Much has been said about the requirements of the lead foot as it steps around the circle, but I would like to alert practitioners to consider the base foot that has already been placed. In my own training, I have found it much more difficult to get a satisfactory sensation in the base leg than the stepping leg. While the stepping foot may be responsible for positioning & mobility, it is the base foot that is responsible for rooting and a smooth, even transition of one's bodyweight; it is the base leg that bears the greatest strain from turning low & the largest joint strain from turning a tight circle.
That both feet are continuously switching roles adds to the difficulty of turning, yet it is harder still to coordinate both legs cleanly such that their transitions are even, smooth, fluid, unforced, yet stable, steady, rooted & heavy. (While this quality of turning is the result of coordinating both legs, I still find the base leg to be the most critical to the effort, for it is responsible for the weight of the body, the transition of that weight as well as the lion-share of joint twisting necessary to carry the body around the circle, and therefore, it is essentially responsible for the coordination of the body with the feet).
Saber turning accentuates the aforesaid difficulties due to the awkward weight added to the extremity of an upper limb; for this reason, while saber turning offers its own benefits, it might not be the best training method for one focusing on footwork in turning.
- Eric
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