By David Nishimoto

The Kempo hammer strikes are often misunderstood. Most individuals think the purpose of the hammer strike is to smash soft tisues or break bones. Its is true in some cases the potential for this level of damage may be obtained, since some of the most powerful arm muscle combined with weight distribution and leverage can be summoned to generate incredible force on one area. The hammer strike is similar to the foot stomp. The opponent is in a very vulnerable position to defend against the weapon. The contact area is the bottom of the hand. The hand will seem rock hard on contact. Attackers will think twice after receiving a raining series of hammer strikes to their bodies. The hammer strike increases in momentum as both hands counter balance each other, so as one strikes the other hand withdraws. The hammer strike can be used both defensively and offensively. In the case, both offensive and defensive hammer strikes can be applied: for example a right inward block to a left punch, right hammer to the opp right collar bone, or horizontal hammer to the throat, or right hammer to the left side of the neck. The kempo hammer strikes are immediately taught to the beginner students. The ancient masters wanted new students to immediately value the hammer strikes of kempo as one of their choicest weapons.

 

Pattern 1 (smashing compression from a sideways horse stance)

1. (Opp) Right Punch (Counter) Left Outward block, step with right foot between Opp, Left hammer, Right inverted hammer strikes to the left and right side of the neck.

Analysis: The technique becomes more fatal as the strikes compress the neck muscles and artieries taking blood to the brain.

 

Pattern 2 (stretch and smash from a sideways horse stance)

1. (Opp) Left punch (Counter Right) Outward block, Right shuffle forward, Left vertical punch to the solar plexus, Left heel of the hand and claw from the left side of the Opp’s face, Right hammer to the side of the neck

Analysis: The left punch increases in power as the weight of the body moves behind the punch. The left heel of the hand and claw from the left side of the face stretches the left side neck muscles, increasing the damage produced from the right hammer strike to the neck.

 

Pattern 3 (cut and smash from a sideways horse stance)

1. (Opp) Left punch to the face (Counter) Right outward block, Left knife hand to the right side of the neck, right hammer to the left side of the neck.

Analysis: The left knife hand, cuts into the neck muscles, craps the muscles and potential seals the artiery. The right hand smashes (Opp’s) left neck muscles and traumatizes the spine.

 

Pattern 4 (inverted hammer to the groin from a regular horse stance)

1. (Opp) Steps in with a right club, step in with a two hand hammer block. (Counter) Right circular hammer to the groin, right backfist to the temple.

Analysis: The two hand hammer block neutralizes opp motion. The left hammer strike open opp left hand. The left hammer strike can bruise the opp to the bone, and potentially break the arm. The right hammer traumatizes opp right shoulder. The right elbow can be extend during contain increase the damage to the sternum and soft tissue regions. The circular hammer to the groin moves the opponent backward and starts him falling. The right backfist stuns and disorients the opponent.

 

Pattern 5 (hammer strike combined with footwork)

1. (Opp) Right grab to the left lapel. (Counter) Step back into a left cover, right hammer to the opponents right bicept, right hammer to the groin, right backfist to the temple

Analysis: Kempo can be applied using footwork to make the art less lethal. The hands turn from fatal blows, to the empty hands of mercy. In this case, the foot work works move you away from opponent. The hammer strike to the bicept generates an incredible amount of pain instanteously to the opponent. The hammer strikes stings the groin and temple regions of the opponent. The elogation of the arm and back fist creates a whip like motion similar to cracking a whip. The focus area becomes a pinpoint region. The amount of power can be controlled to prevent lethal consequences, but is available if the circumstances dictate.

 

In short, the kempo hammer is one the most prized weapons of kempo. In a real confrontation, I’d used the hammer strike because of its effectiviness and the assurance that it will smash anything it touches will feel the rock hard consequences of the strike. If situation allows, footwork and power control permits the hammer strikes to be used to sting the opponent rather than smash the opponent. The governing moral force is the martial virtues believed to be threatened or maintained. Peace and security may be maintained without making the hands lethal.

By David Nishimoto

The only way to generate chi energy into jing is to be in state of enlightment, love, and confidence. The divine receiption of this love and enlightment must be strong. It is easily perceivable through through the eyes. Love is the light that radiates generates jing power in such a way that it can be felt over a distance. On one such occassion, I was demonstrating the relationship between chi and jing and how to generate jing by summoning chi to a student. I felt an unusual excitement and enthusiam about demonstrating this concept. The energy tunneled at him, and he attempted to resist the energy flow, he exclaimed and shook his hand in pain. Obviously feeling a sharp pain. I realized the more chi that could be summon the great the jing force. Once rooted and connected to light great amounts of energy can be projected.

The expression of jing is a conscience choice. One can be content in the accumulation of chi. Chi can accumulate strengthen the inner self. The result is a deep sense of balance, satisfication, and health. That is not to say that chi can not be transformed at will into power. The highest goal is to desire to be filled full of love and have no compelling need to attack against aggression. Peace and harmony dictate the way we act. Actions must seek to return to an equilbrium or to a state of peace and harmony. This spiritual discipline is developed through correct martial art’s training and practice. Portions of love and enlightment are manifested during training. Martial art training without the desire to experience light and love is meaningless. The desire to achieve enlightenment and love comes through self discipline and focus. One can learn from the martial art movements themselves gaining insight and understanding into the profoundness of life. It is the desire to live in peace and harmony that creates the greatest fullifillment for a martial artist. By believing in this goal, it becomes easy to practice daily and for long periods of time and without the need to compete for a victory. The time spent is not punishment but an effort to achieve higher planes of spiritual awareness.

There may come a time, you are confronted by a person who does not have light in their eyes. Their eyes may seem cold and devoid of light and love. It is their personal envy, jealousy, and covetness with make them feel empty. They can create a piercing and shocking sensation. Don’t become angry maintain stronger love. Love your enemies is more powerful than hate them that dispise you. Internally, if you main love and enlightment the amount of available chi energy available will increase. Mental control of Jing will become available if there is any real physical danger with the effects being devasting. The internal vibration is the secret to kempo. This power can be projected and felt over a distance. Maintain soft eyes, focus, and love in your heart. Don’t yield to fear or anger. Seek to return to a state of peace and harmony. Eventually, this person will need to be helped before its to late. Hopefully you will believe “Peace law” is far more powerful than “fist law”.

by David Nishimoto

The premise of this article is to convince individuals to remove the viciousness out of the art.

Its sad that Martial Artist thinks that viciousness can yield to victory. The more dangerous the opponent the less willing a skilled fighter is to attack without thought. Yet every fighting situation can be broken down; vulnerabilities effectually exposed and capitalized on. As a foundation, I advocate a focus on simplicity to achieve capitalization on vulnerabilities perceived in the opponent.

Case in point, watch Bruce Lee fighting techniques and notice how simple the technique presents itself.

Speed and Power are better that viciousness. A vicious fighter is a less efficent and effective opponent than a fighter that is working an distancing and angles and delivery.

The qualities of timing, feeling and accessing, and directness are much better approaches to the Martial Art.

Fighters that focus on smooth, simple, and powerful movement make better opponents. Fighting itself must become empty, without thought, and direct.

Watch every fighting contest you can. Discern why one opponent won over another. Perhaps it was a technique executed with perfect timing. In other cases it may be the opponent was faster, stronger, and more direct. Ask yourself did the technique appear direct and simple? Was the technique effective and what situation was the technique effective? Learn the behavior of opponents that are not effective: examine their ability to fight from both sides; what was their range of weapons; what zones (near, medium, and far) did them fight well from; how did they enter into a fight zone, did they shoot into the opponent, did they finish with the hands, legs, or grappling; did they stun the opponent?

One realizes with self defense that there are hundreds of techniques in which to employee, in a confrontation. Zen! One technique is really all that is required. The beautiful aspect of the Martial Art is that the practitioner can select the technique of choice.

It may be said that in the beginning the first Martial Artist started with one simple movement that preserve one’s life. The technique worked and was used as a foundation to build other related and more sophisticated techniques that worked.

KEMPO has an series of movements called ‘Down punching’. >From the simple movements the practitioner is immediately taught that one movement is sufficient in self defense. The movement must incapicate the opponent. The movement must be directly strike a vulnerable organ that will yield to incapacitation.

KEMPO foundation was premised on individuals who had a strong understanding of the anatomy of the human body, they studied how the body moved; the locations of vital organs; and reflected on the function of muscle groups, organs, and energy. KEMPO is known for its ability not only to incapacitate but also to heal.

In summary, I recommend removing extra movement. Decide the most effective techniques. Use the most effective weapons: hands, finger, legs, .. ect. Combine them into simple movement, correctly work on achieving the best angle, speed and power in the deliver, and ease and relaxation in delivery the appropriate response. Reduce the foundation to four hand strikes, four blocks, and four kicks. Build by combining hand, blocks, and kicks in simple, flowing, and relaxed mannerisms. Appreciate the consequences of each motion. Work to understand to relationships of the movement itself. Come into harmony with your environment, blend with your opponent, and with ease incapacitate.

FUZHOU SUPARINPEI:

YI BAI LING BA BU

(108 steps)

Nan Shaolin Quan

(southern temple boxing)

First taught outside China by Simon Lailey

Goju Ryu Karate

Interpreted/transcribed from Simon’s teaching by Bill Glasheen

Uechi Ryu Karate

Version 2.2

 

START FORM

in heiko dachi facing north

SALUTATION:

Step forward to right kiba dachi.

Perform “closed gate” with right hand in shoken, left palm facing shoken tip.

Step right leg back to “on-line” kiba dachi.

Chamber finger thrusts at waist as in sanchin kata opening,

then perform double finger thrusts down, palms facing each other.

Drop elbows, causing finger tips to point up (like sanchin kata).

Step right leg forward to right kiba dachi.

Draw hands in,

then flop back of hands down to sanchin kata arm position.

Flop palms down (pronate forearms in circular fashion).

Draw hands back (cobra-like, elbows in front),

then perform double finger thrusts forward, palms down.

With dynamic tension:

Squeeze hands into shokens,

perform double shoken-wrist circles with arms extended,

draw arms back to sanchin position, shoken thumbs up (vertical shokens).

(Note: entire sequence past the salutation is like an embellished Uechi sanchin opening.)

SEQUENCE A, RIGHT HAND:

Extend right shoken out, thumb up.

Chamber right shoken,

then hook-thrust with tip facing 9 o’clock, palm facing front.

With dynamic tension:

Perform shoken-wrist circle

(shoken tip CW from 9 to 6, then straight up with thumb up)

with right arm extended.

Draw right arm back to sanchin position, shoken thumb up.

Full step forward to left kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, LEFT HAND:

Extend left shoken out, thumb up.

Chamber left shoken,

then hook-thrust with tip facing 3 o’clock, palm facing front.

With dynamic tension:

Perform shoken-wrist circle

(shoken tip CCW from 3 to 6, then straight up with thumb up)

with left arm extended.

Draw left arm back to sanchin position, shoken thumb up.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, RIGHT HAND

Full step forward to left kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, LEFT HAND

Full step back to right kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, RIGHT HAND

Full step back to left kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, LEFT HAND

Full step back to right kiba dachi.

SEQUENCE A, RIGHT HAND

Full step back to left sanchin.

Perform left lateral block-like motion , sanchin palm-up position,

while right hand crescent-chambers on top with palm down in shoken.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi.

With left palm-down sanchin arm, perform:

right low shoken thrust (deep center),

right high shoken backfist (raise center).

Slide back to right cat stance.

Perform double arm crane grab, right front snap kick.

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing west

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi.

With left palm-down sanchin arm, perform:

right low shoken thrust (deep center),

right high shoken backfist (raise center).

Slide back to right cat stance.

Perform double arm crane grab, right front snap kick.

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing south

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi.

With left palm-down sanchin arm, perform:

right low shoken thrust (deep center),

right high shoken backfist (raise center).

Slide back to right sanchin.

Slam shoken forearms (palms up) against each other, left forearm low (lower center),

then flip hands out to classic sanchin (raise center).

Full step back to left sanchin.

Perform left lateral palm-up block,

right forearm crosses on top with palm down.

Perform double shuto 45 degrees up to right.

Perform left crane hook, right crane strike 45 degrees down to left.

Perform left sokuto geri.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi.

With left palm-down sanchin arm, perform:

right low shoken thrust (deep center),

right high shoken backfist (raise center).

3 x (Draw in, then perform double plam thrusts).

Perform right front snap kick (optional).

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing east

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Sliding step back.

Hold left palm down, execute right upper forearm strike to left palm,

Execute right front snap kick.

Step forward to right sanchin.

Execute double lateral hammer-hand strikes (forearms touch)

Slide to right kiba dachi

while first chamber shokens (thumbs up)

and then executing double thumbs-up shoken thrusts with the forward movement.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing north

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step forward to right kiba dachi

Perform open-hand V block/grab down and out (left hand low), palms out.

Step right foot back to on-line kiba dachi.

Look left, right, then forward.

Chamber both open hands,

then double-thrust out laterally with crane strikes down

(with slight elevation of body).

Slide right foot forward to right cat stance.

Hold left palm down, execute right upper forearm strike to left forearm.

Perform right-left-right finger thrusts with action/reaction.

Bring left hand up to right,

pull both hands down, and strike with left knee.

Perform jumping right front knee strike.

Cross right foot over left,

then step left foot back to right zenkutsu dachi facing north,

holding right hand in shoken and chambering left hand.

Perform left-right-left-right shoken with action/reaction,

striking across the body.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW and draw left foot back to left sanchin, facing west

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Full step to right cat stance.

Hold left palm down, execute right upper forearm strike to left forearm.

Perform right finger thrust (hooking to right around neck level)….

Slide forward to right sanchin.

…complete circle around to right mawashi uke, double palm thrusts.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing south

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step right foot back to short kiba dachi (start pivoting hips around to west);

perform “splashing hands” techniques, drawing hands around CW with waist.

Pivot hips back to regular left kiba dachi facing south.

Hold left palm down, execute right upper (rising) palm strike,

left palm hitting the rising right arm on inside of elbow…

Pivot hips back to short kiba dachi facing west.

…leave left palm where it was, and chamber right shoken.

Pivot hips CCW back south (and slightly more), full step forward to right kiba dachi

while hooking right foot around.

Perform right elbow to left crane mouth (crotch of thumb/hand),

then right backfist.

Slide back to right cat stance,

perform double arm crane grab, right front snap kick.

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing east

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step forward to right kiba dachi,

drop both hand down, and then perform double forward low wrist thrusts.

Slide forward,

drop elbows (with fingers up), and then perform double forward palm strikes.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing north

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step right foot forward to right sanchin, then pivot hips CCW,

bring right palm down in front (forearm parallel to north),

chamber left palm…

Pivot hips CW back to north.

…bring left forearm (palm down) perpendicular over top of stationary right forearm,

slap forward with right backhand,

palm forward again (if desired) in a circular fashion with left hand.

Perform jumping right front kick up to extended right palm,

then drop right foot back to left kiba dachi

while thrusting left palm forward

and dropping right palm back down behind rear on right side.

While keeping left palm forward:

cross right leg in front of left and come inches short of complete cross-legged sit,

then rap right shoken (palm down) on floor in front.

Elevate and step back to left sanchin.

Hold left palm down, execute right upper forearm strike to left palm.

3 x (Cross arms, perform double palm “push down”).

Perform right front snap kick.

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing west

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Perform right lateral sanchin-arm extension (right palm up, left down).

Step forward to right sanchin,

double shuto across to left (hands on same plane),

bring both palms back toward center like two cobras

(both palms down, right farther forward)…

Slide forward right sanchin (slide optional),

…thrust “cobras” forward (emphasis on right hand).

Slide back right sanchin,

double grab down to left (palms facing),

right front snap kick.

Step right leg to right while turning 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing south

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step and pivot 45 degrees (southwest) to right zenkutsu,

perform right lateral sanchin arm extension (right palm up, left down).

Perform left-right-left-right finger thrusts with action/reaction.

Bring left hand up to right, double (palms facing) grab down to left,

right front snap kick,

step forward again to right kiba dachi,

left palm pushing right shoken/forearm

(reminiscent of Tai Chi push).

Step right leg to right while turning 135 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing east

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Step into right kiba dachi,

perform double vertical roundhouse shokens, left hand higher,

then swing right forearm up.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW to left sanchin facing north

with left crane hook, right lateral wrist movement.

Full step forward to right sanchin,

left mawashi uke, boshiken (or double palm thrusts).

Full step forward to left sanchin,

right mawashi uke, boshiken (or double palm thrusts).

Full step forward to right sanchin,

left mawashi uke, boshiken (or double palm thrusts).

Full step back to left kiba dachi,

rock and roll hips while drawing right palm (facing down) back,

and then extending left lateral sanchin arm (palm facing up).

Full step back to right kiba dachi,

rock and roll hips while drawing left palm (facing down) back,

and then extending right lateral sanchin arm (palm facing up).

Full step back to left kiba dachi,

rock and roll hips while drawing right palm (facing down) back,

and then extending left lateral sanchin arm (palm facing up).

Full step forward and then NE to right zenkutsu dachi,

perform right lateral sanchin-arm extension (right palm up, left down).

Perform left-right-left-right finger thrusts with action/reaction.

Bring left hand up to right, double (palms facing) grab down to left,

right front snap kick,

step forward again to right kiba dachi,

left palm pushing right shoken/forearm

(reminiscent of Tai Chi push).

Pick up left leg to crane & look west, crossed arms (left close).

Perform left side thrust kick down to west

with accompanying left low back fist while chambering right shoken.

Pivot 90 degrees CCW and step to left leaning zenkutsu dachi facing west,

and perform action/reaction shoken thrust down.

Step right foot CW around to short kiba dachi (pivot hips to east).

Perform “splashing hands” techniques.

Perform jumping right crescent while pivoting hips back to north.

Step right foot back to left kiba dachi,

hold left hand high (palm down), execute right upper forearm strike to left palm.

Full step forward to right kiba dachi,

perform double palm strikes down.

Draw open hand (thumbs in) to chest and lift right leg, then

slide-step forward (right sanchin)

with hands extended forward (palms down, fingers close).

Draw open hand (thumbs in) to chest and lift right leg, then

slide-step forward (right sanchin)

with hands extended forward (palms down, fingers close).

Draw open hand (thumbs in) to chest and lift right leg, then

slide-step forward (right sanchin)

with hands extended forward (palms down, fingers close).

Perform action/reaction slap/slide finger thrust into right kiba dachi:

right fingers to head level, palm facing left,

left fingers drawn to waist, palm facing body.

Step right foot across to left.

While pivoting 180 degrees CCW to kiba dachi facing south,

perform action/reaction slap/slide finger thrust:

left fingers to head level, palm facing right,

right fingers drawn to waist, palm facing body.

Perform right crescent kick to left palm,

then right low side thrust kick.

Slide south with on-line kiba dachi, facing right

while performing right side elbow thrust braced by left palm.

Slide south again (on-line kiba dachi facing right)

while performing right low finger strike, left upper palm thrust.

Slide south again (on-line kiba dachi facing right)

while pressing down with left palm

and thrusting to neck level with right palm-up shoken.

Pivot around at waist 180 degrees (on-line kiba dachi facing left) to north

while doing left hooking block

and chambering right palm-down crane hand.

Full step forward (north) to right kiba dachi.

With left palm-down sanchin arm, perform:

right low shoken thrust (deep center),

right high shoken backfist (raise center).

Slide step back to right sanchin.

Chamber tiger claws and then thrust forward.

Slide step back to right sanchin.

Chamber wrist strike hands and then thrust forward.

Slide step back to right sanchin.

Chamber vertical shokens and then thrust forward.

Step right leg back to on-line kiba dachi.

Chamber both spear hands and then thrust down, palms facing each other.

END FORM

by David Gimberline

Shotokan appears to execute the sidekick with the kicking leg coming from behind, i.e. one steps across with the front leg and kick with what would be the back leg (if one were standing in kosa dachi). Is this a correct assessment of the Shotokan side kick, and if so, how does one manage to avoid being impeded by the front leg?

Why do we do this? It is important to understand that kicking from kiba dache is meant to be a simplified training method to learn the technique. It is NOT meant to be used this way. In actual application (in s/d or in kumite) you would not start in kiba dache and cross in front to kick with the back leg. We usually launch it from our “fighting position”; 50/50 weight distribution, left side forward, body turn 45 degrees. If you want to kick with the back leg, you coil pretty much like a front kick (except for the foot position and inner thigh tension) and thrust from the coil, pivoting hips and support side as necessary (or personal preference).

Training from kiba dache should develop the ability to side thrust with either leg, in any direction (from fighting position). A different teaching method I have seen used in other styles, is to cross your left leg behind, already pointing to the back, and coil and thrust with the kicking side. (this is actually closer in concept to our back thrust) The advantage of this method is, it’s easy, you could actually use it right away. It also gives you a broad range of target acquisition, as the kicking foot and leg are in striking position from the beginning. It’s also simple. No twisting or turning or anything. IMHO, though it is somewhat limited in it’s potential, and it doesn’t develop the same versatility of use. I have seen advanced practitioners of this method who still must turn before they kick. For a much more detailed description, please read the next section (if you don’t care, then skip this part ):

I have thought about our methodology of teaching the side thrust (we also have a side snap and a back thrust) quite a bit, as it does appear to be a somewhat unique (and complicated) teaching progression. We practice the side thrust moving across the floor in kiba dachi stance. Start in kiba dachi (like if you were practicing punching in side stance or horse stance). If you are going to kick with your right leg, you turn your head to the right and move your arms into sort of right “fighting position”, your right arm is reaching to the right side and your left arm is across your body, also pointing to the right.

Cross your left foot over your right and plant the ball of foot in line with the right foot (like the first move of tekki/nihanchi). Simultaneously drop your left heel to the floor and coil the right leg. In this coiled position, your body is still upright and your hip is still underneath you. Your knee is up and sort of makes a 45 degree angle, up and to the right (so it doesn’t point straight to the right, it’s a little more towards the front). There is actually a pretty strong body center contraction going on at this time. This center contraction is not a focus, but it is a contraction like you are on your way to a focus. The center contraction has the feeling of drawing the inner thigh, knee, inner shin, and inner sole of foot towards your center, making your coil tighter and more controlled (edge your kicking foot). Your kicking knee is continuing to want to move towards the target, building a potential energy in the system (kind of a result of the knee moving towards target verses the center squeezing it back in).

From here, you thrust. Although the mechanics don’t match, the feeling of thrusting should be made by increasing the pressure to the floor from the center. While making pressure to the floor, keep your knee up, extend leg, twisting your hip and support leg to the end position. Initially, over-twist your hip (to almost a back thrust position) to teach yourself the muscle action, and let your support leg pivot as far as it wants to (it may end up facing 180 degrees away from your target). In this thrusting position, you must focus (kime). The main pressure, as I mentioned, is from your center to the floor, but there is also a strong pull along the bottom (inner side) of your kicking leg, pulling into center and being directed to the floor. This is helped by strongly edging your foot. So the end foot-position is horizontal, striking with the heel edge. It is important in all focused techniques for the feeling of “pulling together” and “settling” to be dominant, rather than any sensation of pulling apart. Try to perform all these actions while maintaining the vertical plane established by the initial stance.

As the practitioner gets more of a feeling for the kick, some things will change. The twisting of the hip will lessen, but the muscles will still do the same work. The support leg may not pivot as far, in fact a flexible individual may not pivot at all.

In general when kicking, try to make the support leg the heavy leg and the kicking leg the light leg. Sometimes this is difficult. Especially when thrusting, people tend to overemphasis the kicking side and totally forget about the support leg and center. Eventually, with the thrust, you should develop the center and the support leg to be the base and the dynamics of the coil and center contraction/expansion/contraction will start to give the feel the kicking leg is drawn into center and “bounces” or rebounds out into the target. When this becomes more automatic, it allows you to concentrate more on directing energy from the center to the floor and into the target. Make sure to hold the thrusting position for a second or two. It gives you a chance to actually learn the position.

Common mistakes in the side thrust: Too much emphasis on the kicking leg (or a lack of pressure on the center and support side, depending on your point of view). Changing position during the coil; leaning, hunching, changing the body plane, and the biggie: letting your bottom hip out of place when initiating the kick.

One training method I like to use to fix these problems is to train against a wall in three different ways. The first way, is just for stability when going through the sequence of the kick. In place against the wall, standing with your feet together, I use a five count method. 1) COIL to sort of a side snap position: here make sure your body is straight, and your center is together with your hip underneath. 2) COIL HIGHER: pick the knee up higher and increase the pressure to center (at this point your hip is still underneath, too many people tilt their hips and stick their butt out here). 3) THRUST; as previously described, drop your weight and twist into the extended thrust position (the muscles under your left butt cheek should still be connected), hold the position long enough to feel the control points and feel the pressure pulling your kicking leg to center and the energy flowing towards the ground. At first, you may lean backwards for balance, but eventually your shoulders will remain relatively stable, and become a secondary base. 4) RECOIL back to side snap position, with pressure settling towards floor. 5) put your foot down. Eventually you can skip 1 and hold at 2. Then you can bounce through 1 and 2 and hold the thrust (3)

The next method of using the wall is the same except you move across the floor in kiba dache to a six count. Start with your back to the wall in kiba dache with your heels positioned about two inches (5 cm) or so away from the wall. The first count is cross, and the subsequent counts are from the previous exercise. Try to feel like your shoulders and hips are staying parallel with the wall (like touching) as you do each count. Still make pressure into the floor though. Hint: if when you thrust, your hip bumps the wall and pushes you away, you are breaking the plane of the thrust when you kick.

The last methods of using the wall, is similar, except you face the wall as you move along it. This one has some great feed back In kiba dache, put your toes about 6 inches (15 cm) or so away from the wall. Assuming your are kicking with the right leg, rest your left forearm on the wall (in front and across your body) as you move through the sequence, make sure your forearm maintains contact and feels forward towards the target (to your right). If it pulls away, it is an indication your are stretching apart when you thrust. If you hit your head on the wall, you are again breaking the plane of the by bending the hip in the wrong way.

The end of another overlong post!

As always, I welcome any comments, critiques, suggestions, or other input.

Sincerely
Dave in Minnesota

by David Gimberline

Re: Matt D’s questions about Hangetsu.

Warning: this is a long post, but if you have ever read any of my other posts, you will know this is normal. 

Before I start, I should tell you Hangetsu is considered by most to be a pretty advanced kata.  However, I do feel all levels can benefit from it’s practice.

Of all the Shotokan kata, Hangetsu is my favorite.  Throughout my karate career I have been plagued with being too tight (excess tension.) and too slow.  Hangetsu taught me to relax and be sharp (relatively speaking .  I first learned it at 5th kyu level, because it was my instructor’s favorite kata.  I liked the insights it offered to expansion/contraction and breathing, so, although I knew it was advanced, I worked on it every once in a while for the next few years.

When I passed shodan, I decided it was time to work on it for real and dedicated the next year or so to working on it consistently in preperation for my ni-dan (we have a two year minimum between shodan & nidan exams).  One day my instructor (a different and more senior instructor) had us all working on our own kata and was walking around giving us feedback.  After watching my performance his comment was, “Are you just learning this kata?”  Not quite sure how to answer, I came up with my usual brilliant response, and kinda said “Ahh…”, seeing my hesitation he then prompted, “you’ve been working on it for about a year?”.  I nodded and said, “Hai”.     “You’re just learning this kata”, was his pronouncement.  This was a clue.    Maybe this kata was still a little beyond me and maybe I should pick something else to work on.  So I did.  After passing nidan, I again started to work on Hangetsu, (thick headed Due to injury, family and work conflicts there was actually about 10 years between my Sho dan & San dan exams.  I performed it for my San Dan exam and passed on the first try. (Somewhat unusual where I come from).

I still love it, even though I’ve been working on others, I still come back to it.

So, finally in response to Matt’s questions:

• explain the alignments of the feet, legs and hips for this stance.
• what I understand, it is 2 shoulder-widths in length and 1 shoulder-width
• in depth, with both knee’s bent in and the feet turned in as much as
• possible so it feels uncomfortable.  Apparently if practiced over a long
• period of time it can cause knee pains to develop. I’ve also heard that
• this stance is associated with inner tension. Could someone please explain

These days it is sort of trendy to teach the hangetsu stance as sort of a front stance with your front foot turned in.  I do not do it this way.  To me it feels more like an elongated sanchin dachi, but it has it’s uniqueness also.  My stance ends up a couple inches shorter and sometimes a titch wider than zenkutzu.  As is true with many karate techniques and concepts, many of the feelings and positions and movements are difficult to write about, but I will try.  Also, with time, each individual must find the positions and tensions that are right for them.   YOUR KNEES SHOULD NEVER HURT from doing this kata.  If they do, it is coming from a misunderstanding of the leg/hip/feet angles and their related pressures.

To find hangetsu stance start from a front stance inside block (uchi uke?) position, so your hips are at a 45 degree angle.  This is important, and I think most people miss it.  Shift your weight back to 50/50, turn in your front foot about 45 degrees, and squeeze in with your knees.  This is the inner tension they are talking about.  It is huge, especially at first, when compared to a front stance, but if this remains the dominant feeling of your stance, you will probably hurt your knees.  I am tempted to say that the back leg from the knee down is the same position as the front stance, but standing next to my computer now (in my office, where no one has yet paid any attention to the weirdo shifting position from front stance to hangetsu stance, and occasionally sanchin    I find that my back foot is actually turned in a little more than front stance position, if my front stance rear foot position is about 60 degrees, then hangetsu is about 65 or 70 degrees.

After squeezing in, you must relax and sink.  The inner tension tends to lift you up, and isolates pressure in your knees.  As you sink into a better position, the pressure goes out, especially from your knees to the floor.  This is where you can really feel the “hour glass” concept.  It is narrow and pulling in at the top and then widens dramatically and pushes out at the bottom (basically from the knees down, although this isn’t quite right either.)  The pushing out actually starts above the knees and pushes out through the knees along the center of bone to the floor.  So, from one point of view, the inner pressure really just sets your bones into position, and with in this new framework or structure, you try to get pressure from your center to flow through your legs to the ground.

Stay in this position and slowly try to counter punch.  You will find your hip rotation is slightly limited.  It will not go completely straight (like in zenkutzu) with out changing the position of your front leg.  Don’t do this.  Try to learn the new position.

Most people think the stance is confining and rigid.  It is a little confining at first, but if you learn to work within this new framework, you will discover new relationships, with their own freedoms and advantages.  IMHO no stance should ever be rigid.  Many people make this mistake.  If you can’t feel the energy flowing, sinking, and transferring through your position, it is wrong.

A GOOD EXERCISE for learning the stance, and for getting a better idea of front stance too:

Get a partner and an extra belt (or one of you take off yours).   Loop the belt around your waist (low; at the hip/leg joint) and have your partner stand behind you holding both ends of the belt.  Assume a front stance (zenkutsu dachi) and have your partner pull straight back (behind you) and down towards the ground at a 45 degree angle or so.  You should be able to resist this pressure, not by directly pushing against it, but by increasing the pressure from your center to the floor, and sinking into your stance.  Now have your partner stop pulling and move around to the front.  When your partner applies pressure forward and down, you should be able to resist it the same way, do not switch your position and try not to lose the pressure to the back leg (very difficult).  In your front stance you should be able to handle a lot of force straight from the front or back.  Try to keep the pressure from your center to UNDER your hip.

Standing either in front or in back, if the pulling partner moves off to one side, even a little, you will either lose your balance or be forced to change position to maintain it.

Now start in the hangetsu position.  When your partner starts to pull from behind, you may have difficulty maintaining the position.  This is actually a weak spot in the hangetsu stance.  Pay special attention to squeezing in and tucking in your butt cheeks.  Try to keep the tension flowing along the bottom of your legs to the floor.

After you have this position, have the person start to circle around you and maintain the pulling pressure.  This is where you can start to feel the pressure shift in the stance even the position doesn’t change.  When you start to lose it, push down harder from your center and inner thighs and grab with your toes.  You will start to get an understanding of new connections.

Try to recreate this feeling when ever you do the kata, even without the person pulling on you.

Next try performing the kata with this type of resistance.  The first move is one of the most difficult.  The squeeze in between moves is VERY important.  Start with straight in, straight out elbow motion.  It may evolve to slightly circular.  Make sure to get your elbow past center when coiling.

At first when performing the kata, try to focus each move completely, release completely and move on to the next move.  Eventually, the release of one move IS the beginning of the next, and each focus has a direction; when released, naturally moves towards the next position.

Observations from the kata Hangetsu:

• Hangetsu stance utilizes multidirectional stability
• Teaches how to create a base using indirect pressure and use this base to operate from
• Teaches how to separate squeezing and expansion/contraction from breathing
• Your elbow and knees sort of match (and the pressure along inner arm and inner leg)
• Your front foot position is already set to be the back leg if you were to shift to the inside, i.e. if you are in a left foot forward hangetzu stance, the angle of your knee and foot is such that you can shift directly to the right (moving in and out with your foot work) without losing any drive or requiring any reposition of the structure to move.  This is a huge advantage over the front stance where this is not possible.  Try both by having your partner pull from the side.
• Both of your front two hip joints should have pretty sharp angles in relationship to your legs.  If they start to become smooth, you are over-tucking.
• It is better to start in this stance a little too short, rather than a little too long.  Being too long increases the chance of knee injury.  You can only go as long as you can maintain positive pressure on the joints.  Compression rather than pulling apart.
• Training in this stance and kata teaches you more about all stances and kata.

 

Even for me, this is a long post.  I have to get back to work now.  As always, I appreciate any feedback in private or on the list.

Sincerely,
Dave in Minnesota

by David Gimberline

What does everybody think about makiwara training? I  await your reactions.

I see that my response is very long.  I hope it makes sense.  It is much easier to show and teach than it is to describe. 

I think makiwara training is one of the most important and most misunderstood training aids to karate development.

Karate has never come very natural for me.  Throughout my karate development, I have always been slow & tense.  In order for me to progress, I had to come to understand the basic body mechanics of each movement, the expansion & contraction of the body center, and how they relate to movement and to transference of energy into the target.

The 3 most necessary activities that produced results for me are (in no particular order):  Slow repetition emphasizing exact body mechanics and expansion contraction (especially for kicks), makiwara training, and the kata Hangetsu.

(Looking at what I just wrote, this might all be one thing.)  

Makiwara training, IMHO, should be a training device for developing ‘center’, ‘stance’,  and ‘focus’.  The fact that it conditions your hands and makes you physically stronger is just a side benefit.

I feel the most common mistakes are; trying to ‘hit’ the board, trying to hit the board hard, ‘reaching’ for the board, bracing for the anticipated impact, tensing and expanding the body frame in an attempt to push the board, taking too big of a breath, and failure to hold the focus long enough to feel what you are doing.

While avoiding all of the aforementioned problems, what you want to do is to refine your body motion and muscular contraction, using the board for immediate feed back.

I think of it in these terms:

“Isolating the Finishing Position”  /   “Isolating Initiation” for the Twist, “Maintaining” the body frame & muscular direction during the movement

“Isolating the Finishing Position”:

One of the first exercises I have people do on the makiwara, and I do my self when I have been away from it too long, is put yourself in a ‘good’ reverse punch position with your punching hand on the board (I recommend starting with your bad side).  Without too much detail on the stance, your initial position can be fairly high, especially if you are using this as a warm-up (which I do after tons of arm circles & rolling out my joints), and try to feel that your center slightly leads the rest of your body (chest & shoulders).  In your finished position, you are done with your twist and both hips and both shoulders should feel they are pulling forward and together to meet your center, including your inner thighs, at a point several feet in front of the board.  The pressure should feel like it is coming from ‘underneath’ your body & not ‘over the top’.  To help with this feeling, you can slightly lift your front heel, while simultaneously dropping the muscle group under your hips on your back leg, and squeezing your inner thighs.  The result should be a feeling of generating energy down & forward from your center at a 45 degree angle.  This is a ‘settling’ feeling and not a tense or forced feeling.  (Try to understand this compression and consciously control the contraction rather than relying on exhaling a lot of air to compress your body.  )

Increasing this feeling and using your legs to push your center forward should result in more pressure on your fist on the board.  There is no more reach or penetration from here, you are already done punching.   Sit in this position and relax, so that the weight in your center comes to dominate the feeling.   (Nishiyama says ‘soft elbow’, ‘soft shoulder’).  If you can, feel the weight on your back heel, under you hip, your center, and your fist; and try to maintain this lineage.  (Although at first people may have to think of their elbow and not their fist, but either way, as the punch extends it feel like your elbow is being pulled closer to your center, even though in reality it is moving away).

“Isolating Initiation” for the Twist,  [although you can hit the board harder by shifting your weight back and forth as you hit the board; adding shifting power to twisting power, I strongly recommend that you leave your center stationary and isolate the twist]

This is where almost every messes up.  I feel the dominating feeling should be one of your body pulling together.  I think most people initially initiate by starting a muscle action that results in the body separating.    Lets say you are in your reverse punch position and you are about to jab.  To get the ‘pulling together’ feeling, have someone grab your extended arm and pull lightly on it.  You will respond by trying to pull the energy (and fist) through your center to your back heel, without actually starting the twist.  (Also pull the drawing arm elbow to your spine & there is an elbow to elbow relationship) As you feel this pulling energy bringing your body together, it sort of hits a wall in the back of your center and this becomes the base that you start to twist from.  When you feel like you have the energy going the right way, twist and jab.

Now they grab your extended jab and you again visualize pulling the energy through your center, into your back leg.  As you feel the weight increase in your back heel, let that be the energy that starts your twist.  This is very similar to the idea that you generate the force by using your heels/ feet/ ankles to push on the floor.  It is just a higher degree of refinement.  The energy to your heels relates to your center and your whole system,  and the weight never comes off the feet, it is still compressing when you hit the target.  It is also the same as ‘more drawing arm’; it’s just sort of a ‘drawing body’.

If, when someone pulls on your extended arm, there is a significant settling of your shoulder (or for that matter, any of your joints), your are over extending, or reaching.   There should also not be a major switch in muscle direction.  Have this same helpful partner pull on your extended arm, and you respond by pulling together; then have them push on your fist & you should pull even more.  It is a very common mistake for someone to try to ‘push’ against the push, but as they come to understand focus a little better, they will start to get the importance of pulling together and feeling the energy flow though them rather than try to directly resist the action.

“Maintaining” the body frame & muscular direction during the movement:

At the initiation of each movement, this directional contraction that leads towards and results in a focus, but it is not the same.  Many people, especially those that are already prone to excess tension, try too hard and focus too soon and in so doing, disrupt the continuity and connection they started with.  To combat this, after you have the contraction to start the motion, move your legs, move your hip, and let your hand go last (only as a training method), and fly into the board with no effort on your part.  AFTER you have hit the board, try to settle and focus and hold the position.  When you release this held focus, you should feel a sharp inhale of breath (but not on purpose) and a slight ‘up’ feeling due to the muscle expansion.  If, when you release your held position, air comes out of your lungs and you sink a little it means you are tense.  (your focus should represent your most settled position).  Try to try less.  Do not anticipate the impact of the board;  Your hand just happens to hit the board as you complete your punch.  If you are still tight at the point of impact, give up the focus and do just the punches, but hold the end position, until it starts to settle like in the first section.  If it isolates in your shoulder, back off and hit the board very lightly, no power.  Just a little powder puffy punch, and then practice settling into position.

It is important that you are able to succeed.  If the board is too stiff, or you are trying to penetrate too deep, you are interfering with the ability of your body to come together.

Every once in a while, you will relax enough to hear the board ‘smack’.  Your excitement to reproduce this will ensure that it won’t happen.  As you get more confident in your punch, start to commit a little deeper, but only to the point where you are still succeeding.

This energy that flows through your system should generally feel like it goes through the center of your bones.  If it doesn’t there is either some structural defect to be corrected or there is a misdirection of muscle contraction.  Another feeling is that your bone structure is very straight and tall and remains that way during the focus, while the muscles contract around the frame and the energy flows without disrupting the structure..

OK.  I’ve used up far more than my fair share of space.  I hope it’s understandable.  Please write back with input.

Dave in Minnesota

by David Gimberline

Someone wrote to me with the problem that he was slowing down before the end of the technique. This was my response:

I have had this problem at various times in my career and seen it many times in other students.

You are fortunate IMO that you have a good, quick start, as that is a much more difficult and time-consuming ‘fix’.

If you are slowing down before the end of the technique, I can think of only two basic reasons: 1) You focusing too soon, very common in strong, muscular people; or 2) you are unsure of the ending structural position and/or which muscles to utilize and in what order to create a proper focus.

I suspect your problem is the first, because you said “I am technically sound with all points [a pretty bold assertion, actually, because what you think is sound for your level may not be sound, i.e. refined enough, for the next level ] so it’s a matter of finding a way to avoid this ugly habit without sacrificing that soundness.” I would like to briefly address both issues though.

#1) Focusing too soon is common, as I said, and it’s relatively easy to fix, but it will feel silly at first. My premise here is that strong people ‘know’ they have to be strong at the point of impact and in anticipation of the impact, they tighten too soon (especially the upper body), slowing the technique for the last third of the motion. The maddening thing is, the harder you try, the worse it gets (this actually helps to identify the problem). To fix it, you must perform the technique with no power at all, and focus AFTER you have completed the motion. It will seem ridiculous at first, and it may be a bit of an over correction, but my experience says it tends to balance out in a week or so. So, for a week, or at least a couple days, perform a technique with no intention of focusing, just some speed and good form, and, after you finish, tighten sequentially; center and legs first, along with the drawing arm, and the technique arm last, if at all.

It seems very strange, but the sensation is that you get more power from trying less. If this works, and then seems to go away, you’ll have to keep coming back to it, until it replaces your current inclination. Thin and quick people may have no clue as to why this is a problem for you.

#2) This structural and or sequential kime problem may be related to the first. In fact, if you have the first it could cause the second. Here the problem may be structural, like position, or lacking in proper muscular support. If your end position is in some way unsound, even minimally so, or if your body is not sure of the position, your body might be protecting itself from injury. It avoids being thrown into a potentially damaging position and hits the breaks to save your knees, or back, or shoulder, whatever. If it’s not structural from your and or another’s analysis (it’s always tough to know what you look like), it might be muscularly unsound.

Many people tense into what results in a static position, which jars different parts of the body. To me a focus has a “settling” feeling, and continues to flow into the ground and into the target, rather than a true ‘end’ of the technique.

A way to test this is to perform a technique, like say a counter punch or oistuki with maximum kime. Hold the position for a second (a real second) and then relax. If you “settle” on the relaxation; air comes out of your lungs, your should settle down into a relaxed position. etc, then you are “tensing” and not focusing. A focus should pull your body together. Try it at this same end position. Squeeze your center, settle through your legs into the floor, grab with your toes, let air out of your lungs, pull your drawing arm (but not really the drawing shoulder, the pects should be tightening on both sides, so your shoulder remains relatively stable) (at the end, even though you may have spun to get there, both hips and both shoulders are going forward, along with your center, and meet at an imaginary point a few feet in front of you.). Relaxing from this kime, air should come IN to your lungs (without you trying to inhale) and your shoulders lift to their natural position (they were compressed towards center) and you should feel lighter on you feet.

Another common problem when learning to focus is people tighten the small muscles around the joints. You usually notice this as small cramps around the hip joint or pain in the back, but many go on joyfully squeezing in spite of these indications it may not be a good idea (sometimes looks like over tuck of the hip). If you can learn to focus the ‘center’ the joints themselves actually stay pretty soft and pliable. This is for any stance, especially when punching in kibadache people tighten this area incorrectly.

Honest, the big muscles squeeze, (center, legs, etc) and sometimes feel like they wrap around the bone, but the kime kinda flows throw the joints. Do not tense them. Not the hips, not the knees, not the ankles, and eventually, not the shoulder or the elbow.

To fix this, just make sure to keep practicing the end positions over and over, kime slowly and completely, then release completely (failure to release is part of the initiation slowness). Eventually to go with speed, you don’t initiate the technique and move towards kime, you just remember the kime position and assume it. If the motion is slow enough for you to perceive, (like most people’s oistuki) it is too slow to be of any value. Snap into the end position, and pretend the middle doesn’t exist.

A final, closely related problem might be AIR. You may be taking too big of a breath, which takes time and slows you down (extremely common in oistuki) or, you may be holding your breath, which is ultimately a type of too much or misplaced tension (could be mental apprehension). You gotta breath, but not too much 8~D

Ok, It’s late. I’m going to sleep.

If anybody read this and they have an opinion, please share it either publicly or e-mail me private.

Sincerely,
Dave in Minnesota

By David Gimberline

Personally, I get some of my best insights from teaching, or rather the process of teaching.

It is important to continue to learn on your own, and to have had a decent base to start from, but the experience of teaching causes a much more in depth analysis of each concept you are teaching. This introspection and self evaluation can bring about tremendous insights.

If you are teaching someone how to punch or any physical technique, you must first break down the process to understandable parts. If people are not catching on to what you are telling them, instead of just figuring they are idiots, you must figure out how it CAN be presented. It is also valuable to see every permutation of every possible mistake.

Sometimes I present something in what I think is a suitable progression, and people are still missing something. Often this means there is an aspect of the technique I thought was intuitively obvious, or covered in my initial presentation/demonstration a progression, or I missed altogether because it was so much a habit I didn’t consciously think of it any more.

Sometimes, the most talented practitioners are not the best teachers, because they have never had to really examine how they do something. It is so easy for them, they can’t help someone who doesn’t get it.

Often, by watching a student perform, you can tell what dojo they are from. An instructor’s strengths and weaknesses are often mirrored in their students.

One Sensei told me a story about when he was teaching a seminar, and on one certain move, everyone at the seminar was doing it wrong. He couldn’t understand why they would all make the same mistake. He said, “That’s not correct, why are you all doing it that way?” The answer came, “Because you’re doing it that way, Sensei”.

Just some general thoughts on teaching,

The traditional Japanese mentality is that it is the student’s job to strive to learn what the instructor is teaching. They learn by copying and repetition and divine inspiration (a touch of sarcasm here, the repetition also gives a much deeper understanding of the movement). They think if you are not learning you are obviously not trying hard enough.

The modern western tradition is that the teacher (or coach) has to find a way to motivate the students and present the material in a way the students can understand.

I think the ideal learning situation would utilize the best of both worlds. With dedicated, motivated students, it is the instructor’s fault if they are not getting the message across. Many would benefit from evaluating the effect their teaching actually has on the students, and making adjustments to present the material in a different way when necessary.

As you know, some people learn from watching, some from doing, some from having it explained, so they can intellectualize it. In reality of course, all students use all of this input to one degree or another, but I think many instructors only have one way to teach.

I personally try to create drills that break things down into simple concepts and reinforce the important part of the lesson. It is also vital to strike a good balance between explanation and repetition.

It is one of my biggest complaints that often our karate (in the group I train with) is too intellectualized (a huge contrast from 20 years ago, when it was all repetition). It needs to be more instinctive. The way the training session is run has a strong impact on your ability to perform. If you are constantly thinking and analyzing when you are training, you are missing out on an important aspect.

On the other hand, all the repetition in the world doesn’t do much good (and can be harmful) if you are doing it wrong.

So, I’m thinking a proper amount of explanation and coaching can radically aid a trainee’s progress, but if it goes too far, the training becomes intellectually based and fails to develop the mind set necessary for one to perform under stress. (Spirit overcomes technique). One exceptional karateka pointed out to me years ago, “there’s lots of great theories, but unless you train your body to an incredible degree, most of that stuff doesn’t make any difference”.

Not quite a complete presentation, but I’d be interested in your thoughts.

David Gimberline
Minnesota, USA

By David Gimberline

Does anybody even remember the question?    Sorry this has been so long in coming, but some of us actually have jobs, y’know.  

Originally I said:

This is a question for all those out there who use sanbon or gohon  kumite drills in their training.

Assume you are the defender.

Starting, of course from the traditional positions; the attacker has the left leg forward, assumes gedan barai position, and announces “jodan” (head (I know, not really)).

From 2^nd position, you nod or say “Hai” and the attacker steps in oisuki , which you counter by stepping back and blocking with an age-uke (rising block).

In that first step, do you step back with your right (and block with your left) so you and the attacker are toe to toe, or do you step back with your left (and block with your right)?

Why?

Is it different if the attacker attacks chudan (stomach)?

I didn’t get all that many responses.  In part, I feel this is the fault of Mal Diamond, who was the first to answer and was exactly correct.  This, of course automatically disqualifies him from any further contests, where I already have the answer. (or at least AN answer)   ;-D

I did get some interesting responses and the all bring up good points:

Joe Kras said:

My preferred response is to step back with my right, and end up toe to toe.  This minimizes my exposure to the attacker’s “other weapons”, specifically his left arm and leg.  With a little bit of maneuvering I end up in the opponent’s shikaku.  HOWEVER, I realize that there are going to be times that, for whatever reason, moving to this side will be impossible, or less desirable (2nd attacker in that direction, less advantagious position because of terrain, etc.)  Therefore, I also train responses to the other side. I do this whether the attack is jodan, chudan, or gedan

These are excellent strategic considerations.  But I believe for this drill, they do show a blind spot (IMHO).

Jon Keeling  (Jon, thanks for the spelling corrections , dg)  said:

In that first step, do you step back with your right (and block with your  left) so you and the attacker are toe to toe, or do you step back with your  left (and block with your right)?

Either way.  It depends on what is being trained.  Could be a change in strategy, timing, followup technique, etc.  Sometimes only one way is correct. Sometimes, either leg forward could be acceptable.  >>>

Is it different if the attacker attacks chudan (stomach)?

Yes. You don’t block with age-uke.

Funny :-)

Otherwise, not really.  Please note: this is not the norm for other SKdA or JKA dojo
where I have trained….<snip> I also teach variations in many other ways, during all types of kumite.  I also vary kata performance, which we can discuss sometime in the future.

I also believe variations are important, and many of the drills you have suggested (in the past) are interesting and valuable.  I still maintain there is a basic reason the drills should be primarily performed in one particular fashion.

Paul James said:

In that first step, do you step back with your right (and block with your left) so you and the attacker are toe to toe, or do you step back with your left (and block with your right)?

We block with our left first, stepping back with our right.  Probably so that we finish left leg forward, blocking with the left and countering with the right (usually our strongest side).

Again an excellent reason, but not, I feel the most important.

I think the emphasis of the exercise (not technique) is really on the final attack and counter, the first four punches are used just as blocking practice.  Although it’s important to be able to defend and fight with either side forward I think it’s important to be at least competent with one side first.

Here enters some of the confusion in the use of blocks that stems from this drill.  This is a totally different subject that I would like to address in a different post, but I would say this is not even a blocking drill.  It is a tai sabaki (body shifting), maai (effective distance) and timing drill.  You should be able to do the sequence with out the blocks.

Is it different if the attacker attacks chudan (stomach)?

No, it’s the same as long as you are blocking soto uke.  It’s even more important to block their right with your left so that you turn the attacker away with your block so that you can counter to their ‘blind’ side.  If you block their right with your right then you must block further across your body, exposing your ‘closed’ side to the attacker’s ‘open’ side (not good!)

Again, some excellent strategic thinking going on here.  Unfortunately, falling right into the blind spot trap. 

The blind spot I’m referring to here is the idea of defending primarily against a straight punch, because that is what we practice with oisuki and gyakasuki.  This drill is practiced all over the world, and I feel many have lost the basic idea (not the idea I referred to above) of blocking a punch someone throws at your head.

The single most common strike is going to come from the right side and it’s going to be curved.  (some would call this a haymaker).  If someone throws a right punch at your head and you step back with your left and block with your right age-uke, you will get punched in the head.

I agree there are many ways to vary the drill, (and Michael brought up an excellent point regarding the methodology of training and the development of the proper mind set; again this needs to be discussed in a separate post) but I feel if the practitioner doesn’t train primarily toe-to-toe for the head attack, with an understanding of why, then they may be training themselves to reflexively respond to an attack by stepping back and getting punched in the head. 

With the stomach attack, it’s the same consideration.  The attack is much more likely to follow an arcing path than a straight path, so stepping back with either foot is NOT just as effective.  Here when the attacker steps in with the right, you should step back with the left and soto-uke with the right arm.

With perfect JKA technique, many variations will work, and either foot is a good option.  I submit, however, if you want to retain self defense ability, you should train with the most likely street attacks in mind.

The assumes you are using these uke primarily as blocks, and that you are stepping back away from your attacker.  IM(apparently)NSHO, neither of these concepts is valid if you examine the kata.  The uke were not meant to be used this way.  (oh, well another lengthy post)

Mal said it much more succinctly:

its simply a matter of receiving the attack with the correct arm, that is, the attacker is punching with their right arm (which would be on the defenders left) so the defender blocks with the left arm first.

I have noticed the English have a much better understanding of the practicalities of fighting.  I mostly attribute this to Enoeda Sensei setting up such a strong spirited core group.  (however it could be they frequent the pubs a bit more than they should   )

He also said:

its a little presumptive to assume that there is only one right way to perform these blocks, and that the only “right” way is yours…

I agree.  In this particular case though, I was trying to offer a bit of a challenge, not be presumptuous.  Also, if I said there is only one way to do a kata, or a front kick, it would be different than the situation I described, I think.

After sitting at my computer for the last couple of hours, I know remember why it took me so long to put this answer together. 

Respectfully and Sincerely
David Gimberline
ITKF/AAKF
Minneapolis, Minnesota