Koshi Hojo Undo - The Mirror

There are many ways you can use a mirror to help you in your training.

Here are some obvious ones:

• Watch yourself perform a kata or a specific move or moves from a kata
  
• Watch yourself perform a punch, kick, block or other technique
• Watch yourself do a stance or move from stance to stance

The key is to use the mirror to your best advantage. Watch yourself as you perform each of these things in the following ways:

• The normal way you do it
  
• Fast
  
• Powerful
  
• Slow, relaxed, graceful
  

Now try some additional ideas...

1. Do the technique in very slow motion. Focus on each particular point throughout the range of motion. What is your center doing? How do the movements of your arms connect with the motion of you waist? Is your koshi compressed? Are your lats compressed? Do you feel a connection between your koshi and your arms via your lats? Are the lines of your body arches or angles? Which is stronger? Are you relaxed, yet dynamically compressed? Do your hands only tighten at the point of Kime or are they tight throughout? Is your stance strong yet ready to move in any direction at any time? Are all the parts of your body moving in unison.
   
2. Do the technique really fast this time. Do you find your techniques getting less precise? Can you go fast and still feel connected? Ask yourself the same questions as #1 above. How is your performance of the movement different this time?
3. Try again this time with as much power as possible. Where does the power come from? Are you using your whole body to make the power? How is the technique different from #1 and #2.

These are just some ideas. Come up with your own and let the mirror be your teacher.