PHOTO FRAME STANCE

A couple of months ago I was teaching a regular class (FURIN KARATE DOJO), the Sunday mixed class where the age range between students is about 40 years. As I remember I was preaching about the stances and their importance in KIHON (基本, basics) and KATA (型, forms) practices. My intention was to provide instructions that would deliver the following message: 

"The back leg plays an extremely important role in ZENKUTSU DACHI (前屈立, extended frontal stance) as well as in any other stance". 

While I was going over and over again and the class was moving from one wall of the DOJO (道場, practice hall) to another suddenly a little girl (7 years old) broke the puffing silence of the class:

"It is simple! It is like a photo frame..."

I, who always inspire my students and myself to visualize technics in order to understand them, who draws pictures and uses simple examples, was struck with a genius of the student and simplicity of her explanation! Indeed the stability of any DACHI (stance) could be explained as simple as the stability of the photo frame! So, I have decided to write this short article. I hope there is at least one KARATEKA (空手家, karate practitioner) in the World who will find it useful.

The frontal part of the body with both hips turned forward, towards the attack, looks like a frame when the back leg serves as a support to it and... very important, delivers the explosive push initiating the chain reaction to entire body (back leg heel → pelvis → hips → trunk (core) → shoulders → hands → arms) that is well explained by the famous mechanical model of Isaak Newton, known as the Newton Cradle (I am going to write separately on this matter later). And actually, this function of the supporting leg is even more important than just supporting.

As a result, back leg functions are, but not limited to:

• Support to the body where the front leg serves as a pivot;
• Delivery of explosive power to any technic.

Since then I successfully use the same "photo frame" visualization example when I am teaching the transition from  ASHI MAE SHIZENTAI DACHI (front leg natural stance) to ZENKUTSU DACHI (extended frontal stance), back and forward. Dropping the center of gravity and bringing it up works well when the "frame" stays where it is (pivot of the front leg) whilst the back leg is either sliding back and forward. By doing so one can maintain dominating and intimidating pressure on the opponent (my favorite "offensive defense" tactics) while changing the stances and managing center of gravity in his favor (potential energy ↔ kinetic energy).

ARM STIFFNESS

STIFFNESS. I do believe that most of us are struggling with this... habit (?) sometimes not even realizing what the issue is. 

The deal is still the same - I am helping you by highlighting the problem using myself as an example and I really hope and expect to hear back from you correcting me. Please constructively criticize me as much as possible! Especially if you disagree with the summary of the article.

As we've agreed before, the fist should be very solid. As solid as a... stone. Your fist is a so-called "end-effector". It is your "weapon of choice" (here we go - video :-) ) actually chosen by one for a particular purpose.

It is as good as any other weapon: SHUTO (the outer edge of your palm), HAITO (the inner edge of your palm), HIZA (knee), EN(M)PI (elbow), IPPON NUKITE (one finger) etc. but let's imagine for the next attack I have chosen a "closed fist". 

What was happening to me before was the following? I was trying to hit the target with such power and speed that I got stiff in shoulders, elbows, and forearms that in fact, it made my attack (technique) slower and weaker. We, the Westerners, are so focused on our shoulders! It is so macho-like to be wide in shoulders and carry your chest as if it was a wooden one. We are extremely stiff in the upper body because we believe that power comes from muscles of the upper torso mostly. Therefore we are trying to show this "power" out by even carrying ourselves through the posture. 

Now, I should talk more about visualization as lack of this skill was another issue I have highlighted to myself for improvement. Next time. But let's just say for now that every martial artist regardless of the art should be very skillful in visualization.

Visualize 2 following visualization scenarios then:

  1. There is a long stick with a stone attached to it. You are holding it and trying to hit a target with the stone fast and hard by either swinging the stick or poking it like with a spear.

  2. There is a long rope with a stone attached to it. You are holding it and trying to hit a target with the stone fast and hard by just wiping it.

In which case do you think you create more speed, more power and get less tired?? Visualize!

Yes, #2 is the winner. Now convert these simple and rather mechanically primitive examples into the complex one of your body, muscles, and ligaments. Do you see what I mean? In fact (and it took a lot of time to understand this idea and start using it regularity) the more relaxed your "rope" (arm) is the faster and more powerful the technique will be considering that you know how to make a fist and hold it as one piece tightening it at the very end of the punch for the impact.

The move is generated by hips as we all know. Hips create a "wave" (to be discussed in a separate post) and the wave is transferred into a whiplash motion to the arm (rope) that carries a heavy solid "stone" on its end.

Now, what is happening, at least to me, when I become stiff or how do I become stiff when it happens. I have noticed that when we are trying to deliver a strong punch first thing that comes to our mind is to make a very strong, nearly stressed, fist. We believe that only strong fist can deliver power. It is partially true. Indeed at the very last moment, we want to make a stone of the fist. But If the timing is wrong and we tense the fist earlier it leads to arm muscles becoming tense as well as the pressure in arm arteries rises, not even touching the Qi for simplicity. All this make the arm so stiff and heavy that in order to move it with the desired speed we have to employ shoulders and upper body. You can imagine that the speed is not the case anymore. On the other hand, if the tension moment happens at the very end of the motion and for a split second of actual contact with the attacked surface then the whole arm is most of the time is relaxed and free to move like a whip.

Advantages of the whip-motion:

• natural power 
• needs little preparation 
• virtually invisible 
• the only way one can move and commit completely in one direction and, without stopping or losing speed, reverse direction 
• size, weight and gender or person using it makes no difference 
• can be thrown from any angle, anywhere close to or far from the body without losing effectiveness or form 
• completely confusing to the opponent 
• seldom used or known 
• needs no particular state of emotional preparation compared to other strikes 
• the fastest way to generate the most power using any or all parts of the body 
• needs no previous conditioning of flesh or bone being used to hit 
• adds power to even the most rigidly used movement 
• can be adjusted while in flight or when totally committed to a move, to compensate for a change in the position or angle of the desired target

HELLO WORLD!

Just saying Hello World! I still find it very difficult to manage my personal time in a way that would allow me to continue this blog. This is why I am typing this message now: "I am alive and kicking!" :-)

Post Preface

Well, after my Preface article I had a couple of discussions and had myself some thoughts. It seems that we need to stop a little more on the Olympics saga. I will try to repeat my monologue I produce whilst discussing the matter with one of my brothers-in-arms so to say.

Why am I so disappointed with the karate World heading towards Olympics? Here is how I see the issue. By the way you do not have to agree with me.

In order to win competitions athletes need to follow the rules. Rules are made up in a way that allows to defend organizers and participants in case of injuries. Therefore all dangerous techniques are removed and prohibited. This approach is good and makes sense. Of course we do not want to have accidents at the competitions especially lethal ones which are quite possible considering the essence of the activity. So, what is the problem than? - you should ask. Well, the problem is in interpretation. As usual "lost in translation" case.

When coaches ( SENSEI is a wrong term when it comes to sport I believe) train their sportsmen for competitions they choose the best winning strategy for them meaning excluding prohibited techniques from the training agenda. Also they deliberately avoid "simple" KATA and choose the ones that impress public and the most important judges. What does it lead to? It leads to training sessions limited to KIZAMI and GYAKU TSUKI practice only, limiting practitioners from entire arsenal of truly efficient KARATE-DO techniques (remember they re removed from the competitions for the same reason?) and to practitioners choosing a very complicated KATA that they cannot fully understand but believe in making a perception.

Why coaches do that? Because winning medals gives them credibility for claiming their clubs (not DOJO) successful and from of the public (parents, kids and some adults) and more important in front of the local and national authorities. Both factors lead to financial success of the clubs: bigger crowd and financial support from the government.

Nothing new there. It was. Until now. Now there will be a competition between clubs for sport money from the state. There is a budget for the sport development if the sport is Olympic. And that is an ultimate goal of any sport oriented KARATE club. Now read above and guess what is going to happen with KARATE-DO in the next dozen of years. Nothing good from my point of view.

Ego (sport is driven by Ego and eager to win) is not what should be developed through true training. GICHIN FUNAKOSHI, the founder of SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO was against even KUIMTE (known fact). By the way he was not a member of any federation. Neither he was given any grade. My understanding of KARATE-DO is very simple and rather not exciting. The only purpose of practicing KARATE-DO is practicing KARATE-DO. This is supposed to be a life journey. And it is to make you a better person. Winning or loosing is far from its idea. Choose one-two KATA and make them your own through practice and through deep dive into meaning of each and every technique. No matter how simple and useless it might look. It doesn't matter how slow or fast your progress is. Neither your belt matters. Just practice!

Respect to those who practice KARATE-DO and good luck to those competing in KARATE!

DESIRE TO WRITE A BOOK

Why? Why another book, - one can ask. There are plenty of books on the subject already written by well-known masters and advanced practitioners. Well, why not?! Seriously, I believe that we, martial arts practitioners are responsible for the art. We have to preserve and develop it. We are meant to be adepts and guardians. We should protect the art and ensure its further development.

Art. There is a huge misunderstanding what this word means, not only in martial arts sense but also in general sense. What is art? Art is a set of skills that allows certain activity to be done on a very high if not the best level. Now cut all the cute words and leave the essence. What do we have? Set of skills! Thus when we say art in this text or anywhere else we are going to mean set of skills. If you are OK with this statement I will answer your next question. Why SHODAN? First of all you might know already that SHODAN means "first level". For example, KATA named HEIAN SHODAN suggests that this KATA is a first of level of all HEIAN KATA (five in total). Now I have SHODAN in karate-do that means that I have a black belt of the first level or degree. So, this book is written by a SHODAN karate-do practitioner (me) and for SHODAN karate-do practitioners mostly or anyone who is interested in personal development process in karate-do. Especially I believe it would be useful for advanced colour belt students and for first level black belt who is focused on the deep understanding of his own level.

http://karateandknowledge.blogspot.ie/p/karate-myint-kywe-soshiki-karate-school.html

Speaking about relaxation, it has been a long way since karate-do went on from very hard style based on the muscles and images of furious "samurai"-like people to the way of total relaxation and whip-like techniques. We are all familiar I hope with late master TETSUHIKO ASAI and his development of SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO. If not I strongly recommend to check the web. Master ASAI was one of few who could see the future for karate-do and who could pull modern SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO out from its stagnation. No wonder martial art practitioners criticize this style for its external, long, hard and stiff elements comparing to the others. Yes, this is how we received the knowledge back in 70s, how it was passed to us and how we passed it to others. We can go deep in discussion why and who but it is rather irrelevant. Sport direction of karate-do development ruined the DO part of it (the way) and made it purely a show. Many people argue that karate competitions is only a part of karate-do. Well, yes, that was the idea originally but look what has happened to the art and what is happening to it currently. By the rules of competitions and in order to ensure safety of competitors and of course to avoid any legal consequences all dangerous techniques are banned. Dangerous techniques! Basically the most efficient ones. Well, you say - nothing wrong with that. And I agree. But now let's go on the club level and coach level (called DOJO and SENSEI in karate-do). If coach wants his students to win next competitions he is coaching them on the techniques that are allowed by the rules and do not spend too much time if any on the other ones. Day by day, year by year and we have what we have - we have lost a list of the techniques once known as distinctive signatures of SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO. Here is a list just of some TSUKI WAZA (punch techniques):

• MAWASHI
• HAITO
• NAKADE
• TETSUI
• KAKUTO
• SERIUTO
• TORADE
• KUMADE
• HAIWAN

We can continue the list of TSUKI WAZA and then to write a new one for KERI WAZA (kick techniques). That is what we are doing to this martial art. We are removing skills from the set leaving only the basic ones. If you watch any training session or even a competition event you will notice that the technical arsenal went down up to 10 elements the most:

• KIZAMI TSUKI
• GYAKU TSUKI
• MAYA GERI
• MAWASHI GERI
• YOKO GERI
• USHIRO GERI
• URA MAWASHI GERI etc.

 http://shoko-sato.com/master-shoko-sato-kyoshi

An even worse picture is presented in the KATA. Practitioners trying to impress the judges and the public choose very complicated KATA and leave the "less interesting ones" unattended and forgotten. You want see many people choosing BASSAI DAI or even HEIAN for their competitions. Everyone is picking at least UNSU or NI JYU SHI HO KATA. People learn new KATA sequence and barely knowing it start learning "next one" driven by competitions and grading, by their Ego and "greed" for glory and success. We have lost understanding what success in KARATE-DO means. Masters of the past would study 1-3 KATA all their lives trying to go deeper in deeper in its understanding.

Anyway we can discuss my points of view and argue infinitely. It will not make us better KARATEKA though. I propose to stop talking and start thinking and practicing. 

KATA OPENING

OK, let's have a look. How are we taught the very first move of the KATA. Hold on! I am not talking about the defensive or offensive (depends how you see it) move with a certain technique everyone is (or at least should be) so focused on. I am talking about the move number Zero. The opening move or so called YOI position very often referred as Attention posture. In order to make it easier let's take HEIAN SHODAN for example and you will see later why the KATA doesn't really matter.

In MUSUBI DACHI (formal stance) perform REI (bow). MUSUBI DACHI is a stance were heels of the feet are touching each other and the feet are slightly out . That creates a triangle like foot-print and as we know triangle is the most stable geometrical figure. So, bowing forward should not be a problem. The problem comes immediately after and usually is overlooked by everyone as considered a non-KATA related movement.

So, how from MUSUBI DACHI one should transform into HACHIJI DACHI in order to start the KATA?

In many clubs, and I have been to many (!) one is instructed to step to the right and crossing hands in front of the body bring them into "ready" position shoulders wide and slightly forward. That's it. That's it?! Seriously.

I dug a bit dipper and found a possible (!) explanation in Tai Chi. By the way Tai Chi is the oldest of all known today martial arts. Karate is one of the youngest probably...

I leave the details until the actual movement.

1. Slowly and allow the entire body to float forward
2. Both elbows (currently on the hips after the bow) turn outward
3. The thumb and the index fingers still touch the hips on both sides of the body
4. The knees are slightly bent (bent is a wrong word - they are rather relaxed as well as the shoulders and the whole body in fact)
5. Shift your body weight to the left foot (pivot)
6. Slide the right foot (step out) to the side to the shoulders width whilst keeping you body straight and relaxed
7. Gradually move your weight to the right in order to balance the stance; pivoting inward on the right toe and allow right foot to turn outward slightly
8. Pivot on the left heel and bring left toe inward (heel stays out); the weight is on right side
9. Shift your weight to the left foot
10. Bring weight to balance on both feet and whilst doing all the steps above after step #2 rotate the arms inward and cross them in front of the body. At the step #9 when balancing the body open the hands returning them into "ready" position. Elbows bent, shoulders relaxed.

Of course the technique has many-many more details. But I decided to cut most of them in order to focus on the movement itself.

Let's discuss each step.

1. "Floating forward", is it to us, KARATEKA entirely foreign idea? Imagine you stand on the heels. How is your balance? Yes, one light pinch you are gone. Imagine you bring you body back... Same. SO, floating a bit forward whilst moving left/right is rather trying to keep that invisible triangle (left foot-right foot- natural gravity centre below belly button) in tact in order to keep balance. If you ever  tried to stand on your head you can imagine two hands acting as feet and forehead being a third point. Same idea.
2. Elbows rotating outward (wrapping inside). Rotating he arm from elbow to the wrist is a known KARATE sub-technique. Every punch or block involves rotation along the hand. This rotation is very important as its spinning momentum helps the technique. In this case it is a blocking technique that is touched in step #10. IN order to block a punch one rotates elbows outward and continues rotation of the forearm in order to create a deflection movement.
3. Until the block is actually happening the wrists are still at the hips maintaining the contact (energy) and pivot.
4. The knees are always in a slightly bent state acting as natural body springs and absorbers.
5. In order to move in any direction we, humans must shift the weight on one of the feet whilst moving another. It would be different if we had more contact points to the ground as animals do. Therefore before moving right leg out we need to free it from the weight we apply on it and thus shift to the left is a must. But be careful the shift shouldn't mean loss of the upright posture.
6. When I say slide I actually mean it. The foot should get right in a sneaky way practically being "invisible". See it as a fight for the territory. You take it with you feet first.
7. When the right foot has arrived to its new place pivot the foot in order to make your toes looking forward and not outside (not a "penguin stance").
8. Same on the other side now in order to reach balance and to ensure the feet are parallel meaning that the big toes are slightly forward by the way.
9. Once Left foot is turned balance the body.
10. All the steps above should be accompanied by the blocking movement that starts with elbows rotating outwards and forearms being spun along floating into the cross in front of the body and then returned to the sides.

This or similar sequence but with the same idea is applicable to any KATA. I have tried to slowly exaggerate and demo it in the video. In reality it is faster and smoother of course.

Maybe not the best video shot though. LOL!  Anyway try to do it this way when starting any KATA and you will feel the difference. I do.

MAKING A FIST

I have been helping teaching kids (and adults) and watching children (and adults!) I realized that step number #1 in karate, regardless of the style, school, dojo etc., should be actually a lesson of HOW TO MAKE A FIST.

About 4-5 years ago I went through a very dramatic self-revision of my karate and one of the fatal mistakes I had identified in my own karate was the actual fist formation. With a weak fist a punch will never be powerful enough. Makiwara is a good test for it and I am planning to write about it later.

So, what was the issue? Little finger was not tight enough and the thumb was not in the right place. It has been fixed since. I believe I need to review it again. Therefore I am asking for your help and advice regarding any issues my theory and my application currently has. 

Making a fist (as I see it) should be happening in the following sequence:

1. Open the palm

2. Bend all four fingers (no thumb included) to their base in a way that the highest level of tension is created by your little finger, yes the "pinky" :-) Stay focused on that one during the rest of the procedure.

3. Roll them further towards the base of the palm creating a fist with a thumb still pointing out.

4. Now bend your thumb in a way that it makes a latch preventing the first two fingers (index and middle) to get released from the tight hold.

The way I see it is if the pinky is not tight enough the whole fist will be weak and if the thumb is not in place creating a latch the elements of the fist will be disconnected. All these lead to a weak fist, potential injuries, impossible work on makiwara and punching the air as the only use of one's karate.

And of course all this is supposed to be done as one and very fast. So, the more you practice the better. Nothing new, right?! It has to become as hard as a stone. Test it on the even flat surface (I use wall). Do not hit it (why would you do it?) but rather just softly put your fist against the wall the way you punch and see how strong or weak your fist is. Now imagine when you hit an opponent who is approximately 90 kg and potentially moving towards you throwing his attack at you... Right? Your fist should be extremely strong and placed correctly to survive the impact and create some damage to the opponent. Considering the fact that it is weak in connection to your arm point anyway.

Please feel free to comment, advise, criticize and just give any input you wish. This blog is the right place for it. Thanks in advance. 

Ossu!