Koshi o motte mawashi
Jumbi Undō 10¶
1. Name of exercise¶
Koshi mawashi undō
(Hip rotation exercise)
2. Romaji instruction¶
Hai, obi no yoko o motte.
Koshi o ōkiku mawashite.
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku.
Hantai.
Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku.
3. Translation¶
Hold the sides of the belt.
Rotate the hips in a large circle.
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 slightly wider than shoulder width. The hands are placed on the sides of the belt (obi no yoko) or on the hips to stabilize the upper body.
From this position the hips rotate in a large circular motion. The pelvis moves forward, to the side, backward and back to the starting position, forming a smooth circle.
The movement is performed six times in the same direction, with the hips moving in a controlled circular motion while the upper body follows naturally.
After six rotations the command hantai is given, and the same movement is performed six times in the opposite direction.
The feet remain firmly on the floor and the knees stay slightly bent to allow free movement in the hip joint.
6. Purpose¶
The purpose of the exercise is to:
- increase mobility in the hip joint and pelvis
- activate muscles in the hips, lower back, and core
- improve the body's ability to transfer power between lower and upper body
- prepare the body for kicks, footwork, and rotational movements
In the Kyokushin warm-up structure this exercise follows the mobilization of the ankles and knees. Activating the hips completes the fundamental movement chain foot → knee → hip, which is essential for stability in stances and effective power generation in techniques.
Comments¶
1. Romaji
The instruction obi no yoko o motte literally means “hold the sides of the belt.” This is commonly used in dojo instructions to stabilize the upper body during hip rotation.
2. Terminology
The term koshi (腰) refers to the hip or pelvic area and is central in Japanese budō terminology when describing body mechanics and power generation.