Whole Foot

Balance, unbalance, changing directions, striking at the appropriate time, etc., stems from many things but today I want to talk about the fundamentals of “the whole foot.” 

So much relies on our feet. Stances, positioning, transitions, etc., all rely on how we use our feet. I hear how pivoting on the heel has this or that benefit while pivoting on the ball of the foot contributes to this or that. Particulars are fine and we learn a great deal from that kind of atomistic teaching, learning and practice. 

What are the fundamental principle of the whole foot? Basics are, “The whole foot in contact with the Earth results in solid steps and is anchors the body to pieces of the Earth. If you shift to the heels it tells your hind brain, the lizard, your about to hesitate. If you are poised on the ball of your feet that tells your hind brain, the lizard, you are about to run.”

That is it. You can speak up that this is not the fundamentals of using the feet in martial arts but we are not talking about the martial arts, fighting, self-defense or even combatives but how nature interprets the use of the foot or feet instinctively. What matters is understanding this aspect then training, practicing and applying said training and practice toward applications involving martial arts. 

It is then about learning the fundamental principles of martial systems. It is a basic of the fundamentals that allows for greater understanding of what needs to work and what needs to be changed with repetitive realistic learning, training, practice and application. Look at it like the art of joint manipulation, knowing the basics of how the body or part of the body works and does not work along with applying proper principles in the application of a manipulation teaches you how it works and how to make for effective and efficient applications. If you don’t know how an adversaries joints, etc. are positioned in a conflict along with your bodies relation to that position to take maximum advantage in applying the manipulation then you are in trouble. 

Understanding how the whole foot works fundamentally regarding the hind brain, the lizard, helps you to understand all the movements, positions and applications involving foot or feet positions, placements and movements to maximize applying the fundamental principles of martial systems to your style. 

Does pivoting on the heel actually move you forward or backward away from the target? How does that small movement change how your posture, structure and stability for the application of technique in the physiokinetic process? Is there a combination of heel vs. ball of foot for both or left or right foot movement and placement that will provide some advantage or as in principles allow us to lengthen our lines in relation to an adversary? Does the “slap step” become less effective if your lead foot drops down on its heel or on the ball of the foot or flat foot slap? Does the power remain the same regardless of which of the three placements are used in the slap step? 

All kinds of questions arise when you atomistically reach for understanding of knowledge as long as you can put it together into one holistic wholehearted application trained into or encoded as such that it is instinctive overriding natures instinctive responses to conflict. (phew, a mouthful there)

Click for Large View