四股 Shiko

Shiko is the most basic and essential of Basic Sumou exercises.

It develops Power in Ashikoshi and is the key to doing Power Sumou.

<center><a href="imeiji/shiko.mpg"><img border="0" src="imeiji/shiko.jpg">
Shiko demonstration movie</a></center>

From a standing position, you spread your legs, wider than shoulder-width, and bring your hips down in a deep squat, with knees facing outside.

From this position, shift your center of gravity to the left, while hips are still down, and begin raising the right leg up. In a controlled fashion, lift the right leg, and extend both knees, of the leg being lifted and of the leg you're standing on. In this position pause for two seconds.

It doesn't matter very much how high you lift your leg, what matters is that you straighten the knees and maintain balance, not hop on the leg you're standing on.

Then lower the right leg into its original place and squat down into the same deep squat.

This counts as one repetition.

Now do the same, except to the other side, i.e. shift the center of gravity to the right, while hips are still down, and begin raising the left leg up...

This counts as a second repetition.

Count the repetitions out alound:

Ichi - pronounced "itch".
Ni - pronounced with a spanish ñ as "ñi".
San - pronounced "sun".
Shi - pronounced "shi".
Go - pronounced "go".
Roku - pronounced "rock", with an English "o" sound, not American.
Shichi - pronounced "shitch".
Hachi - pronounced "hutch".
Kyuu - pronounced "cue".
Juu - pronounced "jew".

Each practice participant counts from 1 to 10, then the next one counts, and so on. The final 10 repetitions, all participants count together.

You should do 200 Shiko in a practice session.