Ashi Sabaki -足さばき

Perhaps the most important aspect of Kumite is Ashi-Sabaki -足さばき (‘footwork’). It's the basics of Karate. Without good footwork you can't get better in Kumite.

The footwork, most commonly employed in Kumite, is generally Suri-Ashi - 摺り足, or rubbing feet ('sliding feet'). What this means is that your feet should rub along the floor as you go. Don't lift your feet off the floor, but slide them into some kind of shuffle step. Keep your toes down and avoid banging your heels on the floor. A thumping sound indicating incorrect footwork; A swishing sound of your feet rubbing the floor indicates proper footwork.

Within the KWF, the following forms of footwork, each with specific application, are widely used: Okuri Ashi - 送り足, Oi-Ashi - 追い足, Fumi-Ashi - 踏み足 and Kosa-Ashi - 交叉足.

The most common form is Okuri-Ashi (‘sending foot’), characterized by the fact that the feet remain in relative position together, at the beginning and end of each step. In the left Kumite no Kamae position, the right foot is slightly on the back of the left side with the heel slightly raised. Both feet are evenly distributed in parallel with the weight. Push the body forward with the right foot; left foot forward. Immediately bring the right foot to its position relative to the left, that is, something at the back ready for the next step if necessary. Okuri-Ashi is used to move forward and backward, as well as from left to right.		To cover long distances, Oi-Ashi is used and often combined with punches and kicks with the leading fist or the front leg. The movement begins with the back leg closing at the front leg and then the front leg is sliding.
Kosa-Ashi is used for a crossover, switch or crossing legs. This is not a fixed position, but only serves as a transition to another, or to get close to the opponent, because stability is not guaranteed during this period.		Fumi-Ashi means normal stepping, while Ayumi-Ashi translates to natural walking. Do not step with the feet, but walk with the body, applies to both (used to cover great distances quickly).

Tai sabaki - 体さばき is a Martial Arts term that translates to 'whole movement of the body'. It is about the controlled movement of the body and consists mainly of dodging an attack, such as a punch or kick, in such a way that the defender gets into a better position. It is a term that is widely used in and very important in Karate, Kendo, Taiki-ken and other Budo styles.

Ashi Sabaki	Footwork	Voetenwerk
Mae ni 前に	Forward	Naar voren
Ushiro ni 後ろに	Backward	Naar achteren
Migi ni Modoru 右に	Back to the right	Terug naar rechts
Migi Kōhō ni Modoru 後方右に	Back to right back	Terug naar rechts achteren
Yon-Juu-Go / Naname 四十五 / 斜め	45 / Diagonal	45 / Diagonaal
Ashi-Sabaki 足捌き	Footwork or foot movement	Voetwerk of voetbeweging (Ashi - 足: Voet of been)
Shiho Ashi-Sabaki 四足捌き	Shiho means four directions. On this assignment, we take a step forward, backwards, to the right and to the left respectively.	Shiho betekent vier richtingen. Op deze opdracht zetten we respectievelijk een stap voorwaarts, achteruit, naar rechts en naar links.
Tai-Sabaki 体捌き	Body movement, shifting or evading (Tai - 体: Body).	Beweging van het lichaam, verschuiven of ontduiken (Tai - 体: Lichaam).
Suri-Ashi 摺り足	The sliding movement in which all the footwork is performed.	De glijdende beweging waarin al het voetenwerk wordt uitgevoerd.
Fumi-Ashi 踏み足	Normal steps (Fumi: stepping).	Normaal stappen (Fumi: stappen).
Ayumi-Ashi 歩み足	Walking in a Budo-way, where the feet alternately slide one in front of the other along the floor (Ayumi: walk).	Wandelen op een Budo-manier, waar de voeten afwisselend de een voor de ander langs de vloer glijden (Ayumi: lopen).
Okuri-Ashi 送り足	Moving with the first leg, the rear leg closes gradually.	Bewegen met voorste been, het achterste been sluit geleidelijk aan.
Okuri-Ashi 送り足	Moving with the first leg, the rear leg closes gradually.	Bewegen met voorste been, het achterste been sluit geleidelijk aan.
Oi-Ashi 追い足	Steps where the rear foot first encounter with the front foot and then immediately the front foot slides forward.	Stappen waar de achterste been eerst aansluit met het voorste been en dan meteen het voorste been naar voren schuift.
Kosa-Ashi 交叉足	Steps where the rear foot first encounter with the front foot and then immediately the front foot slides forward.	Crossover stap, benen kruisen (kruisstap).
Hiraki-Ashi 開き足	Diagonal or sideways steps, movement to bypass an opponent and to deliver a response.	Diagonaal of zijwaarts stappen, beweging die u toelaat om een tegenstander te omzeilen en om een reactie te leveren.
Hiki-Ashi 引き足	Retreating leg, pull the front foot back, to the height of the back foot. To prevent an attack on the front leg.	Terugtrekkende been, trek het voorste been terug naar achteren, tot op hoogte van het achterste been. Om een aanval op het voorste been te voorkomen.
Mawari-Ashi 廻り足	Front or rear leg as a turning leg.	Voorste- of achterste been.
Jiku-Ashi 軸足	Turning leg.	Draaibeen.
Kaiten-Ashi 回転足	Step forward and turn with that leg (Turning - Mawatte).	Naar voren stappen en met dat been draaien (Draaien - Mawatte).
Renraku Waza 連絡技	Combination techniques in Kumite no Kamae (from Kihon to Kumite).	Combinatietechnieken in Kumite no Kamae (vanuit Kihon naar Kumite).
Renzoku Waza 連続技	Follow-up techniques linked to a logical way of moving (from Kihon to Kata).	Opvolgtechnieken gekoppeld aan een logische manier van bewegen (vanuit Kihon naar Kata).
Idō Geiko 移動稽古	Moving Kihon (Kyokushin).	Kihon in beweging (Kyokushin).