Hiza o tsukete mawashi
Jumbi Undō 09¶
1. Name of exercise¶
Hiza o tsukete mawashi undō
(Knee rotation exercise)
2. Romaji instruction¶
Hai, hiza o mawashite.
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku.
Hantai.
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku.
3. Translation¶
Rotate the knees.
One, two, three, four, five, six.
Opposite direction.
One, two, three, four, five, six.
4. Counting¶
Ichi – Ni – San – Shi – Go – Roku
Hantai
Ichi – Ni – San – Shi – Go – Roku
5. Short description¶
The practitioner stands with the feet relatively close together and bends the knees slightly forward. The hands are placed on the knees, right hand on the right knee and left hand on the left knee.
From this position the knees rotate together in a circular motion. The movement is gently guided by the hands so that the knees move in a smooth circle forward and to the sides.
The rotation is performed six times in one direction while the body remains slightly inclined forward and the weight is distributed evenly on both feet.
After six rotations the command hantai is given, and the same circular movement is performed six times in the opposite direction.
The movement should be controlled and relatively small, focusing on mobilizing the knee joint rather than creating large movements.
6. Purpose¶
The purpose of the exercise is to:
- increase mobility in the knee joint and its supporting structures
- activate the muscles around the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves
- improve joint lubrication through circular motion
- prepare the knees for deeper bending and explosive movements
In the Kyokushin warm-up structure this exercise naturally follows the kusshin movement. After the knee joint has been activated through bending and extension, circular mobilization is introduced to improve stability and control before more dynamic movements later in training.
Comments¶
1. Romaji
The instruction hiza o mawashite literally means “rotate the knees.”
2. Terminology
The word mawashi (回し) is commonly used in Japanese budō terminology to describe circular or rotational movements.