Turning Analysis


Videos are roughly 2 mbs

 

Ryan

The way Ryan is practicing the turn motion is the best way to develop turning.  The bottom half does the normal turn but the body turns the maximum amount that it will allow you doing a full 180.  Now, analyzing Ryan's turn motion. #1) There are times more towards the end of him doing it, that he's not fully turning on the top, you want to make sure you do the full 180 and both shoulders are square from one side to another when doing the full turn motion.  #2) When Ryan shifts to his left or you can say camera right, there's too much of a gap between the lower body shift and the upper body catching up to the turn.  While the generally correct answer is that the body does move in sync, the technical detail is that there is a slight gap from lower to upper, but that gap should be kept to a minimal.  Overall Ryan maintains his center and has improved on his turn, key thing he needs to do is now speed it up faster.

Oscar

There are 3 joints involved when turning, the waist, knee and ankle.  All footwork is lead by the knee.  Now if you watch Oscar's turn, he's using the ankles to shift.  How can you see this, remember the G.I. Joe rule, that's where the toy itself has the pegs that you can put in the heel.  Now, look specifically at the location of where Oscar's heel is each time he turns.  See both of them are never at the same spot when he begins his turn.  The cure for this, involves some detail in how footwork is done.  There's an equal and opposite force required for in order for you to do any motion.  Footwork is no different, in order for you to take a regular step, its not just your lead foot stepping, but the base foot is helping act as a support for you to push.  This same theory applies when you turn as well, when you use the knees to lead the motion.  While the foot is perfectly flat, the weight is mainly supported by the heel, that's why all the turning is done with the heel motion.  Now using the ankles may look like Oscar's shifting, but he's simply just turning, but not maintaining his center.

Joe

3 things stick out watching Joe's turning motion. #1) More noticeable problem then with Ryan, too much of gap between the upper and lower body, more visibly scene when he shifts to his left side.  #2) His turning on the left side, watch his left foot as well, notice both feet are not parallel to one another, thus breaking the rules of staying shoulder with apart.  #3) He is in fact maintaining his center that's the good thing, what he need to do is speed it up even faster then what he's doing to get the full exercise.  Overall the mechanical turn is actually pretty good, and just minor fixes to it.

 

Letroy

Now I had Letroy and a couple handful punch and shift, but the main thing I was looking for is the shift.  But, since its on video, I'll bitch at everything.  Starting quickly with just the punch, the punch if you look at both hands are not punching towards the center and Letroy's got the A-team aim, punching everywhere.  Main thing also he's punching to high.   But, not to worry Letroy that's all simple correction.  Now to the turning, you've got the same problem like Oscar, but yours is even more exaggerated.  If you can run an imaginary line right behind your head, you'll notice that each time you shift, it would look like a tennis game of  you head moving back and forth through this line.  The center at all times is maintain at the shift, so if you take a pen and hold it at Letroy's mother line once he begins the turn, you'll see perfectly what I mean.  Maintain also ankle turning, and the turn involves the ball of the foot, which is a no no, instead of using the heel which should be staying perfectly in place.

Jim

Keep in mind Jim just started, but not bad for just starting. But let's nit pick a little and hopefully everyone can see how to improve.  Before you start turning  you need to make sure you have your center. And, simply looking at Jim's stance its to narrow, his feet should be further apart.  Remember turning involves moving your body while maintaining your center, if you don't have your center what are you turning?  Now, its good  that Jim has punch and turn in sync, however, the turning motion should be used to launch out the punch.  So, basically you want it to the point where the body does everything for you.  The discus thrower in the Olympics spins around to generate more power to throw the disc.   Your not turning just for the sake of turning, but allowing the body to generate the power behind the punch.  I might have to show this in video format so you can visually see the differnce.

Damien

Okay, let's point out certain things in Damien's turn. #1) Watch his head and watch his punch, notice his head first how his center is swaying back and forth, its pretty minimal, but if you get the eye to look for it, you can see it clearly.  What you have then is a slight weight shift.   Also, not controlling his center when he turns, notice his right hand punch is off center again.  But I believe in his regular punch without the turn he was throwing his right punch off center as well.  Now looking at his stance, his knees are to relaxed.  When you open up your YGKYM, you turn your knees slightly inward to sink the center.  Notice now his knees, while they are in fact bent, his turn motion has lost a little of the center.  The knee position you open up with YGKYM, is maintained the same even when you turn or do any other footwork.    Also, don't interpret what I'm saying to mean to sink further, but to be aware of the knee turned inward to allow you to sink your center.    I believe right now, no one is utilizing the turn to throw out the punch, so this is something we'll work on once everyone gets to level 1 of just turning in itself.   Now on a good note, and mind you all the things I mentioned are easy fixes, look at his heel, totally in placed, that's probably the harder thing to be aware of and Damien is doing it correctly.

 

 

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