FUKYUGATA ICHI

This rainy Sunday morning I practised FUKYUGATA ICHI. Amongst other  important points, descriptions and explanations relevant to this kata I highlight for myself and my students a very simple tactical idea of its combinations.

In order to enter the fortress, one must open its gates first.

From a strategical point of view, we are trying to produce a successful attack in the anterior of the opponent. And the chosen tactics is to open (destroy) his defence first.

All combinations in this kata allow us to open opponent on one level and attack on another.

Simplified:

GEDAN UKE (GEDAN TETSUI UCHI) → CHUDAN TSUKI

GEDAN UKE (GEDAN TETSUI UCHI) → JODAN UKE (JODAN HIJI ATE UCHI)

JODAN UKE (JODAN HIJIATE UCHI) → GYAKU TSUKI

GEDAN UKE (GEDAN TETSUI UCHI) → JODAN TSUKI

NEW DARUMA DOLL

Beginning of the year comes with a new wish.

I want to video record all Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu kata I am practicing and to publish them here, in my blog and in YouTube. 

Now when I finally made a wish I am going to write it on paper.

I have asked my students to do the same.

What is your wish?!

BACK HEEL

Let's agree on the following statements first: 

• Energy is an invisible substance that could be either saved or transmitted to another object
• Energy exists in two states, either potential or kinetic
• Every motion and transition could be described as a wave.

I realize of course taht these are very vague definitions as well as drawing energy flows with lines for example but they should be sufficient for the purpose of this article and actually make it easier for me at least to understand the subject. We are not going to discuss the physics laws and matematical formulas here. There are loads of resources for those who is interested. 

What I would like to discuss here though is how to make a karate technic in efficient way  producing maximum energy with minimal effort (utimate goal of many martial artists); and what the key elements of the technic are. Let it be a "simple" punch, CHOKU-TSUKI (直突き, straight punch) for instance. 

Let's focus on the energy.

Newton Cradle is an amazing model to experiment with energy transfoirmations. In two words this model demostrates Potential to Kinetic Enrgies transition and passing momentum. When a ball is pulled up we "create" Potential Eergy. Once it is released and falls - Kinetic. The thing is that in the ideal conditions this would become a perpetuum mobile but in reality there are forces that contradict and absorb some energy during the transforamtion.

Anyway as we can observe it is not the last ball that produces energy; it serves for the energy  delivery mostly, from the fist to the target. It makes me visualize the punch differently. Here are some interesting points to keep in mind:

1. Potential Energy to be created first. Yes, basically someone has to pull the ball up first in order to create a momentium for the last one. 

The ignition of the movement is given by a little "explosion" inside the center of the body, so called gravity center or HARA (腹), TANDEN, DANTIAN (丹田) etc. Certain parts of the brain responsible for intention and commitmnent  stimulate muscles to produce a "car piston effect". I imagine a car piston-like environment that releases energy as a result of explosion inside, that "lifts the ball" creating a potential. And the lifting process itself is described by passing this energy from hand to the ball or in our case from the explosion in the center to the heel of the back leg. Now there is an amount of potential energy generated, although for short time only (natural losses). The systems is set for the action.

2. Next step is to transform Potential Energy to Kinetic. And the back leg together with the foot are playing crucial role in this process. Excatly the same way the "ball was lifted" it will be released. The exact same way the energy generated from the body center to the heel it will come back but... 

• If the heel is connected to the floor the momentum, the wave, will be bounced back with the same phase (this is why the timing has to be correct) and with minimal losses leading to the Constructive Interference and as a result making the amplitude doubled and energy - quadrupled accordingly.
• In case, if the heel is disconnected from the floor the energy will be mostly dispersed as there would be no bouncing effect and no wave constructive intereference... or if the timing is incorrect the system can even work agaibnst itself (shifted or opposite phase) leading to the Destructive Interference canceling the wave and killing the energy at all. This is why I am focused so much on keeping the heel down during my practice at least for KIHON (基本, fundamentals) and KATA ( 型, form) practice.

Let's stay positive and imagine that the energy was passed the best way and got quadroupled. Then what? What happens to the generated wave?

3. Then we come to the moment when the energy was successfully transferred from Potential to Kinetic and the ball flies down (or through the same channel, the leg comes back to the hips area). 

4. Once it hits the second ball the chain reaction has started and based on the principle of conservation of momentum and energy the amount of energy generated above through the chain of balls will be transmitted to the last ball, the end effector and in our case to the punching wrist. 

I deliberately avoided going deep in physics and tried to keep an imagination working for myself rather than formulas. I believe that visualization in Martial Arts is the key. So, formulas are left aside. Sorry. 😉

Of course the entire system is not static like the Newton Cradle and there are extra momentums added (i.e. push of the back leg, hips rotation, shoulder and elbow extentions etc.) making the pounch even more efficient but on their own, without the energy generated of the back heel they are nothing but physical attempts to use muscles only.

And since we are talking about muscles we should make anoher observation, and a very important one. 

The famous Newton Cradle, is just a model. Due to the natural losses the movement cannot be 100% efficient and eventually stops. In order to reduce those negative forces (such as friction, for example) the balls are hanging on the elastic light ropes! Elasticity (my sensei's favorite word!) is the factor that makes the losses much smaller and allows free motion of the balls. How does it apply to the muscles? Here you go. In order to produce the most efficient punch (technic), assuming that the generation and transition of the energies went smoothly one's muscles should be relaxed like those ropes allowing the energy, the wave, to pass through with as less resistance as possible. And only at the end whe the enrgy is to be transferred to the target the KIME comes in, and for a split second only only (subject for another discussion later). So, ideal model of the punch in this case would be a whip that becomes a hard or sharp (depending on the technic) stone for a split second of the contact only. 

- Confidence leads to Relaxation

- Relaxation leads to Speed

- Speed is Power...

- Power leads to Confidence.

Try to keep your heel down during KIHON or KATA practice and keep your hands relaxed making them hard for a spolit moment of the impact only. Let me know if it worlks for you as it does for me. Have fun!Just observe other acitivties that involved the same musculoskeletal chain! 

Of course the heel is not staying down all the time but it serves its purpose when needed. Timing is important.

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!