Heel or Toe?

DWx · Black Belt

When stepping (and I mean technically speaking, like for forms), do you place the heel down first or the toes/ball of the foot? and why?

Was just comparing my TKD training to what we learn in Tai Chi and TKD always always places the ball of the foot onto the ground first whereas in Tai Chi, we place the foot down heel first. In TKD we want to have that mobility so we can change direction or move away at a moments notice so we go ball of the foot first so we can pivot if we need to and can use that foot to push back and step again with the leg we just placed down. In Tai Chi we want to step empty (without weight) and test the ground first before moving onto that leg. Also when you walk normally we go heel-to-toe and we want to mimic that.

So what do you guys do and why?
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joesteph · Black Belt

Heel to toe when doing forms in Soo Bahk Do. It's as you observed, Danielle, more natural. My stance balance is definitely better, and I also studied Tai Chi in the past, so it may be in the back of my mind as well.
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Nevinyrral · Blue Belt

When I do katas in karate, sensei always tells me to step with the whole foot at once as I tend to step once with heel once with ball. So I go with other, becous I should go with whole foot
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Montana · Pre-Black Belt

Ball of the foot first. It gives you more "grip" to the floor than the heel and is a little harder to get swept. The heel has no "grip".
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The BB of C · Black Belt

I prefer the ball of the foot first. When doing forms in karate, very few times does the feet ever leave the ground. During my Korean forms, however, I've never really paid attention to how my foot was landing. Maybe I should figure that out.

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

We do ball of the foot, too, like you, Danielle. I think it does make for better change of direction, especially with all the moving between stances.
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Martial Walrus · Yellow Belt

I've always been taught that when transitioning/stepping between stances, whether in forms of during sparring, to never lift my feet any more than half an inch from the floor. It should be more of a slide than a step, since it is a waste of time and energy to lift them higher. Because of this, I have never really thought about what part of the foot I'm landing on. However, I always keep my weight on the balls of my feet, even when my heels are touching the floor. So I am more in favor of ball to heel.
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JusticeZero · Black Belt

Ball of the foot. The heel is high in the air a substantial portion of the time anyways. Plus it isn't a very functional part of the foot to begin with.

Heel-toe walking is an un-natural adaptation to people wearing half an inch of high impact foam rubber under their heels all the time. Learn to jog or hike barefoot - you need a different technique than with heavy shoes, which most people have trained away, and heel-striking will put you in the hospital with knee problems rather quickly. Barefoot movement is natural by definition.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

sensei8 · KF Sensei

Ball of foot!!

In Shindokan, the usages are vital in our ashi sabaki, footwork, as it accentuates our movements. Whenever we pivot, step through, moving, turning, step through and half-turn, as well as our step through and turn, we're on the ball of our foot through our transitions.

Good topic!!

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