Happo Undo

Happo Undo

Happo Undo.
This is like Zengo Undo, only in eight directions. (So, make sure you've
tried that exercise first.) Happo Undo's a little confusing at first, but
it really helps to reinforce your feeling of one-point.
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How to do it.
Stand with your left foot forward and your arms at your sides. Have your
hips and shoulders square to the front. Smoothly move your hips forward,
throwing your arms into the air. Drop your arms back down to your sides.
Turn on the balls of your feet 180 degrees. Move your hips forward,
throwing your arms in the air.
Step with your left foot, 90 degrees to your left. Move your hips forward,
throwing your arms in the air.
Turn on the balls of your feet 180 degrees. Move your hips forward and
throw your arms in the air. (Viewed from overhead, you have now made a
plus sign.)
Step 45 degrees to your left. Do the hip-arm thing.
Turn on the balls of your feet 180 degrees. Do the hip-arm thing.
Step with your left foot, 90 degrees to your left. Do the hip-arm thing.
Turn on the balls of your feet 180 degrees. Do the hip-arm thing.
Turn on the balls of your feet, back to the front. Then (dare we say it?)
repeat steps 1 through 8 several times.
Tips.
When you do the 180 degree turns, there is no step. So if you're
standing with your left foot forward and you need to turn 180 degrees,
the only way to do it is by turning to your right. Turn to your left,
and you'll just get your legs all tangled.
More confusion. When you finish each 180 degree turn, you can take a
little step forward with the forward foot (otherwise known as a slide
step). This will help you to propel your hips and hands forward.
What's the point here? This exercise evolved from the idea of dealing
with an attacker coming from each of eight directions. The raising of
the arms is the beginning of a defense against an overhead attack.
So why are we doing it? Because it turns out that the only way to
maintain your balance and concentration thoughout this exercise is by
relaxing and keeping One- Point.
In each direction you turn, let your eyes settle on something out in
front of you - a speck on the wall, a tree branch that you see through
the window. This will help you to send your ki in each direction.
Don't just raise your arms; throw them up in the air with your hips.
Remember - don't try to incoprorate all of these tips at once. You're at
a disadvantage because you're reading these ideas. If you were in one of
our classes, we would just suggest one of these ideas, and let you work
on that. So see which one speaks to you the most, and work on that.
Remember to turn on the balls of your feet, not on your heels.
Feel big and confident as you do this exercise. Move with authority.
Don't work too hard. Relax your arms. You're only moving air.
Have a friend test your stability by gently pushing forward on the small
of your back after several of the turns.
Pay attention to your posture. Stand tall with your chest out. But don't
get stiff.
Enjoy yourself. This isn't a drill. It is meant to help you catch a good
feeling. Just move comfortably and catch a feeling of being connected to
your environment.