TAI SHO DARUMA (WARMUP) SEQUENCE

Bow in.
Attention - with the palm of each hand at the kidneys.

Feet

1. Inside edge – big toe down – small toes up.
2. Outside edge – big toe up – small toes down.
3. Heel up and turn outwards – lock up all leg muscles.
4. Up on toes to up on heels – control the balance and a sharp jerk backwards.

Ankles

1. Foot up and down – waving the toes up and down.
2. Twist foot out/in – big toe up and small toes down and reverse – keep ankle straight.
3. Circle foot each direction – complete and perfect circle woven by the toes.

Knees

1. Forward and back – palms on knees with elbow locked – keep balance.
2. Circles both ways – palms on knees with elbow locked – keep balance.

Long Stance – semi back, full front and modified long leg sitting stances.

1. Stretch and point foot & alternate – the two feet pointing outwards 45 degrees.
2. Stand up to a forward stance & alternate – two feet BOTH pointing SAME direction.
3. Toes up resting on a back heel of the foot and alternate.
4. No hands and move back and forth – buttocks touching the floor each time.

Waist

1. Feet apart & touch the floor 3 times – all the way down and all the way up.
2. Lean backwards palms of the hands at buttocks 3 times.
3. Feet together & touch the floor – all the way down and all the way up.
4. Lean backwards palm of the hands on the buttocks 3 times.
5. Karate drum exercise – twisting the waist arms loose.
6. High push over to the side with both palms (left guard/right high block & alternate).
7. High push over to the rear with both palms (left guard/right high block & alternate).
8. Throw hand over your shoulder, with palms to the floor – twisting.
9. Feet apart bend over back straight and scoop to the front/left/right – spine of tail bone to the top of head straight through to the arm to the wrist A STRAIGHT LINE.

Horse stance – A special section.

1. Shoulder stretching by pointing it forward towards the floor (pushing on knees & look over same with elbows LOCKED) –this twisting, stretching and articulation of the spine. The buttocks is sitting and with the tailbone MUST BE pointing downwards and outwards towards the floor. THIS IS A MUST -- VERY IMPOTANT.
2. Inhale, raised body up, chin in with eyes looking straight ahead (no arms supporting), then exhale with mouth open with the face and eyes looking toward the sky, while dropping into a low horse stance with the arms and elbows lock supporting the body. NOTE: Males and females – On inhale, lock “tanden” in horse stance (male- contract and pull testicles upwards. Females – contract reproductive “areas”.) Exhale, relax and drop all “areas.” Children under 14 and 15 years of age SHOULD NOT DO this exercise as well as the other “breathing” exercises.

Basic Stance (right foot forward Sanchin) Hands & arms

1. Work each finger of each hand – flexing in all directions.
2. Wrists (Flexing and bending in all directions – down, up, in, and outwards) – Both Hands.
3. Hands and arm twisting in combinations -- in and outwards alternating – Both sides.
4. Hold the wrist and a do a perfect circle the hand both ways – both hands.
5. Hold the elbow and a do a perfect circle the arm both ways – both arms.
6. Fingertips together pushing with both hand “spider” position – inhaling with inwards movements with pointing finger and thumb gentle touching solar plexus at the stop-lock breath, then outwards in a semi circle with middle finger pointing front and slightly downwards while exhaling and maintain pushing.
7. Open to basic arm position & open and close the hand both hands – Sanchin posture.
8. Slap hands together over head (elbows behind the ears) move up and down and out and in with breathing and locking of each breath.
9. Re-open to Sanchin arm position and open hands in chest block & then knife hand down block, then Sanchin “grab and pull in” and knife hand point with open hand. Breathing and locking sequences.
10. Basic step back twice with circle blocks.
11. Basic step back twice with circle blocks.

Open Stance

1. High back fist to side left then right -- vertical “U” shape arms, palms of fists facing ears -- breath coordination and arm alignment is a must! Short strike – max. effects.
2. High back fists to side -- together – maintain “U” shape arms and breathing.
3. Chest level (keep elbows pointing outwards) back fist to side left then right to face. FAST AS POSSIBLE with the FULL STOKE.
4. Chest level back fists to side same time.
5. Knife hands to side left then right -- throat level.
6. Knife hands to side same time (be careful of hand to “cut” at end of travel).
7. Two hands -- knife hands to side cut to throat, back of head block, front of head cut then hands to chest open hand done with breathing pattern.
8. Hands closed to fists elbows locked & go into arm swings forward and back – fast as possible.

Flexible horse exercises

1. Two hands straight up palms FACING the sky – alignment of arms locked and behind or with ears – spine is STRAIGHT and SRETCHED -- A MUST!
2. Two hands straight out to the front chest level – middle fingers perpendicular towards the sky (in all directions).
3. Two hands straight down 45 degrees the palms facing outwards -- middle fingers perpendicular (in all directions) to the earth (floor).
4. Two hands straight down with the palms facing parallel to the floor and the fingers pointing outwards – horse stance is all the way down with back straight – A MUST!
5. Combinations of two hands -- fingers thrusts/palms slam out/palms down with fingers pointing towards knees then grab and pull up and locked.

Neck

1. Attention, palms to kidneys.
2. Neck and head tilts side to side -- eyes fixed looking straight to the front at the horizon.
3. Neck twisting – looking behind you – left and right.
4. Neck rolls up & down (center/left /right).
5. Neck circles alternate –with eyes fixed looking at the horizon.

Floor work

1. Karate Push Up.
2. The Jump In and out.
3. The jump in and kick out.
4. The jump in and kick to 45 degrees and pull back in.
5. Relax.
6. Karate sit-up – keep elbows point OUTWARDS and OPENED -- Balance!
7. Toe to hands & hands to toes --Keep knees LOCK at all times.

Stretching

1. Sitting up with bottom of the feet touching- & tilt body forward, chest to the floor.
2. Both legs straight out & tilt body forward touch your toes and beyond – Stretch the spine at the same time.
3. Bring left foot into chest/lean over the knee then lean over the center.
4. Switch and do other side.
5. Legs into full Lotus position and lean over left/right/center.
6. Left leg out to side in ½ split & switch.
7. Full splits go to sides & center – at the center the abdominal, chest and face to the floor. Feet together & palms touching breathing in & out slowly.

Stand at attention and bow out.

The listing of the exercises were compiled by Mr. Philip Allain & Ms. Colleen Weber; Barrie, Ontario, Canada November 10, 2000