Jumbi Undō 06¶

1. Name of exercise¶

Hiza age mawashi
(Knee and ankle rotation)

2. Romaji instruction¶

Hai, hidari hiza o agete mawashite.

Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi.

Hantai.

Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi.

3. Translation¶

Raise the left knee and rotate.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Opposite direction.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

4. Counting¶

Ichi – Ni – San – Shi – Go – Roku – Shichi – Hachi

Hantai

Ichi – Ni – San – Shi – Go – Roku – Shichi – Hachi

5. Short description¶

The practitioner stands upright with the hands at the sides of the belt. The left foot remains forward from the previous movement.

On the instructor’s command, the left knee is lifted in front of the body. The thigh stays raised while the lower leg hangs relaxed.

From this position, circular rotations of the lower leg and foot are performed. The knee remains lifted while the lower leg and foot trace a circular motion, which simultaneously mobilizes the ankle.

The movement is performed in two directions:

First the lower leg and foot rotate outward in a circular motion.
Then the command hantai is given, and the circle is performed in the opposite direction.

Throughout the exercise the knee remains lifted and the upper body stable. The supporting leg remains slightly bent to maintain balance.

6. Purpose¶

The purpose of the exercise is to:

mobilize the knee joint before kicks and movements
activate the stabilizing muscles of the ankle
improve balance and control on one supporting leg
prepare the body for techniques where the leg is lifted, such as mae geri and mawashi geri
reduce the risk of strain in the knee and ankle during training

In Kyokushin terminology, different parts of the leg and foot are clearly distinguished, such as hiza (knee) and ashikubi (ankle).

This exercise therefore acts as a transition between the initial foot mobilization and the more dynamic leg movements that follow later in Jumbi Undō.

Comments¶

1. Romaji

The instruction hidari hiza o agete mawashite means “raise the left knee and rotate.” In many dojos the instruction is shortened, but this form is clearer for documentation.

2. Terminology

Although the rotation occurs through the lower leg, both the knee and ankle are mobilized, which justifies the description “knee and ankle rotation.”