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Vol. Vol. 21 21 No. No. 8 8 May May 2008 2008
Training with the Makiwara The Time Honoured The Time Honoured Way to Develop Fight-Ending Power
The 3 K’s of Karate Kata Kihon Kumite
Kata Kihon Kumite
Lee Batchelor “I Vowed, No One Would Ever Attack me Again!”
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06 I VOWED, NO ONE WOULD EVER ATTACK ME AGAIN!!! After being attacked Lee Batchelor took up Martial Arts after being almost killed!
16 THE 3K’S OF KARATE
pg.34
Kata, Kihon and Kumite
22 THE 30 WOMAN KUMITE ‘Training and Grading in the hardest test of my life!’
30 THE BENEFITS OF WEIGHT SHIFT By Alan Campbell 5th Dan JKS
34 MAKIWARA TRAINING The time honoured way to develop fight-ending power
12 THE POWER OF THE MIND Do you want to be a winner or a loser?
14 YOKO GERI KEAGE ‘The new generation’
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ENGLIS H KARA TE FED ERATIO N CHAM PS THE WA Y OF S ANCHIN KATA PART 6
So what does it ta ke appropri ate categ to hold a success ful comp ories to e spectator etition? S ncourage support a uitable ve large pa mongst o nue, goo rticipatio ther thing d organis n, minim s... ation, qu um grad e to ensu ality refe rees, re high st andard a nd This is th e eighth of severa karate. T l articles his materi investiga al Applicati ting Sanc on of Pow consists of excerp hin Ka ts of vari er by Kri Sanchin ous sectio ta, its origin and s Wilder. Kata and applicati ns from th The goal making th on to tra eb of e knowle ditional dge of th these articles is to ook The Way of Sanchin e past m il lu strate som Kata: The asters rele e of the m vant and ethods of meaning train ful for mo dern kara ing teka. In part 1 we introd uc In Part 2 we looke ed some of the c oncepts a d at the techniqu oyo (the nd thoug e may be applicati ht process , it can st cope wit on of the ill easily h all of th movemen es involved in bu go wron e likely sc in Japan nkai (the t). In part g and we n enarios th ese). analysis 2w eed a pla at may h of kata). n B - actu e noted that, how appen. ever goo a In this th da ird part w lly we need quit e a few p e look at lan B’s to the varia tions (ca lled henk “Every p a art of eve ry self-prote movemen ction and t in every more. Ea kata hold with the ch o ope s a valua ble lesso enjoy a sh n questioning attit f these lessons ne n in the d ed to be ude of ‘w ining glim evelopme learned, hat if’? O pse of th nt of pra then und nly then e true po gm erstood a can we e tential th nd then e atic combat for xperience ey hold.” xpanded the tradit positively ional form s fully an This is an d come to update o n karate just celeb internatio rated his nal Jame 18 Ince, Gre s Steadm g Wallac th birthday. He’s an (1st d won man e, Steven an). y titles ov Brame an er the last James trains at m d myself y dojo ev at the Da few years ery week genham and train and he h Honbu. s with sq as uad coac It’s that ti h es Dean me of ye ar again draws ev when the er closer. days are Ide morning getting lo in Cumbri ally, we should a nger; the ll be outs a, I find an eagerl sun ide enjoy myself do y awaited ing the w begins to shine b n n in seminar g m ri y eather w d ogi on the use hilst it last ghter and the ‘pro and appli once more and h s but inst eading d cation of ead, on a mise’ of summer own to a the forea sunny to rea local Chu rms in ka rch Hall in Saturday rate. d t h e se art Egremon copy o t for icl f
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i Vowed, No One
Would EVER Attack Me Again!!!
After Being Attacked Lee Batchelor Took Up
M a r tial Ar ts After Being Almost Killed! CHANGE. NOT GDOM ARE UNDERGOING A KIN ED IT UN E TH IN TS AR MARTIAL L APPROACH ADOPTING THE PROFESSIONA PLE PEO RE MO G EIN SE WE ONLY ARE ARE COMING TO S, REALITY-BASED SYSTEMS SE MI PRE N OW EIR TH G RIN AND SECU EY WISH (OR PLE ARE REALISING THAT TH PEO RE MO D AN RE MO D AN THE FORE HER IT’S KARATEEM OF MARTIAL ART, WHET ST SY N OW EIR TH SE VI DE ) HAVE TO W’. O-BASED OR ‘COMPLETELY NE ND WO EK TA D, SE BA FU G BASED,KUN Lee Batchelor is one of these innovators and, after moving away from his previous style of Sankukai, created Sankujitsu.
me, my friends or my family again and walk away unpunished! From the outset I was never dedicated to a ‘traditional style’. My motivation was self protection and that was what I intended to learn. Sankujitsu became a mix of techniques from various systems. I picked-up things from Wing-Chun that helped me and they’re included in the Sankujitsu system. Techniques such as the low-level shin kicks we practice an incredibly powerful technique and one that’s difficult to defend against. The taking down of an attackers ‘guard’ to move into grappling range, both came from Wing-Chun.
Full Name: Lee John Batchelor Age: 37 two Length Training: 10 years karate, . that to ious years of boxing prev Instructor: Currently, there isn’t one ) directly. Sensei Ray Jardine (6th Dan . way own its t wen retired and the club ra Cob of ber The club is now a mem Martial Arts Association. Grade: 3rd Dan g Style(s) Studied: boxing (2yrs), Win te kara ai kok Shu , Chun (casual training) yr), (1 te kara yu (41/2 yrs), Wado-R I think it’s important to at least have a Sankukai Karate (4yrs). look at other systems, if you dismiss them then at least you’ve taken the H ow did yo u get into martial art s ? time to do some research but there is I became the victim of an attack about always something to learn from every12 years ago. Pursuit of a martial art thing - maybe even a lesson about was a product of need to protect one’s self! myself. We’ve all had a beating in our time haven’t we? School playgrounds, Sankujitsu became a system of my etc. But getting to A&E to be told that I own making that I feel suits me. It’s a was about 1/2 inch away from loosing ‘toolbox’ that’s taken into a fight, it’s an eye (after being kicked in the face) not ‘sport’ based. The student will take rang alarm bells in my head. At that each technique and adapt moment to point I knew what I had to do. I vowed moment. Use kicks at kicking range, to myself that nobody will ever attack use punches at punching range and 6 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
close the gap to move in with knees, elbows & head buts. I’ve heard many people say over the years ‘what’s the best martial art’? The truth is, there isn’t one but yet it’s all of them. An individual will pick what suits their needs. I personally, have a lot of respect for Wing-Chun but it’s not a path that I went down. I don’t know why, it just wasn’t ‘me’. Boxing, then karate, that’s how I got into martial arts! Following my attack in 1995 I took my ripped leather jacket to a shop in Poole (Dallori leathers) to be repaired. The proprietor (Malcolm) upon seeing my injured face and torn jacket struck up a conversation about ‘what happened...’. It transpired that he also had a boxing club which I subsequently went along to. About two years later Malcolm had been offered an ABA coach position at a stable too far away for me too able to travel to. At the same time I met a chap at work called John Watson who was a black-belt in karate. John and I got talking about the technical differences between karate and boxing.
We ended up having a sparing match. No sooner as I squared up and threw a punch I found myself on the floor! It made me realise that as much I enjoyed the boxing, maybe it wasn’t the answer that I had been looking for. The following Tuesday I was at a karate club! A chap called Steve Cherrett was an incredible help and inspiration to me at the karate club. He ‘sold’ Shukokai to me. I think I owe a lot particularly to him, his brother Neil and a young lad, Matthew Gerson. We’ve all since moved onto different things. I created my own system with the faith of my new students! I’ve always found myself questioning techniques and their effectiveness. I think generally speaking it was like a huge ‘penny dropping’ in my head and maybe a feeling that I had been somehow held back. When I opened my own club I remember speaking to the students on our opening night whereby I explained that there was going to be a lot of changes - all for the better. I had all their backing and trust. I couldn’t let them down. They put their faith in me to teach techniques that would be functional and I listened to their constructive comments. We’ve all got our own opinions and it’s only right that people respect that when voicing their differences.
Pinan Shodan Pinan Nidan P i n a n Sa n d a n Pinan Yondan Pinan Godan Annanko B a ss ai Dai Seienchin N i Pa - p o The ones that I kept always were my old favourites. Probably down to a bunkai point of view. I think kata that has particular abstract moves/bunkai tends to be less popular. Matsukazi and Enpi were dropped, again probably down to a bunkai perspective. Most of the [remaining] kata had alterations made to them. I swapped the last set-of-four movements/techniques of Pinan Shodan with the respective ending of Pinan Nidan as I felt that Pinan Shodan’s ending was too technical as a first kata. The biggest change was to Pinan Yondan which has since become students’ favourite kata. I decided what techniques to keep and which to drop and pressure tested the techniques within the new system?
I think I and particularly the senior students were all thinking on a similar wavelength. Generally speaking, techniques that I believed by their very own nature were ‘flawed’ were changed in a way to make them functional. If you read my profile on the club website (www.sankujitsu.co.uk) you’ll see the paragraph that states that I don’t just dictate to do a technique one specific way, I demonstrate why and if ‘you do it this way, this is the effect’. Punching in Sankujitsu is performed with the fist in the tate-zuki [vertical] position. I demonstrated this one by having a relatively new student punch an impact pad with his fist in various positions [tate-zuki, seiken-zuki (horizontal fist) and nannamaken (diagonal fist)], as it struck the pad. The holder of the pad had their eyes closed so they couldn’t see which technique was impacting the pad. The ‘pad holder’ then gave us verbal feedback of how heavy each punch felt when it struck the pad. Tatezuki came out as being the favourite in terms of power and functionality.
Sankujitsu was born primarily from what I had learnt during my training in Sankukai & Shukokai, and since its roots are based firmly in those styles it made sense to keep that Japanese link. The style name came from the fact that I noticed Jean Frenette had replaced the ‘kai’ suffix of Sankukai with ‘do’ and subsequently named his style Sankudo. Consequently, the name Sankujitsu, in a similar vein, just naturally manifested itself. What else could I train in - It would feel so alien! Again, the style is karate based. The gi is the natural attire of karateka. To me, it’s important to keep tradition. Some people could argue that Sankujitsu isn’t a ‘traditional’ style, but then what really is tradition? Teaching the origins of the art isn’t it? As long as I explain that I’ve developed the style, how and where from, then there’ll always be that tradition connection. The kata I retained are; WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 7
Another example was the Jodan-uke [rising block]. I tell the students to have their elbow low to make a sharp angle on the block. Again this one was pressure tested. I got a student to push down the blocking arm of another student that had their arm in the finishing position of Jodan-uke. With the forearm of the block in a more horizontal position it was possible to force the arm down relatively easily. With the elbow lower and the forearm at a sharper angle the arm wasn’t pushed down but instead the student’s upper body was made to become ‘rotated’ because the connection in the shoulder was so strong! Why self defence techniques are important! I have set self-defence routines. The collar grab from behind is a favourite of mine. I say to my students ‘never meet fire with fire’. An example: imagine Tori grabs Uke in a strangle hold. Uke then naturally proceeds to copy and also puts the partner into a strangle. Who
wins? My bet would be on the guy that put the first strangle on. One of my students, ‘Martin’ who is as you can imagine as a ‘manual worker’, is a particularly strong chap. I often demonstrate techniques on him. If he grabs me, boy do I know about it! Typically defences for grabs are aimed at pressure points. I emphasize not to go for the grabbing hand. It’s the limbs that aren’t occupied that pose the real threat. Quite typically when I teach a selfdefence application it would start off with a compliant partner just to practice the routine in its purest form. We then add on ‘what if...’ scenarios and then things get really interesting. I encourage students to experiment with the routine and see what we come up with. It’s important to remember that if someone with true intent grabs you then getting them off is going to be an absolute nightmare. Remember though, there’s plenty of techniques available to make your attacker relax their grip! Of course the flip side of the coin is your training partner knows pretty much what you know, and knows what’s coming so can prepare. The average street thug tends not to be martial art trained and would become quickly overwhelmed not just by a student’s/defender’s knowledge and training, but the ability of a martial artist to switch between techniques as the situation unfolded. The funny thing is at 5’ 9” I’m [all but one] the shortest adult in the club! Most of my students are bigger and taller than I am. I think it motivates the students when they see a smaller guy demonstrating effectively against his 6’ 2” ‘attacker’ and of course making it work. I think the self-defence depart-
8 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
ment is where you find out if your sensei really is worth his salt. You’ll always get a student that’s a ‘handful’ and the question is ‘can the instructor hosting the demonstration adapt quick enough’? One key to this is when we practice this sort of thing I always point out not to struggle with the opponent, You’ll find as you force them in one direction and they resist then that force can be switched, change direction/technique and use their force as an assistance and continue to take them the direction they’re trying to go. I suppose the only real pressure test of physical martial art skills is to be placed in a situation where you’re suddenly forced to rely on what you’ve been taught/trained. A couple of my students work in security and of the occasions when they’ve had to depend upon what I’ve taught them it has proven to have been effective. Sankujitsu is based around basic practicality and effectiveness! Basic techniques within Sankujitsu are typically taught and practiced in front stance, as I believe that it’s a strong and functional position. The stance has great flexibility when done properly with weight forward onto the balls of the foot ready for a fast manoeuvre or of course to drop as needed for heavy punching. The stance works well for kicking techniques too. Again, this is something that was evolving years ago. When I went to the Sankukai club I was made an instructor within about three weeks. I found inconsistencies in their syllabus and subsequently re-wrote it for them. When I set up my own club in March the syllabus was finalised - and endorsed by the CMAA.
Facing negativity! I was anxious about what I thought people and importantly the students would think. I think that by this time the students knew me and trusted me. Students still appraise me for what we’ve done. Andrew Morrell, the president of Cobra Martial Arts Association has helped me immensely with the launch of my own style ‘Sankujitsu’.Ultimately it’s probably down to the individual, their background and what they believe that they understand. They’ll either ‘make it’ or fall flat on their face... I’ve known a few clubs close within a year of starting out. Remember that martial arts even just sixty years ago weren’t as popular as they are today. Words like ‘karate’, ‘ju jitsu’, ‘judo’ and ‘kung fu’ were virtually unheard of to the western world even in the 1940’s. Maybe to some extent they were encouraged. New ‘names’ seem to be springing up everywhere these days but then to find out that they are just ‘political breakaways’ from ‘this’ style or ‘that’ style. I’d say to anyone looking for a ‘martial art’ must ask the instructor the quirks of their style. Ask them why they ‘punch like that’ and ‘kick in that way’. Society has changed and is changing constantly. It’s quite obvious that ‘Queensbury rules’ is out of the window! Instructors need to realise this and think seriously about what and how they teach. A fight isn’t ‘fisty-cuffs outside’ any more it’s become a dangerous battleground where your life really is threatened! Your attacker won’t stop until you’re lying in a pool of blood! A cynical view one might say, but believe me it’s true! The most important element about any martial art is effectiveness! The main physical elements in Sankujitsu are power and effectiveness. Fitness and flexibility will follow in time. Take for instance, something as basic as a punch. Everyone who walks into the dojo will automatically assume that their punch is reasonably effective, until they hit an impact pad... For example the way I teach a punch is initially through slowly extend the arm, keeping the elbow rubbing the
side of the body as it moves and then pushing on the impact pad by dropping the weight down rather than projecting forward. The next step is to speed it up whilst maintaining that ‘push’ on the end. Hip and shoulder position are important as they affect the end result. What the student ends up with is a punching technique that lands heavy. I feel I need to concentrate specifically on the dynamics of the human body. Students need to understand which way human bodies bend, and of course, don’t bend. The technique I learned in Wing-Chun for taking down someone’s guard. Something as small as pushing the hands of the opponent ‘across’ or ‘diagonally across’ rather than just downwards can have a massive difference. Not just in the technique itself but what happens to the stance and posture of the opponent. Arms along with of course other limbs and body parts are stronger in certain directions and weaker in others. Students need to know the human Achilles heels. I say to anyone, the whole thing is more of a science, not just a martial art. Who said you have to be big to hit hard! I’ve met and trained with people of sorts of different shapes and sizes and all I can say is never judge a book by its cover! High body mass can be an incredible tool in techniques such as pins but if the student has no experience or poor training then the whole thing will be a waste of time. I’ve seen all sorts of strange things in my time. Imagine a slightly built 5’ 7” greenbelt taking a 6’ 4” 3rd Dan to the floor, and holding him there... An amazing sight! Where I’d like to be! I’d like to see the style of Sankujitsu proliferate. In time I’ll help my students to have their own clubs. Obviously I won’t push them or try and make them believe they’re capable of something before they are ready. I know my students and I know their capabilities. I have students helping me with the running of the class but I don’t give them something that they can’t do. I’d say, in terms of time, in about five years I expect to have at least one or
two additional clubs being run by my aspiring students. There are of course some who don’t have the inclination or time, which to me is equally fine. Martial arts effectiveness really is all subjective. Ask someone that does well in competition if they feel what they do is effective. They’ll reply “of course! I’ve got this medal for this and that medal for that”. Then ask them if they’d be any good as a doorman or how they would deal with some violent 18 stone drunk drugged-up psycho with forearms like Popeye wielding a broken bottle... Then ask the question to a doorman of how he thinks he’d fair in a semi-contact point-scoring sparring competition [remember to point out to him that he could be disqualified for ‘excessive contact’]... Lets face it why do people initially go to a martial art school? To learn self defence isn’t it? I teach my students awareness and a massive skill set to deal with these situations. I teach my students a variation from sparing techniques to joint locks, throws, head buts and ground fighting. With regards to competition - my students aren’t the fastest kickers or punchers but believe me I’ve taken a few clouts off of them and they’re all trained to go in with knees and elbows! I’d like to see martial arts have more backing from local councils or maybe the government but that in itself could be an admission of loss of control. How many times do we hear on the news that yet someone else has become the victim of yet another attack? I think with society such as it is the practice of a martial art is becoming more of a necessity. Ask yourself “am I prepared to become another statistic?”
Favourite Film: Kelly’s Heroes, slap the and dies stick comedy - ‘The Goo Beanstalk’, Austin Powers. ks Favourite Book: I enjoy reading boo and ry histo ural about Astronomy, Nat pretty much anything science related. Favourite Colour: Blue Favourite Food: Kebab Favourite Music: As much as my favourite band is AC/DC I do also enjoy classical. Favourite Technique: Elbow strikes
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The Power of
The Mind Do You Want to be a Winner or a Loser?
W
hat exactly does it take to be a winner rather than a loser? What are the vital differences that separate the karate champions from those that just never seem to make it? It obviously takes countless hours of physical training and hard work. However, it is always possible for someone with sufficient dedication to train as physically hard as the champions. At the top levels in karate, it can be the psychological factors that separate the winners from the losers and the elite from the non-elite. So what are the psychological factors that make up the winner’s edge? There have been a number of studies conducted to determine the difference between successful and unsuccessful athletes. These offer several interesting conclusions for the karateka who wishes to use psychological training to improve their performance. The following is a summary of several studies undertaken by sports psychologists to determine the psychological differences between successful and unsuccessful athletes. The key findings were: Winning athletes had higher levels of self-confidence. Confidence, or more specifically self-confidence, can be thought of as having a belief and optimism in your ability to perform well. A psychological study of over 700 athletes from 23 sports concluded that elite performers had higher and more stable levels of self-confidence than non-elite athletes. Further research indicates that when in stressful situations, individuals low in self-confidence will tend to give up more readily and experience greater anxiety. The winning athletes believed in themselves more than the less successful athletes. Linked to the area of self-confidence is self-belief. Recent psychological research with elite international athletes into ‘mental toughness’ concluded that having an unshakeable belief in your ability to achieve your competition goals was the most important attribute of the mentally tough performer.
one reason only - it works. Mental rehearsal is a very powerful performance enhancement method. Psychological research demonstrates that mental rehearsal combined with physical practice is more a more effective method of performance enhancement than physical practice alone. Winning athletes used more positive self-talk than less successful athletes. A survey of winning and losing gymnasts concluded that one of the differentiating factors was that the winning gymnasts made far more use of positive self-talk than the losing athletes. As simple as it may sound, talking positively to your self is a powerful method of performance enhancement. Winning athletes were less anxious before and during competition than less successful athletes. Surveys of winning athletes demonstrate that no only do they accept that competition anxiety is inevitable, they believe that they can cope with it. In addition there is evidence that many elite athletes thrive on the pressure of competition and believe it brings out the best in them. Winning athletes controlled their anxiety better than less successful athletes. Winners are able to employ a variety of techniques to manage their state and how they are feeling. These abilities make it possible for them to control their anxiety and prevent it from interfering with their performance. Winning athletes had a higher ability to rebound from mistakes than less successful athletes. Surveys of elite athletes indicate reported that they did not believe that anyone’s rise to the top is completely smooth, and that there will always be set backs along the way. They also reported using these setbacks as a way of increasing their determination to succeed. By modelling the beliefs and psychological training practice of elite athletes, the wise karateka will be able to develop their winner’s edge and achieve champion status. Readers of Traditional Karate can obtain a free information pack on ‘The Vital Elements of Psychological Training’ by emailing their name and full postal address to Info@GetTheWinnersEdge.com. Please include ‘Traditional Karate: Psychological Training Information Pack’ in the subject line of your email. Alternatively, please write to: Simon Hazeldine, ‘The Winner’s Edge’, 1 Dexter Close, Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 8EH.
Winning athletes had better levels of concentration and were less likely to be distracted than less successful athletes. Loss of concentration can impair performance and maintaining concentration can be a problem for some individuals. Concentration is about focusing the mind upon one thing, often to the exclusion of others. It is vitally important to have the ability to focus attention on whatever is important. Winning athletes made more use of mental rehearsal and positive mental imagery than less successful athletes. Almost 100% of Olympic athletes surveyed by sports psychologist reported using mental rehearsal. Elite athletes use this technique for one reason and WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 13
Scott Langley Yoko Geri Keage ‘The New Generation’
M
y first memory of learning yoko geri keage (side snap kick) was being paired up with a friend of mine, hand in hand, facing each other, kicking each other under the armpit. Since that time I have been in many classes where the instructor has taught yoko geri keage. Each time the explanation has been different. Some feel that it is merely a fast, snapping kick which can be used to attack under opponent’s chins and armpits. Others believe it could be used to knock a knife out of the hands of an attacker! And others resign themselves to the impracticality of the kick in any situation.
In the early ‘90’s I was exposed to a different way of doing yoko geri keage. Kagawa sensei and then Aramoto sensei taught extensively during that time throughout the UK and during their lessons many of the attending karate-ka’s side kicks were changed forever. I then moved to Japan in the summer of 1997 and for five years trained at the hombu dojo in Tokyo. During my time at normal training and then subsequently on the instructor’s course, this “new” way of doing keage was Yoko 1
drilled home. At the time I thought it was radical and revolutionary, however, over time I came to understand that this was they way that side kick has been done for many, many years... Unfortunately, in the west many karate-ka are still performing keage as if they wanted to kick someone under the chin. As I see it the problem with yoko geri keage, as many people do it, is that they do not use their hips, so consequently the direction of one’s power only goes upwards. If we use mae geri keage as a comparison, we can see that if we do not use the hips in a fast, forward snapping action, then the power of the kick will go upwards, not forward to the target, therefore, losing distance and power. This is a mistake often made by beginners, where the lack of hip movement forward prevents the foot from penetrating the target. In fact most kicks in Shotokan karate derive their power from either the snapping of the hips or the thrusting of the hips. Therefore, why should yoko geri keage be any different? However, I have observed many people do yoko geri keage without the use of the hips. They rely on a sharp knee lift, followed by a fast snapping action of the leg upwards, with the foot kicking at a 45 degree angle. This type of kick, although very fast and aesthetically pleasing, lacks power and distance and would not be effective. Therefore, in order to make yoko geri keage effective, it is imperative to use the hips. The idea is quite straightforward, however, as many people have long been used to doing the kick without hip use, they often find the change difficult. Nevertheless, it is worth persevering. The principle of using the hips in yoko geri keage is very similar to the hip movement in mawashi geri. In mawashi geri if one was kicking with the right leg, at the moment of kime, the right side hip would be snapped forward then back with the snapping action of the foot/leg, yoko geri keage is exactly the same. If one was kicking with yoko geri keage to the side with the right leg, the supporting left leg must always remain relaxed and slightly bent, (as the supporting leg helps us to rotate and push the hips) with the supporting foot facing forward. As one pulls the right leg up to ready position (photo Yoko 1), so the knee is facing to the side (to the target), one must allow the right side hip to rotate backwards, with a similar feeling to hanme position in zenkutsu dachi. As the foot is released in a fast snapping action, keep the right side hip back (photo Yoko 2) until the very end of the kick and then release the hip in a snapping action (photo Yoko 3 a or Yoko 3 b), forward then back again (like hanme - shomen - hanme in zenkutsu dachi and the hip snap in mawashi geri). Like all snap kicks the hip movement in yoko geri keage must be left until the very end of the technique to gain maximum power and distance. The key to maximising the power of this kick is to synchronise the hip movement with the push of the supporting leg. As mentioned before the supporting leg must remain relaxed and bent throughout the kick. However at the moment of kime the leg must be used to push the body into the direction of the target, thus generating penetration power. At the same time one must rotate the hip so that they push - snap the foot further forward into the target.
14 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
Yoko 2
Yoko 3a
If these two things are done simultaneously then a line of power is formed from the ground into the target. (The term line of power is used to describe the principle which is fundamental to all karate techniques, whereby one’s foundations - stance - uses the floor to push the power into the target in a direct line. For example, in oie zuki the back leg pushes straight, so pushing the hips and the punching arm straight to target in one line of power from the ground to the target). If this is done successfully one’s power no longer travels upwards, but instead travels forward. (If you would like to check this have someone hold a football and attempt to kick it with yoko geri keage. If the ball goes upwards you are kicking with the top of the foot and doing it wrong. If the ball travels horizontally in the direction of the line of power, then you are kicking with the side of the foot or heel and doing it right).
Yoko 3b
This way of doing yoko geri keage also enables the power of the kick to travel along the leg and out of the heel like yoko geri kekomi, making the foot kick at a horizontal position rather than at 45 degrees, as many people do when not using their hips. With practice yoko geri keage can become a very powerful technique, with the speed of mae geri keage and the power of yoko geri kekomi. It is important to master the synchronisation between the snapping hip movement and the push off the supporting leg and, with practice, it can be incorporated within the shotokan arsenal, rather than being designated the impractical task of kicking knives out of attackers’ hands. Email contact: scott@thejks.com Website: www.thejks.com
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WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 15
The 3 K’s of Karate
Kata Kihon Kumite
Basics) Kihon (Basics) & Kihon Ido (Moving
TWO FRIENDS NVERSATION I HAD WITH I WAS INTRIGUED BY A CO A SHODAN (NOW NG IN SHOTOKAN. ONE IS NI AI TR TE RA KA EIR TH G REGARDIN R WAS A SHOTOKAN AINING IN GOJU) THE OTHE TR D AN US TH WI D TE IA AFFIL RATE KAI). IN CK BELT IN DKK (DAIGAKU KA BLA A W NO D AN LT BE N OW G. I WAS BR CTISED ‘FREE STYLE’ SPARRIN PRA N TE OF EY TH LD TO S CHATTING I WA IS WAS THEIR KING, I WAS TOLD THAT TH AS ON D, AN S WA IS TH AT S UNSURE WH E STEP SPARRING WHICH HA RE TH OF T LO A DO EY TH E THOUGH ACTUAL SPARRING, SINC STYLE’ IS THEIR SPARRING, EE ‘FR SO . ED RIB SC PRE RY E THEY DO. ITS PLACE BUT IS VE RESPECT TO EVERYTHING ELS IN TY TI EN TE RA PA SE A BE IT SEEMS TO In Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate (Daigaku Karate Kai), there needs to be a coherent connection between all facets of training - Kihon, Kata and Kumite. Kihon (Basics, Kihon Ido - Moving Basics) plays a very important function in starting off the karateka in the basic movements, muscle structures and weapons that can be utilised. This can be further developed in the learning of new techniques, working and understanding body mechanics, strength work and endurance.
explanation, but is built upon as pro gression is made using and understanding stances and basics. ★ External mechanisms can be lear nt through such structures (Stances - Dachi) Such as utilising ‘Zenkutsu dachi’ (Forward Leaning Stance) as part of a throw e.g. Tai Otoshi or using the same stance, using the front knee to break, sma sh or trap an opponent’s leg. Or that Sanchin dac hi can be used as ‘part’ of a fighting stance. All stan ces have these external mechanisms.
Kihon (Ido) works on a number of levels. Many people perceive this as walking up and down the dojo without ★ The traditional stances can be see any reality connection; this notion is from those out n as transitional stances that are ‘hit’ for a split sec side of karate and those that are practising. Kihon is ond whilst moving into something else. Either as pull actually a process for practitioners to understand: ing, driving or dropping (Neko Ashi Dachi, Zenkuts u and Shiko develop Dachi) whilst utilising the skills alre releasing power to to ad ady le learnt. n ca re tu ★ How struc Obviously one wouldn’t fight in suc h correct body ug ro th i), ch h i/ stan (k ces for er explosive pow long periods of time, i.e. if an atta an internal mecha as en se be d ck ul occ co urred one seen extermechanics. This wouldn’t lunge into Zenkutsu throwin that aren’t always ts en g out em a Gyaku ov m l al de nism, (sm Tsuki and then hold that position. al mechanisms inclu rn te ex How of eve es r if one pl am nally). Ex understands the principles involved ents’ to generate em ov m p hi in ig Kih on ‘b of g external bein structure, drive, speed, power and movements such as ’ le sib vi ‘in r le timi al ng then hite floor to power, but the sm ting Zenkutsu Dachi for a split second t or pushing into th en m ce la usin sp g the di t e gh iv ei os pl slight w correct mechanics will enable cross to generate this ex n tio ac re exte e nso sit r and po op ed et get equal myotatic stretches to take place. (The stood or misinterpr er nd isu m n te se of term e s power, that ar describe tonic contraction of the mus echanisms. m al rn te in e ar cles t’ in as ‘hip movemen response to a stretching force, due to stim ulation of of ns io muscle proprioceptors. Also called e four basic direct th w, lo al dee sw p tend k, on sin ls of ★ Float, spit, reflex, stretch reflex), d the fundamenta an e as le re gy er movement, en four criteria ttles Form). These Ba (3 ta Ka n hi nc Sa hin it involves ★ They are vehicles for practis ing techniques that can ng and within Sanc ni ea m er id w a have On a basic lead u. into oj the G abo an ve w poi nts, na ki O our the embodiment of w, is to understand lo al sw k, sin it, sp level ‘float, nt. To be able ★ To understand tensions and rele that of our oppone ases within the d an re tu uc str n ow t etc - spit. To body whilst also strengthening the oo sh , ch un f-p of e body, such as in to lift - float. To fir w - to avoid lo ‘Sh al iko sw dac hi’. to This d also an lead k, s to spirit training and - sin istic lever, throw, drop endurance, which connects to Kum This is a very simpl ’. ‘Ju in as ite. e, ad and take, ev 16 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
n be seen as: level the above ca sic ba e or m a n O ation. ★ Basic co-ordin of muscles. nics, ★ Strengthening body: Body mecha es on of g in nd ★ Understa ent. weight displacem and timing. er w al applica★ developing po internal and extern e th g in nd sta er e. ★ Und sms of the techniqu tions and mechani In many systems there is no, or very little, correlation between all the basics, i.e. the stances and hand/leg techniques used. Within Goju Ryu there needs to be a reason for everything, geared towards fighting, selfprotection or understanding principles and fundamentals within the system. Many people who practice other arts or sports that are fighting based, will be working on the same principles as practitioners of DKK, though names may be different and training methods will have differences. I.e. in some cases, a fighting stance may be called just that but in Goju it may be described as a mixture of Sanchin, Neko and or Zenkutsu with a multitude of transitional stages. These stances and basic movements could be seen as stepping stones, and if taught correctly, will increase the practitioner’s competency and understanding as a martial artist. Sadly many good students who have practised a martial art have become despondent. This may be because all they have been taught is how to ‘walk’ up and down the dojo in stances without ever being told what they are for. Dare I say it, but throughout the country there are many who practice a so called ‘traditional’ martial art and do not know why they are doing a specific stance or movement except that is what they have been prescribed/instructed to do......the blind leading the blind?
K ata (Forms) ‘It should be known that the secret principles of Goju Ryu exist within the Kata’ Master Chojun Miyagi - Founder of Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate. Many people have different opinions on the ideas behind kata. What they are definitely NOT for is winning medals at competitions, unless this is supplemented by real understanding of kata. As with kumite and kihon (ido), kata must be geared to realism in some way, otherwise it might as well be a dance routine! The bunkai (applications) to kata are extremely important and without these, one of the major fundamentals of kata has been lost.
By not involving the bunkai, the system falls down. In some cases, the bunkai exist, but they are not workable or are too stylised. Bunkai should involve everything that the karateka is learning and practicing in their other areas of training and learnt through kihon, such as:
cs, ★ Body mechani ical change, ★ Emotional chem chnique, ★ Explosion of te stretch reflexes, ★ Understanding ★ Conditioning, asion nsion Ho’ (body ev ★ ‘Tai Sabaki / Te nce), and foot work), of attack and defe ns io ct ire (d , n’ sa ★ The ‘Embu ★ Distancing, l, ★ Balance contro n, io ★ Redirect and swallow. ★ Float, sink, spit
Kumite One can never capture the ferocity and viciousness of a real street confrontation, therefore fighting within the dojo - training hall - has certain limitations (in both ferocity and the adrenaline charge and dump). However, one can work within these boundaries effectively, building a realism that incorporates strong attacks, causing emotional discharge, adrenaline rush and immediate spontaneous response. Sparring can also be used to develop speed, reflexes, power, timing, aggression, control (and release of control) stamina and confidence. Levels for the karateka are important. Most will start with light contact sparring and drills, giving both combatants a free range to safely try out new skills and techniques. As they become more skilled, attacks can become harder and quicker, throws, groundwork and multiple attacks can also be incorporated as their knowledge expands.
Kata should also include external functions of defence and attack sequences, incorporating strikes (using all parts of the body), throws, take downs, locks, chokes, Kumite takes shape in many forms: grappling, pressure point techniques, ‘Chin-Na’ (seizcan be ctice of Bunkai (Kata Applications) ing), joint manipulation and weapons (to defend and ★ The pra cting dire ‘ukete’ seen as such an example with an attack with). ng principles blows, holds etc at the ‘semete’. Usi overcome the to ics and fundamental body mechan The practice of kata can also be performed in a numKihon / Kihon in attacks, plus the repetition as seen ber of ways: Ido,. muscular ★ With full power using body mec ★ Sanchin Testing - The testing of hanics and s and cross exe dynamics, endurance, myotatic stretch refl nge (adrena★ Softly as in Tai Chi Chuan (Goju extensors, working with chemical cha Ryu has links with , float, sink and Yang Style Tai Chi, Hsing-I and Pa line) and the above mentioned - spit Kua), ★ Working rebounds within the bod swallow, y, such as stretch g: Within this reflexes (cross extensor, myotatic), ★ Non-contact to full-contact sparrin to practice, e.g. ★ To work intensity training (emotio range there is a multitude of ways ns/chemical , grappling, changes) as in Sanchin Kata, slow or fast, hand or leg techniques or inclusion ★ Working with ‘ukete’ to work bun wing, taking to the floor, exclusion thro kai, which can be gouging, ferocious and in every way can be of certain techniques i.e. elbows, eye similar to a real confrontation, giving the same phy groin strikes, etc, sical appearance dojo or outside, try of Kumite, ★ Environment: this may be in the traditional gi ★ To understand new techniques and ning in a bar, from sitting down. In trai combination. ★ The 1st four Goju kata have a or in jeans and T-shirt, profound function on example with a knife, the system, and are to do with 4 way ★ Single, more realistic attacks, for s of fighting, with or with out and utilising training methods to rea Pressure training - Multiple attacks, ★ ch a certain goal. The 1st kata is training for dire weapons, ct attack and defence, with more emphasis on goi ★ Drills with or without partner, ng into an as boxing gloves etc. affray, using mechanisms from bas ★ With or without protection, such ics and the kata Eagles’ with limited to smash through an opponent, the ★ Weapons with armour or ‘Black second is similar but, with and emphasis on clos protection. ing the distance more and turning an assailant. The 3rd kata has these attaching methods involved with the added The techniques learnt and the understandings of weight application of ripping free and tear ing. The fourth change that have been established in Kihon and kata is to do with closing the space aga in and fighting now take on a greater meaning when placed into incorporates more close quarter tech niques with an kumite. At this point, trapping, take-downs, grappling, emphasis on grappling and michim i (sticky hands). explosion, dynamics, stamina, energy release, spirit For more information on this read Gavin training, body positioning, linear and circular moveMulholland’s book on the 1st four Goju kata; Four ments and fundamental principles should all be underShades of Black. stood and incorporated into the kumite. 18 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
Within all aspects of sparring, DKK uses drills, enabling the karateka to use their techniques with far more realism, leading to a far greater understanding of bio-mechanics, speed and spontaneity of technique, understanding the rhythms of sparring and fighting and the chemical release and change in the body. In conclusion, everything that is incorporated during ones training must work realistically, on what ever level. That may be a direct defence against an attack, or understanding the principles of kata, kihon, kumite and all the different parts of these. All facets of training must, at certain times, overlap. Many martial artists miss out on the principles and fundamentals of their art through lack of information supplied by their instructor or through a fault in the system as a whole.
Daniel Lewis Sensei has trained within various systems such as Mugendo Kick Boxing, Muay Thai, Kyokushinkai Karate, Eskrima, Ju Jutsu, Wing Chun and other Gung Fu systems, he has also taught a number of seminars to the T.A., and has also worked as a doorman in Bristol, running his own security business for 15 years. Lewis Sensei has competed in full contact events in karate and Eskrima, travelling to the Philippines to fight and train. However, as Goju Ryu is such a complete system much is already in with in the Goju Ryu frame work which he teaches to date. Sensei Dan Lewis 5th Dan Chief Instructor Daigaku Karate Kai (Bristol) www.combat-karate.co.uk Mobile: 07958 363522 sensei@combat-karate.co.uk
KAR003/06
FEK001/01
Federation of English Karate Organisations International In direct membership to the World Karate Confederation and English Traditional Karate Body
Federation of English Karate Organisations In direct membership to the English Karate Governing Body
Federation of Martial Arts In direct membership to the F.E.K.O Int’l Criminal Records Bureau registered for Disclosure including outside groups. NSPCC endorsed Child Protection policy document A Federation of over 70 Karate Associations plus other Martial Arts Groups (16,000 members)
If you are a 3rd dan or above with a group of at least 100 members then join a truly democratic long established organisation but still retain your independence. Each Association has a representative on the Federation Council to form the Federation policy. You decide on the future direction of Karate within the Federation. You elect annually the Executive Committee for the day to day running of the Federation. Smaller groups also catered for. No interference in running your own group - Freedom to conduct your own gradings - All grades recognised - Dan grades registered, recognised and certificated - All your training premises covered for £5,000,000 public liability - Full insurance cover for all registered members - Instructor/Coaching/Assessor qualifications - To be able to work within the law we have CRB Disclosure - NSPCC endorsed Child Protection policy document - National/International Refereeing courses and qualifications Junior & Senior National/International - National Children’s Championships - National Senior Championships - Plus local championships with member groups etc
Federation of Martial Arts. Many karate groups also train in other Martial Arts including Kick boxing, the FMA offers the above benefits to those members with membership to FEKO Int’l or direct membership to the FMA for non Karate groups For further information contact Alan Carruthers FEKO Secretary 198 Meadow Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1JR Tel/Fax 0115 9250167 E-mail mail@feko.co.uk Web site www.feko.co.uk
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The 30 Woman
Kumite
‘Training & Grading in The Hardest Test of my Life!’ By Charmaigne Charles, Goju Ryu 2nd Dan, Daigaku Karate Kai I was sitting in a café on a spring afternoon, enjoying a girlie chat, when my mobile rang. It was my Sensei, Shihan Gavin Mulholland, with a question for me. Did I want to attempt my 2nd Dan grading, which would include the 30 Man Kumite? What could I say? The answer had to be ‘Yes’. Once I’d hung-up, I found small talk had become difficult. My throat was suddenly very dry. I had seen other people taking the test, including my twin sister Charlie, and I knew it was one of the hardest things I would ever attempt in my life. The 30 Man Kumite would be a line-up of 30 fighters, in my case mostly women, but probably a few men too. I would be fighting them, one after another, for one minute each, full contact. The only breaks would be a two - minute pause after 10 fights and another two minutes after 20. Normally, the test takes place at the annu-
al DKK summer camp, but I was getting married in the spring, and this would clash with my training. After some deliberation, Gavin conceded that I could take my test in December. I had eight months to prepare. Sensei Gavin has always said the grading is done before you step into the dojo, and the test itself is just the fulfilment of hours and hours of hard training. I took this to heart, and decided to begin my training right away. But since I had not attempted this sort of test before, I was not quite sure what to do. In the end, my fiancée (the club’s sempai) took pity on me and gave me a regime that he had used successfully for his own 30 Man Kumite. He called it ‘The Punisher’. With a printout of his programme in hand, I woke up early each morning (a big character-change for me) and made my way to the local tennis courts to begin my training. This lasted all
of two weeks, and I discovered two very important things. Firstly, I am not able to anything worthwhile in the morning; and secondly, ‘The Punisher’ sucked! Fine for comic book characters, but not for me. I knew I would need to change my regime to something that suited me personally. I decided on training at lunchtimes and evenings, and this worked much better. I also began running in Regent’s Park at the weekend. This was great because I could train with some of the girls from the club and go shopping afterwards. It made the sessions much more enjoyable. I could think about shopping instead of sparring. The trouble was, my fitness did not improve. Actually it got worse. Training with friends was too easy, too cosy. We would chatter, and it was difficult to step up a gear. Something was missing. I needed someone to push me to the next level. Help came in the form of ‘The Rabbit’. She was a green belt karate-ka who had also trained as a serious athlete with a club in the midlands. Our training consisted of her sprinting and me trying to catch her and overtake her (hence the nickname!). This helped me develop explosive fitness and power, and in return I helped her with kata, bunkai and sparring. I also sat down with my fiancée to adjust my training regime. Long outdoor runs just did not suit me, and I could not get motivated. So I joined the local gym and used the treadmill instead. I was much happier running this way, and my fitness began to improve quickly. My regime became quite intense, but very structured. I did around
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WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 23
Being fit for a grading is extremely important. But knowing how to use that fitness and honing your techniques is even more so. I stopped my usual habit of standing relatively still and punching, and practised stepping and moving, using space to my advantage. I learned a lot about the way boxers move, using different angles to produce different punches. I practised switch-stepping over and over, to produce more powerful kicks and get my legs out of the way of thigh kicks. I learned to keep to the centre of the fighting area and avoid getting cornered or backed up against a wall.
10 sessions a week. These consisted of three lunchtime sessions on the treadmill, three karate classes in the evenings with plenty of hard sparring, two padwork sessions and two track sessions. On Saturday mornings, my fiancée and I would go to the dreaded tennis courts for padwork and sparring. This consisted of him shouting at me like some demented army sergeant and me in floods of tears, or sulking. Eventually, he explained that he was trying to put me under pressure, and that it was for my own good. He didn’t hate me! I learned to ignore the shouting,
but when it was over, I didn’t miss these sessions in the least. On Wednesdays, we would meet at a boxing gym for more bagwork and sparring. It was useful having bags of different lengths and weights, and full - length mirrors. I found this really helped, because I could see how my body moved (or didn’t move) and, most importantly, I could observe my footwork. These sessions were the pinnacle of my training. They were what it was all about. I could run, yes, very fast now, on a track and a running machine. I could do press-ups, situps and lift weights, but what I really needed to know was could I fight?
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My strategy for the grading would be to hit and move, hit and move. I would attack hard and fast and get out of the way before the return strikes came in. I knew this was the best method for me because of my size. I am quite small, and at around 8 stone, one of the lightest women in the club. Almost everyone would be bigger and heavier then me. This meant trading blows was out of the question. I would need to be light on my feet and continually hitting and moving for the full 30 fights. Not only was I being trained physically, but my fiancée also wanted me to work on my mental attitude. We tried several strategies to help me overcome my fear of being pummelled alive! One was to tap into some anger and ferocity inside me. My fiancée wanted me to visualise
my opponents and hit the pads with venom, but found I could not do this. I could not hate my line-up. The people I would be fighting were fellow karate-ka, and hate was an emotion I did not practice much. Besides, they were not doing anything wrong. Without them, I wouldn’t even be able to put myself through this awesome test. I had participated in line-ups myself and I knew there was no malice intended. Another strategy we tried was arrogance. I tried to imagine I was so much better than my opponents that I’d put on a performance Ali would be proud of. The problem was confidence - or more accurately, the lack of it. I had very little. In the end I chose my own strategy, which was whatever happens, I am not going down. I would stay on my feet and fight till the end. I was determined not to take too many thigh-kicks, as I wanted nice, unbruised legs for the honeymoon! I would dance around the mats, dance around my opponents and out of trouble. It seemed to be working, but I was still unsure. Could I fight? I wanted to convince myself I could and asked my fiancée to arrange a short test for me. He arranged a line up of five girls, and fought me twice himself, setting a very hard pace at the beginning and then again at the end. He was very pleased with my performance, and the girls were supportive but after those seven fights, I felt totally exhausted and deeply distressed. I felt I could not have done more. My fiancée assured me that when the adrenaline of the test kicked in, it would be different, but the whole episode worried me and dented my confidence still further. As the day came closer I was also worried about getting an injury that would affect my training. I had heard of people over-training, doing so much that they became ill, run down, or had a mishap due to tiredness. But the Gods were looking after me and I was fine, apart from a bout of gastroenteritis three weeks before, where I lost some weight and felt a little weak. When I recovered, I stepped up my training to a new level of intensity, until we were one week away from the test. Then I was declared ready by my fiancée. I began a week of very light training in preparation of the big day. On the Friday we did a very light technical session and I seemed to be getting everything wrong. I became frustrated and angry with myself and seemed to lose all co-ordination. I realised I could not do it! I was being stupid. What part of me would be able to fight 30 people? I could not even move my feet properly let alone punch at the
same time. I was a complete wreck. My fiancée reassured me that it was just nerves, and we waited anxiously for the grading to begin. Sunday came soon enough. I remember very little about the day. My memory has shut most of it out, because I don’t like to think about it. My first recollection of the event is entering the Meidokan dojo in Kilburn just as the main grading was coming to a close. We went straight upstairs to a small private shoji-screened changing room reserved for me. Shoji screens may be beautiful to look at, but because they are mainly made from paper, the sounds of people getting battered and bruised in the grading below came through loud and clear! I knew my friend The Rabbit was getting a painful ‘sanchin-testing’ from Sensei, but my fiancée would not let me watch. My sister joined me in the changing room and I became very emotional. I cried a little, but I was ready to go ahead with the test, come what may. The waiting became very difficult and I did my best to hold it together. Tears came and went. I just wanted to hurry up and get on with it.
My sister and my fiancée helped me warm up. Eventually I was called and I made my way down the stairs and bowed to my line-up. My line up was waiting for me along the entire length of the mat. The dojo was also packed with those who had just finished their own grading and other assorted onlookers. Ordinarily, at the end of a grading, people can’t wait to get away, either to the pub or home to nurse their wounds. On this day, not a soul left the dojo. I remember very little about the individual fights, and my recollections are sketchy. The first two fighters came out hard and fast, but my training worked well and I succeeded in hitting and moving. The third fighter was Gina, a powerful fighter who had come up from Bristol. She came in very hard and grabbed hold of my gi, using knee strikes. This made it difficult to get away, and I was shocked by her onslaught. I wasn’t used to her style, and struggled to keep my composure. I managed to fight back and survived the minute, but the ferocity of the fighting shook me.
WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 25
In the next few fights, I settled into my fighting a little more and my game plan began to work. I hit and moved, and used the space around me to avoid getting cornered and pummelled. But as the fights went on, I began to tire and by the time I got to my first break, after 10 fights, I felt sick and very worried. I sat in the corner, sipping my water. I was shaking. My hands were trembling and I had difficulty breathing. I was on the edge of panic. I did not think I could do ten more fights like the one’s I’d just done, let alone twenty. My sister and fiancée reassured me that I was doing fine. I took some comfort from this. I checked my limbs and realised they were not really battered. There was plenty of spring left in my legs. Just as my breathing got back to normal and I got myself under control, I was called out to begin again. Now I was among the higher grades, and these fighters were putting me under even more pressure. I only remember a few things from the next fights. I fought two black belt men, who hit me with great control! I managed to fight back. One of the bigger black belt girls drove me back and knocked me into the crowd. Another caught me with a hard front kick that dropped me to my knees. I took a moment to get my breath and then got up
and carried on. It would not stop me. Somewhere during these fights, I forgot my game plan and began to stand still and trade punches. I was very tired, but I found it hurt a lot more. The crowd were screaming at me to move again and I realised I had to get back to my game plan. I began moving again using tai sabaki to get my body out of the way, and the fighting became easier. I was back on track. I remember reaching the 17th fight and realising I had gone past half way and was in sight of my second break. This gave me new confidence. When I reached the second break, I felt I had more energy. My body had woken up. I was neither battered nor exhausted, and I felt I could do 10 more. When I was called out for the last ten fights, I stepped out with more confidence than I had for the previous twenty. The difficult fighters did not come as such a shock. I was ready this time and decided no one would get the better of me. Soon I arrived at fight 29, which was Karen Sheldon (2nd dan). She is a very powerful fighter but knowing I had only two fights left, I unloaded my energy into our fight. As I leaned forward into my strikes, she caught me with a head kick which rocked me, but I was too pumped up to let it
worry me. We just carried on. My last fight was against Jay Valle. I was very pleased to see her and, catching her eye I mouthed a ‘welcome’ to her. I fought her hard for as long as I was able, but soon my arms and legs seized up and I began to slow down. By the end of the minute I was backed up against the wall, hitting just occasionally and weathering the storm, but I knew I had done it. Jay’s hard blows seemed to have no effect on me and eventually Sensei Gavin called ‘Yame!’ and stepped between us. It was over. When I had taken my bow I became very emotional. My fiancé, my sister and Sadie (the Rabbit) gathered around me for a long embrace. I felt angry and sad, I wasn’t happy with my performance but they reassured me that I had done very well. We went upstairs for a bit of privacy and the girls gave me some gifts and cards that really touched me. Once I had calmed down, I realised that my strategy had worked well for me. I was tired and bruised, but there were no serious injuries. I reflected on the 2nd dan grading. Physically, it was not much more difficult than the 1st dan grading I had done a few years earlier. That had been around 4 hours of hard work, whereas this was half an hour of very intense fighting. The difference was the mental and emotional pressure, the sense of loneliness, the sense of being trapped in something you cannot get out of, the intense fear of failure, while being the centre of attention. These are very difficult to cope with. One of the things that helped me was the knowledge that my twin sister Charlie had done this awesome test a few years earlier. It meant I knew it could be done by someone of my size and it kept me going in some of my darkest and loneliest moments. Today, I have very mixed feelings about the 30 Man Kumite. In truth I don’t like to remember it and I have found this article very difficult to write. When I see others attempting it, I can barely watch. The violence upsets me, despite having been through it myself. It’s an experience I would not want to have missed but one which I would never want to do again. But the training I did has really paid off. It has helped my sparring improve beyond measure and it has given me a new confidence, both in my karate and in myself. Now I enjoy passing on what I have learnt to others, especially to the younger women in our club, who still have plenty of hard fighting and tough gradings ahead of them. For more information on Daigaku Karate Kai, contact Gavin Mulholland on 07976 411 901, email info@goju-karate .co.uk or visit the website www.goju-karate .co.uk
26 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
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236 pages! 17 kata in full!
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1,100 photographs! 1-10 Kihon Gumite!
Wado Ryu Karate, The Complete Art Uncovered, is the most comprehensive book ever published in English on the Art of Wado-Ryu. The book has 236 pages and includes more than 1,100 photographs, 17 Katas in full, 1-10 Kihon Gumite, advanced fighting techniques, kneeling and sword defence, speed, reflex and power training, basic moves, history, vital spots, exercises, knife and many other aspects of this fascinating Art. Its author Frank Johnson trained in Japan with the founder of Wado-Ryu Hironori Ohtsuka and was editor of Wado-world magazine. Frank has a unique insight into the Art of Wado-ryu Karate and this book is a must-have for any true Wado-ryu enthusiast. This amazing book is selling at only £29.99 plus £3.50 P&P (UK) which includes all deliveries by recorded, 1st class mail.
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TLP001/02
162 pages! The most complete book ever published on Wado-Ryu fighting Techniques! Includes Makiwara training tips
‘I have put all my heart and soul into the book, including many techniques I have never seen in print. I wish to give a complete picture of the Art as i can. In the words of Master Ohtsuka, the secret of Karate is looking for the secret.’ This amazing book is selling at only £21.99 plus £3.50 P&P (UK) which includes all deliveries by recorded, 1st class mail. To order your copy of either of the above books, simply fill in the order form below and send it together with your chosen method of payment. Please send me ___ copies of Wado Ryu Complete Art Uncovered: Please send me ___ copies of Wado Ryu Fighting Techniques Uncovered: I enclose Cheque/ P.O.order/ Cash/ Visa/Access/Am.Ex. details. Please make cheques payable to MARTIAL ARTS PUBLICATIONS LTD Access
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MBI001/02
The benefits of
weight shift By Alan Campbell 5th dan JKS
I think the ability to use good weight shifting is important in all martial arts, it is stressed in systems from western boxing to Chinese Tai Chi. I get the feeling some times that in karate this principle is a bit lost, the clearest example of this is in basic five step sparring (Gohon kihon kumite). If you are an instructor how many times have you watched students come under great pressure in the fourth and fifth move when defending? If you are feeling the pressure of the attack to the point where you are ducking your head or feeling that you will be bowled over then you are not using correct weight shift.
you must be able, at any given time, to make an effective counter attack. So many people think of Gohon kumite as being all about the end, attack number five! I think a lot of people don’t particularly care for Gohon kumite because either they do it as a robotic steady rhythmic exercise, which is just boring and has no benefit other than using it in a grading to get past the kyu grades. Or, in the other extreme, they feel they cannot cope with the pressure that is being applied from the attacker. Actually the latter is preferable because at least you are dealing with something like the right attitude, in effect it’s fixable!
The ability to maintain correct body posture whilst under pressure is really important as
So why is it that the pressure increases after the first one or two attacks? Well it comes
A1 excersise with a partners static punch to work in & out from
A2
A3
A4
30 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
down to weight shift because as you are making a backwards stepping motion if you raise the back heel it puts you in an initial forward/rocking motion, where actually you want a clean and immediate step back. When someone is bearing down on you the last thing that you want is to be putting your body forward before going back. In fact some people make almost a half step forward with the back foot, which is even worse! Also, if you keep the heel down and yet don’t bend the back knee to transfer the weight then you will make an initial rising action before going back. The body mechanics of this weight shift method are quite simple and were made glaringly obvious while training in Japan
B1 with Age Uke
B2
B3
B4
over the past few years at the JKS Hombu Dojo. While watching the gaijin (foreigners) partner the Japanese it always looked like the foreigner struggled to cope with the third to fifth attacks, yet the Japanese never did! It’s not that the foreigners weren’t trying hard, they were good guys, tough as nails (and they had to be!), it’s just that they did not make use of effective weight shifting, while the Japanese did. To practise this start from Zenkutsu Dachi Oi tsuki posture, then push from the front foot away from the floor while bending the back knee, keeping the back knee in line. Step back to Heisoku-Dachi (feet together) or Heiko-Dachi (feet parallel) whichever is easier; make sure your body is lined properly with the head up and tailbone tucked under, making sure to keep your back straight. Don’t stand up, keep the knees bent maintaining the same height as Zenkutsudachi. Then drive forward into Oi-tsuki on the opposite side, continue to repeat this until you feel comfortable. Doing this facing a wall, or even better a mirror, should allow you to feel the distance created between you and the object you’re facing. When you first practice this you may feel slower than you would normally and that’s okay as the more you do it the more comfortable you will become with it. It is all very well moving quickly with incorrect posture but if you are under pressure in
kumite then ultimately what’s the point?! We should always strive to make things harder for ourselves in basic training so we have a platform to improve from.
principle of the initial weight shift. You will see the gap open up between their fist and your face (always a good thing in my opinion!), then complete the step back.
A point I want to stress in this exercise is to make sure that you keep the back foot and knee facing forward. If you let the back foot move, so the knee points out to the side, it will open the hips out thereby taking the body into an angle. Then when you step backwards your hips have to travel even further by making a round/circular motion, which will slow the movement down. Plus, from a biomechanical point of view your knee is a hinge joint and is designed to be used in a linear way with not much lateral movement, so eventually you will damage to the joint.
Take this into Gohon kumite without any blocking; the first attack is always easy as the defender is in shizentai and the attacker has to make twice the distance, it’s after that it becomes harder! Keep this as a twocount exercise (one weight shift, two move back) until you get the hang of it.
Of course keeping the back foot and knee in a clean line facing forward is not easy and the consequence of trying to do this is that the heel can rise. This is not what you want either, by doing this you make the rocking action I mentioned earlier, in effect moving forward before going back. Also be careful not to let your bottom stick out, as you will be leaving your face and body forward, still in the danger zone. Try this with a partner; quite simply have someone in Oi tsuki jodan, firstly stand with his or her fist really close to your face, make a two-stage movement by using the
Once you are reasonably comfortable with this you need to progress to making a smooth all in one action as the weight shift will not have any benefit if you don’t combine it with the backwards movement. It is important to feel the weight shift is happening immediately the initial step is made. The next stage is obviously to try it with full attacking and blocking, although probably best to start slow and relaxed building up to speed and power as you feel more comfortable with the whole weight shift exercise. If you persevere it will benefit your karate not just in Gohon kumite as you will naturally apply it in other types of kumite and it will also improve your Kata by making all your footwork and body shifts smoother and cleaner. Good luck. Alan Campbell is the chairman of JKS (GB) and he can be contacted at alan@thejks.com
WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 31
Welcome to...
WAKO WORLD ASSOCIATION OF KICKBOXING ORGANISATIONS Founded in 1970 WAKO is the largest unified kickboxing organisation in the World with over 100 nations currently in membership. WAKO World H.Q. is based in Milan. ★ WAKO History ★ WAKO started its activity in Europe in 1976. The founder was Mr Georg Bruckner from Berlin, who promoted the first ever World Championships in semi and full contact karate (as it was called in those days) back in 1978 with 110 competitors representing 18 countries. WAKO immediately created the rules and regulations for the new fighting sports and acted, since the very beginning, as the authentic Kickboxing Federation of the world. In our Championships, only national teams are accepted. Each member country can present only 1 competitor in each weight class. The WAKO World Championships are NOT open competitions therefore each representative is the premier competitor in that category, from their country.
World Governing Body for Kickboxing World and European Amateur Championships Title Fights held continually both Amateur & Professional Regional Competitions are held throughout the year British Amateur Championships to choose British Teams Full-Contact, Light Continuous-Contact, Semi-Contact, Musical Forms Licence, Membership and Insurance available to all of U.K., Southern Ireland and Republic of Ireland Coaching courses, Referee Training, Seminars and Training Dan Gradings and WAKO certificates for all Members For upto the minute details of all forthcoming W.A.K.O events visit our website To see national ama/wako listings of over 13,000 instructors/clubs on the web, type: www.bt.com/thephonebook then in ‘business’ type: martial arts and town
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SMA001/04
Makiwara Training The Time Honoured Way to Develop Fight-Ending Power
By Lawrence Kane.
Disclaimer Makiwara training can be dangerous if undertaken incorrectly. Use only a properly built makiwara, performing all techniques under the guidance and supervision of a qualified instructor. “Makiwara training is essential because it develops your technique, your kime (focus). Through diligent practice on the makiwara you will learn how to transmit your full bodily force at the exact moment of impact, from your hand, into an object. Another important benefit is that such practice will forge a strong spirit.” - Morio Higaonna, Hanshi The only time I’ve ever been suckerpunched was at a college fraternity party more than 20 years ago. The person who hit me was a 22-year-old, 310-pound Samoan football player, a guy twice my weight and strong as an ox. Although his blow caught me along the side of my jaw, knocking me to the ground, I was back on my feet doing my best Bruce Lee imitation seconds later. While I ultimately lost the fight, I received no serious injuries beyond a sore jaw and a bloody nose. My opponent, who barely flinched under my best shot, wasn’t seriously injured either. The two of us thumping on each other to no effect was actually kind of funny in retrospect. By the time the altercation was over we held a grudging respect for each other’s ability to take a punch and even became friends after a fashion later on. We did not realise it at that time, but despite his strength and my agility neither of us could throw a decent punch. The hardest I’ve ever been hit, on the other hand, was last year in a karate class by a 57-year-old, 165-pound Japanese Naha-te practitioner. He nearly broke my leg blocking my kick with his arm. The sad fact is that he was demonstrating a kata bunkai (fighting application) at the time and intentionally pulled his blow, yet I had to hobble around without putting my full weight on my right leg for a couple of days afterward. The bruises lasted over a month.
The important lesson from this experience is that size and strength alone mean little in a fight if you do not know how to punch or kick correctly. While fighters who rely on external power become weaker as they age, martial artists who utilise internal power and focused technique become stronger as they gain more knowledge and skill. With superior technique, age matters not. While the football player used his enormous arm strength to thump me, his “push punch” did little more than knock me down, even though he hit me numerous times. The karate master, on the other hand, used superior technique to create shock, transmitting the full weight of his body and all his energy with his blow. One punch from him was more effective than a dozen from a younger, stronger man. And he wasn’t even trying to hit hard! This is a good example of the Japanese concept of ikken hissatsu which, roughly translated, means “one blow, one kill,” the ability to deliver fight-ending power with every punch. Ikken Hissatsu (one blow, one kill) As most practitioners realise, the traditional martial arts were developed long before the advent of modern medicine. In those days almost any damage suffered in a fight could ultimately prove fatal via incapacitation, infection, or other collateral impact. Since the shorter duration of the fight the less likelihood of injury to the practitioner, the ancient masters who developed these arts were very concerned about ending fights quickly and decisively. If they could end a confrontation with a single blow so much the better. Even today, if you lose a fight on the street there is no guarantee that you will walk away without permanent injury, or that you will even walk away at all. If you are lucky you might get to resolve your differences over a beer and a game of pool afterward as I did with the football player at the frat party. If you are unlucky, on the other hand, your adversary may not stop once he or she has beaten you down, continuing to attack until you are in a coma or worse. Even if the bad guy lets you live, you may still be raped, robbed, or violated in various other unpleasant ways before he finishes with you.
34 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
If you face off against a skilled attacker, such as an experienced street brawler, boxer, or even a fellow martial artist, your opportunities to successfully land a blow during a real fight are limited so you really need to make each one count. The first person who lands a solid blow to a vital area earns a huge advantage even if it doesn’t end the fight right away. Defensive movements, techniques commonly thought of as “blocks,” can also be fight ending or fight ameliorating if applied properly. At the stadium where I work security I have witnessed several instances where a skilled martial artist broke or dislocated his attacker’s arm using a traditional block, ending the confrontation without the need to throw an offensive blow. The defensive movement not only finished the fight but also kept the practitioner out of jail. Do you have the skill to generate power like that? Short of trying out your martial prowess in a street brawl there are several ways to find out. One method is to tape a couple of thick phone books together and have a partner hold them against his/her chest. Punch the phone books. If you partner feels a pushing sensation or surface pressure you are using external power and/or poor body alignment. Your kime (focus/penetration) is weak. If your partner feels shock deep within his/her chest, on the other hand, you are striking correctly. A good karate punch delivered in the ikken hissatsu method should rock just about anyone’s world, even through two large phone books. Using the whole body to focus internal power rather than “separating” the body in a manner that forces reliance on brute muscle strength is a key aspiration of many martial styles. These punches create instantaneous explosive force, delivering hydrostatic shock deep within the body that disrupts and devastates an adversary. Unfortunately, if you are anything like me, it takes years of diligent practice to get to the point of being able to do that, let alone to do it consistently. So if ikken hissatsu is so important for real-life street survival, how do you train to develop it? The trick is to work on your kime or focus, delivering techniques with
proper body alignment, quickness, and power such that you transmit the full force of your body and all your energy at the moment of impact. The time-honoured means of perfecting this ability is through makiwara training.
What is a Makiwara? Makiwara means “striking post.” Maki translates to “straw” while wari means “to roll up” or “coil.” The traditional karate striking post was a board wrapped with a straw coil on one end and buried in the ground at the other, hence the name makiwara. For clarity, this is completely different than the rolled straw targets of the same name used by kyudo archers. For those of you who practice Korean martial arts the terminology used there is dallyon joo, which translates as “forging post.” Dallyon joo is constructed in the same fashion and used in the same manner as a makiwara. There is no traditional Chinese equivalent though the muk yang jong (wooden dummy) plays much the same role in some types of kung fu training.
Makiwara are not just for punching. They can be used to develop, refine, and practice te waza (hand techniques), ashi waza (leg techniques), uke waza (receiving or blocking techniques), tanren (conditioning exercises), kime (focus/penetration), dachi (stances), and tae sabaki waza (moving/shifting techniques). While the goal of this article is to discuss open-hand techniq-ues, practitioners of kobudo and iaido also use makiwara for weapons forms, practicing kihon waza (basic techniques), maae (proper distance), chikara (power), and kime (penetration) with wooden instruments (it is not practicable to use a makiwara with metal weapons as either the weapon or post tends to be destroyed rather quickly). Weapons forms
are often performed on a pole-style tachimakiwara while open hand techniques are typically performed on a flat board-style tachi-makiwara.
Is it Safe to Use a Makiwara? With prudent and proper training, the makiwara is safe to use. Contrary to popular misconception, the main purpose of makiwara training is not to break down your hands and re-build them into lethal club-like weapons via micro-fractures in the knuckles. Few martial artists would willingly participate in an activity that was guaranteed to cause them lifelong challenges performing important tasks central to their existence like feeding themselves, tying their shoes, signing their name, or
There are two major styles of makiwaratachi (standing) and age (hanging). The tachi-makiwara is a standing post buried in the ground or affixed to a bracket on the floor. It is most often made from a flat, flexible board though you may occasionally find one built from a split circular pole with a rubber pad set inside it and a straw wrap on the outside. Either way the top is padded, traditionally with rice straw though more often with leather or canvas and a thin layer of closed-cell foam today. The flat board version is only struck from the front while the thick pole can be attacked from all sides. The age-makiwara is a smaller padded board that is suspended from a rope similar to a boxer’s speed bag. Age-makiwara are portable, though they are primarily used for kicks and elbow strikes. You can occasionally find a box-like makiwara, designed to be affixed to a wall too, though that style is not traditional and frequently damages the wall behind it when struck repeatedly with proper force. Ano-ther specialised form of makiwara is called a tou. It is a bundle of cane or bamboo stalks tied together with a straw rope which is used for nukite (finger strikes). Striking a regular makiwara with your fingertips is dangerous and should not be done. Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate, wrote, “The most popular way of training with the seiken (fore fist or traditional karate punch) is to make use of a makiwara, a thick post covered with rice straw. The makiwara also, incidentally, may be used in strengthening the shuto (sword hand), the elbows, and the knees. I think I am in no way exaggerating when I say that practice with the makiwara is the keystone in creating strong weapons.” WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK TRADITIONAL KARATE 35
using their computer, yet you will find one or more makiwara in nearly every traditional dojo (training hall) throughout the world. Long-term training on the makiwara may produce unsightly keratinized skin but that is limited to natural padding from calluses. The und-erlying structure of the hand is unaffected. Regardless of whether or not you are a martial artist, most people have at least a few calluses, developed as a natural defence against prolonged and repeated rubbing and/or pressure on the hands or feet. Many students, for example, develop a callus along the middle finger of their dominant hand from regular use of a pen or pencil. Similarly, stringed instrument musicians often develop calluses on their fingertips. This thickening of the skin protects the fingers, allowing extended play without discomfort. If a beginning player practices too long, however, a painful blister may form. It works the same way with makiwara training. If you overdo it early in your training you are bound to feel discomfort if not outright pain. Several studies have been conducted to ascertain the safety of impact training in martial arts. In a 1985 British Journal of Sports Medicine report, for example, the study by A. C. Crosby concluded that “long term and routine practice of karate does not appear to predispose to early onset of osteoarthritis or tendonitis in the hands of those studies.” A 1970 report by H. J. Larose published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports revealed a comparison of karate master Sosai Masutatsu (Mas) Oyama’s hands which were x-rayed in 1955 and again in 1970. Although the founder of Kyokushinkai
karate performed daily drills on the makiwara for fifteen years between examinations the report found that, “There was no evidence of any kind of degenerative disease of the bones or joints. The density and size of the bones and joints were normal. There was no evidence of old fractures of any bone. There was no evidence of calcification (new bone formation) of the bones, joints, or soft-tissues.” Reviewing these studies and others, sports medicine guru Keith McCormack concluded that, “Using recognised toughening drills, appropriate to your level of training, correctly executed techniques will not cause damage to your hands.” His conclusions were published in the December 1985 issue of Fighting Arts International. My personal experience and that of my instructors as well as my students concurs with his findings. Used properly and with good form, the makiwara is a safe and advantageous way to develop striking power in your martial training.
How Do You Use a Makiwara? In 1908 Yasutsune (Anko) Itosu, considered by many to be the father of modern karate, wrote, “The hands and feet are important so they should be trained thoroughly on the makiwara. In doing so, drop your shoulders, open your lungs, take hold of your strength, grip the floor with your feet, and sink your intrinsic energy to your lower abdomen. Practice with each arm one or two hundred times each day.” The makiwara can be used to reinforce proper form and to perfect striking power. There are two primary ways to use a makiwara-slow work and impact work. Slow work is done to build form while
impact work is done to perfect power. You can do both things simultaneously, of course, but it is a bit easier to explain and less difficult to practice when broken into component parts. Since form is a necessary precursor of power, we’ll cover slow work first.
Slow Wo r k A traditional way of practising proper form in the dojo is via sanchin shimé (testing of technique and power). The way it works is that students complete sanchin kata (a core form of many martial systems) while an instructor checks their concentration, body alignment, movement, breathing, and mechanics of their technique by giving pressure and striking various parts of the student’s body. The teacher’s slaps and pushes provide essential validation and reinforcement. Shimé testing helps practitioners focus on parts of the body that are not actively being used so that they do not forget about them, facilitating a practitioner’s ability to concentrate on his or her whole body simultaneously. These same principles can be applied using a makiwara in your solo training. To test your stance you can press against the makiwara with your palm using the progressive resistance as the board bends to check the stability and alignment of your body. In sanchin dachi (hourglass stance), for example, force should travel through your arm and body downward into your back heel if you are standing properly. No matter how far you push the makiwara (and how hard it pushes back), your alignment should not waver. You can do the same thing with any stance. Similarly, you can slowly deliver any type of punch, block, or kick and feel the effect of reverse pressure against your body, checking for stance, body alignment, and effective technique. Practice each technique slowly and smoothly, keeping the resistance from spoiling your form. Use abdominal breathing to help focus your power and keep your centre of balance low, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Check your alignment both at the moment of impact as well as throughout your full natural extension.
Impact Wo r k While slow work develops proper alignment, impact work builds penetrating power. Proper kime requires co-ordination of mind, body, and breathing which is a lot more complicated than it sounds yet is easily facilitated via the makiwara. When struck with force, the makiwara provides positive reinforcement when you get it right and painful negative reinforcement when you get it wrong. You get kinesthetic, visual, and auditory feedback. When struck properly, you can feel the impact, see the board snap back, and hear an explosive cracking noise. This is not caused by the board breaking but rather 36 TRADITIONAL KARATE WWW.KARATEMAG.CO.UK
by it flexing with alacrity. If you strike it improperly, however, the board will bend back and make a dull thump or creak rather than snapping back with force. It may also hurt your fist and/or wrist to strike the makiwara improperly (a few improper blows will probably not cause any lasting injury yet pain does tend to facilitate rapid self-correction).
and defensive techniques while moving, shifting, and evading an adversary’s blows. Try both ayumi ashi (stepping) and tsuri ashi (shifting) movements with each technique, ensuring that you end up in proper range and with good posture at the moment of impact. Work on disguising your weight shift then exploding into your target.
So if you can feel, see, and hear a good blow but are having difficulty executing one consistently, how do you get it right? Proper alignment is crucial, especially when punching something solid. Individual bones in the fingers and hand cannot withstand much force by themselves, but as a solid integrated unit they are very strong indeed. Start with a good, tight fist. Keep your elbow close to the body, aligning the knuckles and wrist. For a standard punch there should be a nice straight line of force starting at the point of impact on your first/second knuckle, travelling through your wrist, up your arm, through your shoulder, and into your body. Not only does striking with the first two knuckles help properly align the force and protect your hand, but it delivers force across a smaller surface area, hence striking with more penetrating power.
You never know which blow will ultimately connect in a street fight. Consequently you must be able to hit hard and make every blow count no matter what limb is used to deliver it. Morio Higaonna, the chief instructor of the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do Federation, wrote, “If a right-handed student strikes the makiwara 100 times, he should try striking it 200 times with his left hand. Students should always practice two or three times more with their weaker and less developed parts of the body than with those parts which are already well developed.” This is sound advice.
Relax the deltoid muscles in the shoulder, tightening the latissimus and pectoral muscles on impact for best speed and power with a standard punch. At the moment of impact everything should be locked down. Align your hand and wrist. To create a force path from your hand into your torso your shoulder should be low and relaxed, not raised or extended. With a proper stance and muscle tension, your upper and lower body should become one solid unit. If your body is not integrated you only hit with the power of your arm. When your spine is straight and your body is integrated, you hit with the power of your whole being. Do not fully extend and lock your arm, however, as you may damage your elbow joint. Tighten all the muscles in your arm but do not lock the elbow.
About the Author
Fa jing means explosive or vibrating power. It is sort of like a sneeze, a sudden unexpected movement. Speed and relaxation are necessary to achieve fa jing, followed by an instant of tension at the moment of impact. All punches should be performed in this fashion. Once you progress past slow work, never “pull” your punch. If you wish to strike lightly aim for the front edge of the makiwara and punch with full power. If you wish to strike hard, aim through the makiwara and punch with full power as well. Your point of aim determines the level of impact.
Since 1985 Lawrence has supervised employees who provide security and oversee fan safety during college and professional football games at a Pac-10 stadium. This job has given him a unique opportunity to appreciate violence in a myriad of forms. Along with his crew, he has witnessed, interceded in, and stopped or prevented hundreds of fights, experiencing all manner of aggressive behaviours as well as the escalation process that invariably precedes them. He has also worked closely with the campus police and state patrol officers who are assigned to the stadium and has had ample opportunities to examine their crowd control tactics and procedures.
Be sure to practice techniques from static stances as well as when moving toward and away from the makiwara from various angles. Being able to strike while moving is very important in a real fight. You must be able to deliver both offensive
That’s it for part one. In part two, we’ll be looking at training tips, the advantages of the Makiwara over the punch bag, the various types of Makiwara and how to build them. Lawrence Kane is the author of Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques in the Dojo and co-author of The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide to Deciphering Martial Applications. Over the last 30 or so years, he has participated in a broad range of martial arts, from traditional Asian sports such as judo, arnis, kobudo, and karate to recreating medieval European combat with real armour and rattan (wood) weapons. He has taught medieval weapons forms since 1994 and Goju Ryu karate since 2002. He has also completed seminars in modern gun safety, marksmanship, handgun retention and knife combat techniques, and he has participated in slow-fire pistol and pin shooting competitions.
Lawrence lives in Seattle, Washington. He can be contacted via e-mail at lakane@ix.netcom.com.
S a f e t y Ti p s
Be sure that no pre-existing arthritic conditions, fractures, or other hand or foot injuries exist before training on the makiwara. If in doubt, check with your physician as well as your instructor. If you injure your knuckles, tearing, bruising, bleeding, or any other damagestop training until you are fully healed. In most cases you may still strike the makiwara with uninjured parts of the hand or foot (e.g., palm heel, blade edge). Do not use the makiwara if you have an open wound. If anyone is cut and bleeds on the makiwara striking pad, clean the affected area with a mixture of bleach and water to reduce the possibility of blood-borne pathogen contamination. While HIV can only survive for a few seconds outside the body certain contagions such as hepatitis can even be transmitted via dried blood. Only train under proper supervision until you have developed a level of expertise that your sensei (instructor) feels is appropriate to warrant practice on your own. Exercise proper form when punchingkeep your wrist straight, and do not lock your elbow at full extension. Proper body alignment not only increases the power of your technique but also protects against injury. Hit only with the appropriate portion of your hand or foot. When performing seiken tsuki (fore fist punch) or tate tsuki (standing punch), for example, connect with only your first two knuckles (~ 80% impact on the first knuckle). Wrist injuries or boxer’s fractures (breaking the metacarpal along the top of the hand and/or breaking the knuckle of the little or ring finger) are likely to occur if you hit improperly. Do not perform nukite (finger strikes) or head butts on the makiwara. Either technique is likely to cause injury. Start with half-power blows, aiming at the surface of the board. Gradually increase the force you apply over time, shifting your aim further and further through the makiwara. Limit the number of punches you throw with each part of your hand (e.g., knuckles, palm, edge), especially in your first few training sessions. Do not let young children use the makiwara. A practitioner’s hand should be fully developed before striking any solid surface. Depending on the individual, youths 16 years of age and older should be able to use the makiwara safely under proper supervision. Ensure that the makiwara is properly built and in good repair before striking it. There should be no splinters or cracks in the wood. It should retain sufficient flexibility to absorb blows and possess adequate padding. If in doubt, it is better to be too flexible than not flexible enough.
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