Use of Toes

[Dr.Rob]

Hey you could buy these to help?

http://www.toesox.com/
Here is the feature model

http://www.kathrynbudig.com/ checkout the press section for all the variations of photo's

[yusuf]

hey Rob

good point.. i use the rubber soled toe socks.. very cool

yusuf

[Ian]

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

[Frazetta]

yes. we literally grab the ground with our toes.

I've learned over time that the ground is grabbed lightly and in a relaxed manner to allow for a flexible root and soft power. If the toes are grabbing tightly, too much tension is being used and one can be uprooted, rocked, or lead away more easily. My 2 cents anyway.

[affa]

this came up on a recent tread about the calves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitigrade

digitigrade locomotion is faster and quieter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantigrade

but, as bipeds, humans have adapted to plantigrade...

in humans, the best of both worlds would seem to bear more of the balance weight on the ball-of-the-foot-little-triangle, but always keep some on the heel. all the benefits of a western boxing cross, with additional stability and power transfer through the heel.

i really learned how to open up my toes, little-triangle, heel, ankles and knees, by practicing silk reeling like this (balancing with my hands on a counter-top at first). note where the wolf's heel is... right at his calf

[BruceP]

Hey, Yusuf

Something I wrote in another thread some months back: "You may get a second or less to reference your orientation and determine a clear path of action, but that's about it"

In a sudden violent attack, people tend to do things much differently than what they train to do in their system/style/whatever. It's only when the training has departed from styles and systems that the truth of one's personal combat can be appreciated for what it is. People duck, shuck, dive and turtle when they're ambushed. I don't care how bad-ass we think we are, we will turn away when a sudden violent attack makes our perceptions go code red. Before we do anyhting else, we will do what comes naturally and spontaneously. Recovery from that response is the point of entry to our personal combat. Pre-emption allows us to forego that response phase by its very nature of our will becoming action, but we don't always have that luxury. Sometimes we can anticipate and counter someone's ambush because we know the routine - "hey, buddy, you got the time/a smoke/a light...." A predator usually knows his mark, though, so if someone has been approached, they're giving the pred the signals he's looking for. Anyway, the toes can be used to visually reference one's orientation in determining a course of action in such an ambush.

The first thing I do with folks who start training with me is to have them go through some drills so we can explore their affinities and natural responses to sudden attacks. After we've done a few of the drills, we have a pretty good understanding of how they'll move under pressure. It's that honesty which allows us to develop sound recovery methods. Depending on the type(s) of response we get to a few different attacks, we look at various movement chains and find out what fits them best. Find their feet and you'll know what to do without having to think about it.

There's an old saying; "forget what they say, watch their feet", or something like that. You can try it yourself and you'll immediately know what I'm babbling about here.

A three-legged stool never wobbles. The three-nails principle is something that is echoed in other martial systems. Its makes the body very adroit. Omar has talked about holding golden-rooster with eyes closed. If you practice stuff like that, the idea becomes self-evident very quickly.

If someone practices those two ideas, "The interchange of contact points with the opp. Recovery from compromised postures, angles and contact" is the natural result.

Bruce

[Chris McKinley]

But I don't think that material is an authentic part of any official form I know of, therefore it must not be valid for training.

[internalenthusiast]

great post, bruce, imo.

hi ian...tangentially, something i seem to remember from long ago: the claim/rumor at least, that one couldn't be drafted, if one was missing a big toe. and the claim/rumor that some people avoided it by shooting themselves in the foot. it was a long time ago, and i never bothered to try to verify these things.

but regardless, imagine trying to have full control over balance and propulsion of body mass, minus one of the "three nails."

well, here we go, an article i just looked up: http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... -toe-no-go

Even today, missing a big toe will disqualify an eager enlistee from the armed forces. The Department of Defense's medical standards require rejecting anyone with a "current absence of a foot or any portion thereof." Yet, doctors consider having nine toes a minor impairment that does little to keep soldiers, runners or walkers off their feet.

subjectively, though...it seems pretty important.

[BruceP]

But I don't think that material is an authentic part of any official form I know of, therefore it must not be valid for training

Well, it was the foundation of the tjq I learned - a fly can't land, and all that.