Hip movement

– Hip movement –

In this chapter, it is explained how the hip movement works in this Taekwondo style. The practical implementation of this is found on the implementation page (button IMP). The hip movement works simultaneously with the counter-movement and with the extension of a leg to provide power to a technique.

The biomechanics behind this is in; Background Biomechanics.

Taekwon-do with the ‘chang-hun style’ has, over time, employed three ways of generating power for techniques:

  1. From the shoulder harness, with long stances and large arm movements of both the counter and technique arm.
  2. With a ‘hip insert’, using shorter stances and techniques (often referred to as traditional Taekwon-do).
  3. Move the body up and down (the sine wave) with a static upper body.

The hip insertion (2) is the style that I practice and which I will elaborate on below.

The principle

The hip insertion works as follows:

  1. At the start of the technique, the hip moves slightly back from the starting point.
  2. During the execution of the technique, the hip moves in the same direction as the technique, thereby supporting this technique.
  3. At the point of contact with the technique, the hip returns to the starting point, allowing the generated energy to flow back.

The hip insertion is made after a position has been assumed. During the movement toward that position, the hip insertion can be prepared.

Applying force in a technique is primarily a matter of giving speed to the technique. In (bio) mechanics (Newton’s law): power = force x speed. The force and the speed must have the same direction. To accelerate an arm or a leg, the whole body participates to ensure that at the point of contact the speed is at its highest. Fluidity and muscle speed work together in this process. The hip engagement supports this and connects the arms and legs, but the counter-movement also plays an important role.

With the hip insertion, a technique begins from the center of the body. It is applied in all techniques. Arm techniques have two methods: rotation and tilting. This will be elaborated on below. Leg techniques each have their own execution, which will be addressed in the elaboration of the leg techniques.

Working with the hip insertion is working with the Ki of the body. ‘Ki’ is regarded in the East as the vital energy of a person. The center of Ki is the Hara, which is concentrated around the navel. From here, movements are initiated in many traditional Eastern martial arts. Martial arts such as Aikido, Tai-chi, and Wushu train to use as little muscle strength as possible. Taekwondo, with the hip insertion, works with this Ki and relaxed, powerful arms/legs. Ultimately, the whole body works together, resulting in a fast and powerful technique.

The principle of hip insertion is the same for all techniques, but the execution to achieve this differs. The next page ‘implementation’ explains this using the techniques from Do-San Tul (in which all variations occur):

Result

‘…….. the proof of the pudding’ in martial arts is the breaking test: using an arm or leg technique to break an object in half by striking, stabbing, or kicking. No matter which style you practice, ultimately everyone will aim to break the object from a rotation originating from the center of your body.