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Jumbi Undō 07

1. Name of exercise

Ashikubi no undō – Ashikubi nobashite kaeshite futte
(Ankle exercise: instep, ball of the foot, and heel)

2. Romaji instruction

Hai, hidari ashi o nobashite.

Haisoku.
Chūsoku kaeshite.
Kakato kaeshite.

Yoku futte.

3. Counting

No fixed counting. The movement is performed on the instructor’s command.

4. Short description

From the position where the left knee is raised, the left leg is extended forward until it is almost straight. The body remains upright and balance is maintained on the supporting leg.

The foot then changes position in three steps:

  1. Haisoku – the foot points downward with the instep extended and the toes directed toward the floor.
  2. Chūsoku kaeshite – the toes are pulled backward to emphasize the ball of the foot.
  3. Kakato kaeshite – the foot is pulled back so that the heel moves forward.

After these positions, a series of quick shaking movements is performed where the entire lower leg shakes from the knee joint while balance is maintained on the supporting leg.

5. Purpose

The purpose of the exercise is to:

  • mobilize the ankle joint (ashikubi)
  • develop control over different foot positions used in kicks
  • improve flexibility in the muscles and tendons of the lower leg
  • train balance on the supporting leg
  • prepare the foot for dynamic kicking techniques

The exercise trains three important foot positions in Kyokushin:

  • Haisoku – the instep
  • Chūsoku – the ball of the foot, commonly used in mae geri
  • Kakato – the heel, used in techniques such as ushiro geri

The movement therefore acts as a transition between joint mobilization and technical preparation for kicks, which is characteristic of the structure of Jumbi Undō.

Comments

1. Romaji

The instruction hidari ashi o nobashite means “extend the left leg forward”.
The commands haisoku, chūsoku kaeshite, and kakato kaeshite describe different foot positions used in Kyokushin kicking techniques.

2. Terminology

Although the movement mainly mobilizes the ankle (ashikubi), the muscles and tendons of the lower leg are also activated through the alternation between the different foot positions.