve. Happy training!

[Ryan Seznee]

I agree with the others. Practice. You will find it gets easier over time. One day it just sort of clicked for me and I got it. Now, going backwards... THAT I still haven't got. :)

I do know a trick that helped me going backwards. Envision a pole coming out of your bellybutton that is attached to the wall. When you move, move your arms like you are using that pole to push yourself back. This visualization is to focus yourself on getting your hips involved, and makes going backwards easier (at least for me).

[RED]

The best tip is to practice. As far as I know, there is no secret and no shortcut. Try doing laps around your dojo before class.

i like you

[ruthmc]

I just started doing this tonight any tips I have been doing chris heins taiso drills to build up my flexibility and core but still I,m moving like a rock. any tips.:straightf

Hi Tim,

Work on your flexibility every day as that's what stops most folk from getting on with knee work!

If you'd been kneeling and moving around on your knees since childhood, you'd already have that flexibility. If you haven't, it will have to be developed, which takes time.

Work particularly on the ankles and feet, and build up slowly.

You'll get there!

Ruth

[ramenboy]

great exercise:

start from standing, slowly lower yourself to seiza, keeping your back straight; good kamae. then slowly, tuck the toes, slowly rise to standing again, keeping the back straight, good kamae.

do maybe 10-15.

great for building up the quads, balance and ankles and toes

then do a couple of laps of shikko

have fun with it :P