Before trying to step forward in zenkutsu dachi (front stance), be sure and understand the basic elements of the karate front stance and they are, weight distribution, length, width and height.
We are not going to cover front stance in this article, only stepping forward soto uke.
Starting with the left leg in front and the arms in the gedanbarai (downward block) position.
The first three points we cover in this article, should be performed at exactly the same time.
1.
Stretch the left arm forward, so the hand is directly in front of the left shoulder.
The left hand can be open, or closed into a fist, with the back of the hand facing up.
If the hand is open, stretch the fingers forward, keeping the wrist straight.
2.
Lift the right arm up and place behind the head on the right side of the body, without being to uncomfortable.
The right elbow should be level or higher than the right shoulder, keep the palm of the right fist facing away to the right of the body.
The forearm should be vertical with the right fist above the right elbow.
3.
Initiate the step by driving the left knee forward, the feeling should be as if someone is pulling you forward by your left arm.
Pull and push the right leg sharply forward, at the same time, there should be a strong feeling on the right side of the body, really try and push the right side of the body and leg forward.
Try and keep the same height throughout the step.
As you step forward with the right leg, at the half way point, bring the knees slightly inwards, keeping the feet travelling in a straight line, so as the body travels straight forward and not in, then out.
4.
From the half way point, the left leg drives the whole body forward.
Drive from the floor with the left leg, continue driving the right side of the body forward, but keep the arm positions.
5.
At the three quarter point, the arms start to move.
Throw the right blocking arm around and forward, at the same time, strongly pull the left hikite (pulling arm) back.
6.
Remember! As you step forward, you are also to a lesser degree, driving the left side of the body forward.
Just before you land in zenkutsu dachi, continue driving the right side of the body to the front, but sharply pull the left side of the body and hip back.
7.
Just as you land, finish the right arm block, complete the left hikite arm and the left and right side of the body should finish in the hanmi (side facing) position, with the head facing forward.
We covered the correct arm positions in the first article of this series, 'Soto Uke (outside Forearm Block) Part 1'.
Soto uke stepping Top Tips -Keep the whole movement smooth, start slowly and gradually work up to maximum speed.
-Keep the body relaxed throughout the step.
-Breathe in on the preparation and sharply out on the execution of the block.
-Hide your breathing.
-Make sure you step in a straight line.
There are different versions of this karate technique, so check with your karate sensei, before practicing.
Soto uke (outside forearm block) is one of the first karate moves practiced, when someone first attends karate classes.
There are advanced versions of this block, but described here is the basic version, that is practiced in many shotokan karate dojo.