Mind like Ice, Spirit like Fire

This is one of my favorite Budo quotes, describing the optimal mindset for fighting/self defense. One must keep the mind calm and the spirit strong, however the mind must not be carried away by the spirit and vice versa.

The other day in class, during a timing drill I mentioned the importance of this mental mode in order to apply techniques effectively. Michael asked me after class, “how do we develop this kind of mental mode?” The answer is complex, some people are innately more calm under pressure, and some people naturally have a stronger spirit, but karate gives us tools to develop those attributes. There is no magic, but rather a process that is already built in to our training method.

Hard training makes confidence, confidence allows for stable emotions.

Mind like ice means stable emotions. When we train hard, we develop confidence in our technique's effectiveness, and confidence makes stable emotion.

It is not only hard training but how we train:

Feet make top technique, action from feet, feet are the “boss”. Through kata and basics, we learn to initiate any action from the feet and to allow the feet to “make decisions.” We follow the opponent’s rhythm with the feet, react with the feet, fake with the feet, and seize the moment with the feet.

So rather than our brain making decisions, the feet do, preventing over-information, hesitation and doubt, which in turn allows for stable emotions. Of course the feet cannot actually make decisions, but allowing the feet to react allows us to trust our feeling, intuition, and experience.

The brain is engaged but is not over analyzing and interfering which would block us from seeing information and subtle cues that are hard to see if we get stuck in details.

If a person does not have the skill of making the movement from the ground up, we cannot even begin to talk about reacting from the feet or the feet “making decisions”.
Making action from the feet is a very physical skill that sets the optimal mental mode.

Breath from low abdominals controls the body center and maximizes ground reaction forces by applying pressure and twisting to the ground. Our main power is from the body center by means of body dynamics and internal muscles action, but this power is only effective when ground reaction forces are maximized.

At an advanced level, there is only breath and intention. All the details will happen by themselves, leaving our brain free from those details that keep us busy as beginners.

In addition, the breath from the body center interacts with the feet to maximize use of ground reaction. It is really the breath that initiates the feet and allows the feet to be the “boss.” It is the breath that makes reaction and initiates our techniques.

If the breath rises to the chest, we cannot controls our body center or feet. This happens when we are over excited and lose stable emotions, but in if we can keep the breath in the center it allows us to keep stable emotions and remain mentally as well as physically centered.

It is through basic training and gradual increase of stimuli in kumite that we learn to keep our breath in the center, and our body center as the decision center.

Eyes back, is a postural direction, which has both mental and physical implications. Mentally it allows the eyes to “monitor” and “observe”, so the brain is in a “wide perception” mode rather than “narrow focus” mode. This mode allows the mind to be like “ice”, emotionally stable and calm. It also allows us to give everything to the technique, to have “no mind in the technique”, avoiding the alternative of holding back or hesitating.

Strong spirit has to be distinguished from emotions, it is will-power, determination, and commiting, giving everything in each action.

Being able to give everything in a technique is both a mental and physical attribute.

It takes specific training to teach the nervous system  to recruit maximum motor units in shortest time. In order to achieve that we need some periods of maximal speed and intensity training. We have to teach the muscles to relax in order to achieve maximal contraction, the goal is maximal rate and range of muscles contraction relaxation.

Optimal form, posture, and alignment are crucial to preventing injuries as we develop higher intensity. It is when we give all the breath that we are giving everything mentally and physically.

When we practice basic techniques we teach the whole body to cooperate to one purpose, but at the same time by coordinating the intention and breath with the outer action and muscles action we learn to give our mind away, to not hold back anything in our technique.

Learning to have our full intention, breath and muscles 100 %, is much harder than just coordinating the body.

Sensei Nishiyama used to persist on giving 100% in every technique, if you train one hour or five, six hours. If you train many hours, obviously not all your techniques will be explosive, but even when you go slow, there should be full intention and purpose in every action.

Becoming sloppy will make your spirit weak, while being present will develop a strong spirit.  

I also believe that training hard and never giving up, overcoming whatever obstacles life puts in front of us, is a big part in developing this spirit. I believe in giving everything, in the right moment, regardless of outcome.

avirokah1@gmail.com

Ho Shin - give your mind away (also, learn to use your full muscles potential)

Once decision is made, there is no mind in the technique, no hesitation, win or lose one must give everything.
When we can apply this concept and give everything, the mind is clear, there is no more judgment, and paradoxically we can become more sensitive, more intuitive, and more aware when we try less.

There is another aspect to it, very few of us are able to use our full muscles potential, generally we use only small potential of our musculoskeletal system, because of fear, past traumas, protection of the joints, but hand in hand with the developing the muscles and joints condition, we develop the mental ability not to hold back to apply ourselves fully to one purpose.
Take Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, it is recorded that in each step he takes the reaction back to his body equals over 1000 LB, that is a lot of force production, if an average person did that, after one 100 m sprint it is likely that his/her joints will be damaged.
So how does Mr. Bolt does it and how do we in karate learn to do that?
I am not sure how Usain Bolt does it, one aspect is his form, and maybe he intuitively learn how to give himself totally, 100%.

I will tell you what is the method we use in karate:

Form and sequencing.
First, we develop proper form and postural alignment, which allows for smooth transmission of force, and distribution of force through the whole body, not one joint or another.
Than, we learn proper sequencing of body segments to accumulate maximum force, but some people have good form and timing yet the still use only small amount of their muscles potential.

Stabilization strength:
When we stay in stance for a long time, we develop the smaller muscles closer to the joint, those are the muscles that activate first, before the big muscles, to stabilize the joint, while the bigger, outer muscles are responsible for force production (mainly).
Those stabilizing muscles are design to work for longer periods, and must have endurance.
It shows that when the stabilizing muscles are not functioning optimally the nervous system will not allow for full force production (about 30% less).
Our karate ancestors did not know sport science and the latest research but I guess through experience and correct intuition they developed methods of training that allow us to produce big power safely. 

Body center is intention center.
It is very important that we keep our intention in the Tan Den, our body center of energy. our decision and commitment is not in the brain, since there will always be holding back, conflict in our action if it comes from the brain.
Our body center is the intention and decision center, every action starts here mentally as well as physically, this concept has a lot of benefits besides being able to commit totally to one purpose.

Breathing
Our breath from low stomach activates the center and ground reaction, and allows the whole body musculature to cooperate and allows to maximize the recruitment of muscles in shortest time to one purpose (providing breath, muscles action and external action are matching).
The breath is also the connection between the mental and the physical, our breath allows us to mentally give every thing so the muscles can follow. There is no interference of the brain, and that is one reason we say in Budo: "there is no mind in the technique".
Or as Sensei Nishiyama used to say: "giving all breath is giving all energy" or "Kiai destroys opponent".

The power of karate is in the brain, not in the muscles, says recent Oxford university research.

Group of healthy controls was compared with a group of karate black belts, who are able to perform rapid, complex movements that require years of training.

Researchers chose to investigate karate experts’ ability to generate extremely high impact forces as this ability is not replicable by novices, and the mechanism used to achieve this feat not fully understood.

The research investigated weather the ability to control ballistic movement is associated with difference in white matter microstructure in the brain.

Early studies found that although karate experts were able to generate higher impact forces than controls, isometric muscle force and velocity measurements of individual joints were not significantly different.

Karate experts demonstrated higher peak acceleration in ballistic elbow extensions, but this was not related to activity in the biceps or triceps as measured by electromyography.

Karate experts are better able than novices to coordinate the timing of inter-segmental joint velocities.

Further research demonstrated that these individuals are also better able to maintain body stability by reducing the amount of backward replacement during punching to produce higher impact forces.

It was interesting to the researchers because karate punching is rapid, ballistic movement, yet performance was not determined by muscular strength, but rather by timing and coordination, specifically, the relative timing of different joint velocities.

There was significant differences between groups in the microstructure of white matter in the superior cerebellar peduncles (SCPs) and primary motor cortex – brain regions that are critical to the voluntary control of movement.
These findings suggest a role of the white matter pathways of the PCPs in motor expertise.

This study examined the behavioral and brain basis of expert motor control in karate experts. It was found that these individuals are able to repeatedly coordinate certain actions with a level of skill that novices are unable to reproduce. We argue that these abilities may be due primarily to changes to white matter structure in the SCPs, allowing the synchronization of movements of the upper limbs and trunk with a high degree of accuracy. This is the first example of a link between human cerebellar white matter and motor control measures in an elite sporting group. This has implications for our understanding of the role of white matter connectivity in motor coordination, the relationship between measures of white matter microstructure and elite performance, and how brain changes may be related to the stage of development in which learning begins.

About Intention

In karate we say that the source of power are body dynamics and internal muscle action (contraction/expansion) but most important source of power is mental, the mind. Without strong intention those physical power sources are limited no matter how correct and pretty the form is.

Bt precise form is important, because our image and actual movement must be matching; we have to have the correct image of ourselves for the intention to be effective. Later, when we advance, we do not need form anywhere the intention goes or whole body will instantly cooperate to that direction.

We say that the stronger and more pure the intention is the more muscle motor units will be recruited and cooperating for the intended purpose.

Research shows that if for example a person performs biceps curls and have strong intention, he will be able to lift 30% more than if he was joking while doing it.

Intention, imagination has to be used correctly, we say that the body center is the intention center and movement center, which will allow for maximal and proper recruitment sequence.

If I try harder and harder with my brain, I will probably get stiffer, use more top power and be less effective.

Sensei Nishiyama used to say “put your brain in your low stomach”, “intention first, than breath, than muscles and technique”.

Outside form is easier to fix, one can see and adjust their form, it is tangible.

Sequencing body movement and muscles recruitment is more difficult to correct than external form because it is training the nervous system and developing patterns of recruitment.

Intention is most difficult, because it is least tangible, but once we put the intention in the right place, form, sequencing and maximizing recruitment all take place naturally.

Form, sequencing and intention are interlinked.

In karate we start by learning the external form, which gives us the base, structure and tools to adjust and tune the recruitment sequence. For example, if the form is lacking and the back foot angle out too much it will be difficult to use the legs, and rotation of the hips will be limited, that will force us to compensate with the shoulders. A faulty pattern will be digested into the nervous system.

If intention is pure and from center without judgment and brain interference, we will likely to have the proper sequence and form. When judging and wanting results we are likely to move the top technique first and use more effort than necessary in the extremities and technique will be lacking.

When our intention is strong and from the center and is pure, without brain effort, we can project more energy and sense the opponent’s energy and intention. I am sure that everyone faced someone, who, before any movement you feel a lot of pressure, being controlled, that is how I felt when facing Sensei Nishiyama.

Once we develop the proper form and recruitment sequence, and we have intention from the body center (not from brain) more muscles motor unit will be recruited and body segments will cooperate and sequence more powerfully.

When we say “give direction from body center to opponent” or “inside, technique already finished, than technique start”, we mean that there is a strong image first, and the muscle though not moving yet, already have direction. That mean that the sequence is already determined, from inside out, and strong but optimal recruitment will follow.

At the highest level there is only intention and breath, no conscious of technique at all.

CZECH REPUBLIC SEMINAR, APRIL 15-17

SUMMERY OF SEMINAR AND MATERIAL COVERED

Seminar in Czech Republic was held April 15-17; there were 110 participants from Czech, Poland, Germany, Lithuania and Chile, many of them are regular students of Sensei Nishiyama who used to come to LA dojo. I really enjoyed teaching, it was such a great group of karateka, eager to learn, curious, working hard and asking great questions, in this kind of environment, it is like a karate laboratory, there is mutual learning. And, to the credit of karate, in the same class there were some tough athletic young guys, middle age people, women and kids, all can enjoy karate working according to their abilities and reaping benefits according to their interests.

I always try in my seminars to give a whole picture of how karate principles interlink, seeing the reasoning and wisdom in our system, rather than do a bunch of techniques and applications.

This way I believe people can take with them knowledge for future training.

OUTLINE OF SEMINAR:

Posture

We described what is a good posture and how a good or bad posture affects the technique and the Psyche.

I also try to give tools and drills to make good posture tangible and get feedback as to having a good posture or not because what we feel is right is not always accurate.

Stance, ground reaction

2 types of stance, kamae stance and kime stance, principles of functional stance, and understanding that every action is reaction from floor, even one finger move, it is from the feet, breath activates the feet.
And again, giving tools to get feedback if one is really using the floor in each techniques.

Main power is from body center using ground reaction.

Power from center by body dynamics and muscles action.

Body center connection to elbow and to knee.

Technique is always from body center to elbow to contact area or from body center to knee to contact area, and that includes sequence of movement; body action first technique is result.

Breath

Breathing from floor initiate technique, breath make muscles direction of movement, either from the center out or from the outside to the center (reverse transmission), breath make kime and type of kime.

Hiding the inhalation in order to expose chance.

Speed and power

Initiate technique quickest without back motion.

Muchimi – body like whip, total body snap, acceleration.

Kime – pressure to floor for acceleration and mean of transfer momentum to target.

Sharp total body musculature contraction for maximizing shocking power.

Kumite, Applications

I always like to relate the principles taught in the basics to kumite because that is what basics are ultimately for. The beauty in Nishiyama karate is that every technical detail has reasons both in regard to effectiveness of technique and applications. High level kumite depends on internalizing principles of technique.

We practiced Unsoku (footwork) and using Ukimi (suspension of legs from body center.

Rhythm, we did drills using breath and footwork to catch (and ideally conduct) opponent’s rhythm and keeping the maai.

Reaction by breath bypassing the brain, using Sen timing.

Zanshin – not giving mental or physical space after kime, we did some important drills to develop zanshin.

Stressing that the more we give everything in the technique the more physical and mental preparedness we have, and Zanshin is effortless.

Oji Waza (response techniques)

Sen, to anticipate, we practiced progression of Sen timing drills and variations of sen.

Go no Sen (hitting the opponent after first technique or between techniques)

Uke Waza (blocking) block is attack opponent technique on the way to attack his body, foot moves first than body center.

Amashi Waza - using space to avoid attack and counter in the off rhythm.

Understand Mikiru (estimate opponent range).

Mawashi Waza – foot circle, avoiding the opponent’s line of attack and counterattack breaking, switching the rhythm.

Shikake Waza – set up, creating a chance, strategy

Yomu – read opponent intentions, first step before forming strategy

Types of Shikake

Sasoi Waza – invite, using fake, considering the distance, making the fake in the right moment, the right amount of fake depending on the opponent eagerness to attack.

Tsume – press the opponent, infinitely and smoothly coming into his space forcing him to attack, and anticipating him.

Give bait - when detecting the opponent waits for counter, give the opponent a technique to block, and use the space between his block to counter, switching techniques sharply.

Combinations – when the opponent retreat and we can initiate in between his rhythm with small techniques to close the space while staying mentally/physically ahead, finishing with big technique.

TIMING

When facing bigger opponent or skillful opponent, good timing is as important as strong technique, good timing is at the instant the opponent cannot apply his/her power

In karate we spend many hours of training to develop Todome Waza (finish technique), we spend endless hours to develop the body system that can cooperate the whole body into one direction, and deliver maximum power in the shortest instant through different parts of the body.

But even the best techniques are useless if not used properly, in proper timing and distance, and with the right strategy to create the chance for attack.

It is much easier to kill with sword than with empty hand, but even Japanese sword practitioners spend a lot of time understanding timing and distance.

Here we go into understanding the right time to apply our technique.

We must be able to distinguish between Jitsu and Kyo.

Jitsu is when the opponent is in good posture, good stance (able to change position quick and smooth without back motion), when he is has stable emotions and strong spirit. This is not the right time to attack.

Kyo is when any of the above conditions has changed, when there is mental or physical movement and as result the opponent cannot apply is technique and power instantly.

For example, when the opponent loses stable emotions, he/she is excited, afraid, angry, stiff mind, loses spirit or physically, when opponent loses balance, when he/ she initiate or even mentally commit to attack, or in between techniques, at the change from action to another, or in between footwork, or at the inhalation.

“Kyo itself is too late, when the no Kyo becomes kyo, you must hit the opponent”.

Aiko San told me this sentence and it was enlightening for me, it changed my karate.

It is not enough to see the Kyo, and actually seeing the Kyo is too late, by the time we realize Kyo it is gone. We have to observe the Kyo and be there, apply the technique as the no kyo becomes Kyo.

That is why Sensei Nishiyama kept insisting: “don’t use eyes”, “by pass the brain”, “reaction by breathing”, “reaction from spinal level” or “feeling reaction”.

We cannot have space between reaction and action, the normal processing of receive information, analyze, decide and than order from brain is too late for us, when we have less than tenth of a second of a window to apply a technique.

That is why we don’t look to opponent’s outside body, legs and arms, but look to opponent heart, feeling.

We must catch the intention, the decision, and maybe as a first step catch the opponent breath and rhythm, and moreover, be the conductor and make the opponent into our orchestra; we make the music for him.

“Don’t self dance”

Sensei Nishiyama used to scold people who were too aggressive, and only thought of their techniques, not considering the opponent’s rhythm, distance and timing.

Digesting the fundamentals is essential in order to apply the theory presented above.

Kata and kumite are like a hand and a glove, kata is for kumite and if the relationships and underlying principles of kata are not digested the timing ideas I explained can never materialized..

It is through the kata and kihon that one learns to match and synchronize, breath, muscle action, body dynamics and technique, one learn to move as a chain reaction from the floor to legs, torso to technique in proper sequence and harmony.

Breathing initiates technique by activating the feet and muscle action, body action and technique, than I can react to opponent’s move with the breath, and breath reaction is technique, without space of analyzing and judgment.

Than reaction and action is one, without a gap or space.

And than we can say breathing, kiai is the trigger that starts technique, because the breath set the pathway for technique, breathing makes technique.

Timing methods will be explained in another article.

Kime part 3: breathing (kiai) makes kime

Breathing make Kime

Breath (Kiai) make type of kime

This is extremely important but very tough to explain, I can probably demonstrate better than explain, but will try my best.

Aiko San and Sensei Nishiyama could correct my technique without looking at me, just by listening to the kiai. I will give some examples of how they taught me to use Kiai and breath to control my kime (and every phase of the technique, but that is not for this article) and than I will summarize what it all means. This is a subject that is harder to explain than technique mechanics, it is not tangible and require sensitivity, one has to get the feel of it, and this is where karate is more of an art.

Aiko San and sensei Nishiyama used to face me for a long periods of time and as I had to punch toward their face or stomach, they will tell me if the energy extended through or if I stopped the momentum at kime, or if my breath was such that the energy spread and did not focus, or if it did not come from lower abdomen, so muscles were recruited from the top body.

And it took hours to fine tune and to apply a simple reverse punch decently.

Sometimes Aiko San will stand in front of me and Sensei was standing behind her, and I had to punch at Aiko San, but sensei wanted the kiai and energy to hit him, and it was very hard to satisfy them.

Sometimes, Aiko San would ask to apply the kiai sharply as if cutting through water, as if not to spread but focus the energy, and at first that was very hard to grasp and see to what she wanted, but when it became clear it was beautiful, we spend sometimes a whole Sunday, maybe five hours of just doing that.

For training Aiko San will bring the Los Angeles Times, and hold the paper at the top, and I had to break the paper with Tsuki using sharp kiai, my homework was to finish the LA Times on Sunday.

Sensei Nishiyama will often say :Kiai destroy opponent”, this is very important, because first it implies that by giving all the breath, one gives all of his spirit and self, holding nothing, back into the technique, and it also means physically maximizing the use of all of our resources.

In karate you can see a lot of people trying to control the distance by consciously, from the brain, stopping the punch or kick, and stopping the energy, in this case the brain controls the arm, and the energy is not being delivered, the muscles will contract in wrong direction.

There should be no control of the arm, no mind in the technique, the intention center is in the Tan Den, 3 fingers under the belly button toward the spine, and the breath controls the muscles and energy from this center.

Many times Sensei Nishiyama will insist that the Kiai will peak at the impact point (not stop there), this is not easy, most people kiai will peak before kime and weaken at impact, in other wards the breathing, muscle action and technique are not matching.

Other times Sensei Nishiyama will tell me to do the Kiai as if there is no echo, the kiai does not come back, it all goes to one direction, and if one can do that, there will be no recoil, no bounce of energy.

Many times Sensei will say “one period of breath is total energy”, “give all breath in shortest time”. Of course we cannot give all the air out, but that is a feel, and the breath connects the mental and physical, it allows us first to mentally give everything, and to physically use total body musculature contraction, and when we say that we mean all muscles that contribute to the purpose.

Paradoxically, the more we give all air, and give the mind away, the more full we are, meaning, we are fully aware and ready for any necessary action, no mind is full mind, and that is natural Zanshin.

And physically, the more we give everything, the more pressure and contraction, the more potential for next action we have, next action will start as reaction of breath, Zanshin. Kime and Zanshin are very connected.

Regarding Types of kime, every technique require different application of power, different muscle activation, a block is sharp, a punch to the body needs more penetration, a strike is sharper than a punch, and sweeping block is smooth, a push require continuous contraction, all these type of kime are controlled by different Kiai which we call: Ei, Ya and To.

I’ll explain this in more detail in another article.

Summery:

At first we understand that kime (focus) is mainly depends on 2 elements, pressure to floor at impact to create acceleration and deliver force and momentum accumulated in the technique, and second, contraction, to make the body dense, to maximize shocking power and make elastic collision at contact.

Both pressure and contraction are controlled by the breath, and with repetition, as we advance we do not need to think of details, the details become engrained in the nervous system, and becomes what Sensei Nishiyama called “body system” or in motor learning “motor engram”.

At this point the breath will make the focus, the timing of pressure and the when and where (at what distance) and how much, contraction will happen. I put my intention at a point and the breath will follow and set pathways for the muscles, the peak of the kiai is where contraction will maximize, but the breath does not stop, it rather extends through target.

By using the breath and forget about muscles I find that there is no access tension in the kime, just the due amount in the right time and direction.

And that does not contradict the fact that we want maximum and total body contraction, since we want optimal contraction, and not to activate muscles that will hold the energy and contradict the direction and purpose of a technique.

Kime part 2: sharp contraction of total body to technique line

· 2 components of kime: pressure and contraction.

· Contraction of total body musculature to line of technique at impact.

· Purpose is to allow delivery of total force in shortest amount of time, to achieve maximum shocking power, Todome.

· Muscles contraction is controlled by breath, Kiai.

· Contraction is from the ground up and from the center out.

· Contraction to midline, than chain reaction to technique line.

· Legs contraction in a spiral to midline and to technique line.

· Body like steel for a moment.

· Elastic steel, which has flexibility and potential energy.

· Power needs direction therefore contraction to line of technique.

· During contraction no move on the outside, not any wobble, but inside does not stop.

· Sensei Nishiyama used to “at kime don’t even blink, kime from eyes (in a sense)”, when blinking breath muscles synchronization is lacking.

Force equal mass by acceleration, and force delivered in shortest amount of time is impulse or shocking power.

In karate the goal is to achieve Todome – finishing blow technique, and therefore shocking power is a must.

Our body is soft since it is made of 70% water, and we have many joints, and each joint is like a cushion where there is a “give” and energy can easily dissipate.

Test shows that when we drop a 5kg (12lb) steel ball from a height of 40 cm (16inches) on a brick, the brick will break every time, and this is because steel is dense, and the energy will transfer to the brick in 1/1000 of a second. On the other hand if we drop a many times heavier pillow on the brick nothing will happen because of the “give” of energy.

In movement we want to be elastic and soft to achieve maximum speed and momentum but at contact we want to be as dense as possible, like steel.

How do we achieve this density at contact and become like steel?

We need contraction of total body musculature to line of technique.

We cannot think of individual muscles, since the brain does not know muscles but movement patterns, also we don’t want to simply brace the muscles, because the contraction will be from the outside, and will be limited.

Our method is very special and effective, and based on lots of trial and error. We use the breath and intention to control the muscles, and think of contraction toward the spine, the midline, and than from the midline chain reaction to line of technique.

How does it works?

When making contraction to midline, the inner unit muscles, smaller muscles around the spine are activated, stabilizing the spine, and providing an anchor, working foundation for the bigger, more powerful, outer muscles to contract more fully and effectively to line of technique.

So, even though we say contraction to centerline, the purpose is not contraction inwardly, where energy is being “choked”, but rather contraction from the inside outward.

The contraction starts as we make pressure to floor, and as reaction of this pressure, therefore the contraction is from the floor and upward through the kinetic chain to line of technique. Likewise, when a person jumps and lands, as he hits the floor, there will be contraction against gravity, which is lengthening contraction, also called eccentric contraction.

During contraction continue pressure to floor and breath does not stop.

Only out of optimal posture contraction can be total and complete, since in optimal posture all muscles are at optimal length for function.

The muscles of the upper back, the gluts and adductors have tendency not to engage in contraction, the hip flexors and upper abdominals tend to be over active.

The pulling hand is very important in helping to use both side of the body through the center, in activating the back and gluts muscles.

The feet, big toe, heel and arch are very important in maximizing the activation of the legs, especially gluts and inner thighs.

Saying that we use all air to make total body contraction in shortest time is general, since different techniques require different types of energy, so the optimal amount of force should be applied.

Also, giving all air is more of a feel, that allows to give everything both mentally and physically, the breath is the link between mental and physical.

A block is not finish technique, and only meant to deflect an attack, kime is very short, a tsuki (punch) is finish technique, yet attack face require short delivery since the head tend to give and energy escape unless power delivery is sharp, Tsuki to the body needs to be deeper and more penetrating, therefore different types of breath is used to produce different types of kime.

The general exclamation that we need sharpest contraction is true, and we need to teach the nervous system to recruit as many muscles motor units in shortest time. This is a different kind of muscle activation lets say than a person who bench press and have as much time as needed to press, we need as much power applied in shortest amount of time, which is a skill that require proper training.

That is why sensei Nishiyama used to say that you don’t need to be Popai to be skillful in karate but you need to use what you have well.

He also used to say that there is no points of having 8 cylinders if one can use only 2. It is important to develop base strength, so one has more potential and is also safer.

Both pressure to floor and contraction are potential energy that can be released by exhalation to direction of next technique.

Kime or end of one technique is best condition for start of next technique.

As we release energy we also recharge energy for next technique.

This is a subject for another article.

UKE Waza (blocking technques) part 2, principles of applications

There are three main types of Uke Waza: Hooking (kake uke), sweeping block (nagashi Uke) and hitting blocks.

Hitting block is the most common in our karate, first to be taught to beginners, and is the main subject of this article.

I personally like sweeping block as much and use equally hitting and sweeping

blocks. It is a matter of preference, and also one should be able to use sweeping or hitting block at the proper situation and time. Sweeping blocks requires less power and more smoothness, in general when slightly late for hitting use sweeping block. I will go through principles of sweeping block in another article.

Here I will describe the most important technical points that make uke waza effective and useful in free application and against unknown attack, and not only in basic training.

I will also explain the necessary mental preparation that is necessary to apply hitting block successfully no matter what attack comes at you and at what speed.

Mental preparation is very important to enable us to use Uke Waza instinctively against any unexpected attack:

When in kamae facing the opponent “give direction to your technique”, this mean that from tanden, (center of energy, 3 fingers below the navel toward the spine), and from kami tanden, (upper center of energy, the point between the eye brows) ki energy is “shooting”, projecting to opponent, the muscles already have direction, decision is already made, now the breath is really the trigger that initiates the reaction/action.

To go a little further on this point, my hands are mentally touching opponent’s hand, on the way to the attack. Physically not touching but mentally touching.
This mental preparation, “give direction to technique”, is critical for success of uke waza for 2 reasons:

1. When danger we reflexively lift the hands to protect the brain and throat, and this is a back motion, which is not acceptable in application.
We cannot change this reflex but we can redirect it with our intention, and the reaction will be to direction of opponent

2. When something happens we cannot analyze, decide and than move, that is too late, when the muscles already have direction, the breath is the trigger, “bypassing the brain”, and allow us to move as the opponent initiates action, without a gap.

Another preparation, the hands have slight but constant move, side to side, as extension of the body center/lower spine, this movement should be barely noticed, but inside at body center movement should always be present, the engine is already working, since it is easy to initiate movement from being in motion, rather than from stillness.This is called: “the bird tail is moving yet the body is seem not to move”

Keep in mind block is not defense, think that when late for Sen, you attack opponent's technique on the way to attack his body. Uke Waza is a technique of Go no Sen.

Technical considerations:

1. Breath and spine reaction, allow us to catch the attack as early as possible.

Don’t use eyes, since if we look we will have to confirm and than move and that is too late. If we look we will be over informed since the opponent has many options and than we are likely to doubt and hesitate, you should observe but not look.

2. Within the block we must take leadership

And be ahead of the rhythm, be able to break the opponent rhythm and counter between his rhythm and not in the same rhythm. This means that we hit the opponent’s attack before kime, when he still has some momentum left, and this left momentum is our space for counterattack.
If we cannot hit the attack before kime we must switch to Amashi Waza, use space by shifting back, and when to apply Uke Waza or Amashi waza is not a conscious choice, it is not in the brain, it is result of experience and facing certain situations many times.

3. When blocking foot moves first, than weight, the body center shifts very little, since uke waza, is not “todome” - finish technique, and the purpose is only to deflect the attack, full use of the body weight is not necessary. Moving the foot first is faster, and we can never move the body weight as fast as the punch coming at us.

Also moving the foot first allows us to keep the head back while advancing which is safer, and enable us to monitor.
Using back stance is effective because it allows us to move the foot to adjust the distance without shifting the weight, we cannot do this in front stance.
Look at how many examples the kata gives us of using back stance with uke waza and in most cases moving forward, since uke waza should be used moving in, if we move back we use space to avoid the attack, and block is not needed.
When we switch from block to counter, we need to fully use the weight into the attack, since this is todome waza, so we change from back stance to front stance.

4. Arm move in straight line rather than circle.
This is important, the blocking hand move in shortest line to attack the opponent’s attack, we describe this motion as a straight line with a slight curve at end, since we need to create force in a sideline.
The reasons for that are two, first, a straight line is faster than a circle, and so if we block in circle we are in disadvantage.
Second, we avoid selection reaction, brain interference, when being attacked first my breath reacts and the arm extends straight to opponent, and as I move I choose left or right, jodan or chudan, this choice is not in my brain, it is in my back memo, drawn from my experience (like a computer back memo).
Few important details regarding this point are, first the block is as big as possible without over extending and loss of unity, connection between body center and arm, and that is because I want to catch the opponent as early as possible, before he accumulate energy, and in his territory.
Second the elbow moves as little as possible, to keep connection between body to elbow, to avoid exposing our body center, and also the moment the elbow moves unnecessarily, we are starting to move the arm in isolation, which mean the brain has to order the movement of the arm, and there is no more breath reaction and reaction from spine, and we are likely to be late.

5. Use wrist or near wrist area as contact area and attack opponent fist wrist area.
In the area near the wrist we can produce most power because we have most leverage, it is like the “sweet spot” in a baseball bat. It also allows us to “tsukome”, catch the opponent hand after block if necessary, especially if he has weapon, or if we want to throw him.
Attack the opponent fist, wrist area, also gives us most leverage at contact and it is faster to get to the fist than to forearm or upper arm.

6. Your own block protects your center, and inline for counterattack.
At end position of block, your body center should be protected, your arms should draw a triangle in front of your center, and you should not lose the midline, so you don’t have to readjust your arms for counterattack, in the block position, you should be in perfect centered line for counter attack.

7. In the block use sharp Muchimi (total body snap)

This is important since many times we have very short action space for block and need to accelerate sharply to produce force in short space.
Also sharp snap action allows us to switch quick from block to counter, using the potential energy that is in the snapping muscles.

Uke Waza (blocking technques) part 1

WHY IS UKE WAZA (BLOCKING TECHNIQUES) SO IMPORTANT?

Our karate distinct advantage and superiority is the precise and very advanced use of body mechanics to achieve Todome (finishing blow), and the use of precise timing and distance so one does not meet the opponent’s strength.

Those elements allow a karate person to use less power to over come big power; the small and week can overcome the big and strong.

Understanding those elements intellectually is not enough one has to digest and internalize to the point that it is no more in our brain, but in the nervous system, the way your nervous system is wired, or in sensei Nishiyama’s wards “body system”.

But mere repetition is not enough, there is a certain order in when and how one should practice timing, and each step should make you ripe and ready to digest and step to next level, and than of course it is like a spiral, we return and repeat certain drills with the emphasize depending on the needs, this is quality rather than quantity training.

The first and most basic timing we learn and repeat the most is Sen (ahead), which is to anticipate the opponent’s action, ideally to hit him at his mental commitment (Kake no Sen)and at the latest during the physical action (Tai No Sen). When doing Sen, our offense is our defense.

Sen teaches us to react with the breath and directly from the nervous system (not brain), to make the reaction and action as one, without space of judgment, and mentally/physically to give everything once we go (Ho Shin).

In Sen we are doing single reaction, we don’t have to select between opponent’s techniques, we trust our feeling and shoot like a bullet, yet with awareness, monitoring.

Uke Waza is similar, when we are slightly late for sen, we attack the opponent’s technique on the way to attacking his body, therefore Uke Waza, is not defensive. In Uke Waza like any other timing the reaction is with the breath, but unlike in Sen timing there is selection reaction, because choice has to be made to what technique is coming at you, of course we developed methods to minimize this selection.

Uke Waza is very important first of all because it is very effective and useful in application.

Second and very important benefit of Uke Waza is that when you get good at it, all other timing and footwork become easy to apply.

When you are comfortable in front of any attack that might come at you, which seem very difficult initially because when you block you do have to select between many options that the opponent has and you move into it. You have to select not with your eyes and brain, but with your intuition, with the wisdom of the body, you have to see without your eyes.

Sensei Nishiyama used to say that if properly trained anyone could use Uke Waza within short time, one needs to repeat over and over.

When you can stay relax and calm and tune to the opponent, no matter what speed or technique he will use, when you can be comfortable to see the attack coming at you and move into it with confidence, than it is easy to apply all other kinds of Oji Waza (response techniques) and footwork, such as Amashi Waza, using space to avoid opponent and than counter, or Mawashi Ashi, (foot circle) to avoid the line of attack, or Hiraki Ashi, (to open the foot) in order to move out of attack line.

When you are comfortable with Uke Waza, all of the sudden all other timing options become easier and natural to use, because you are relax and confident and therefore can perceive the opponent and see what is not there yet, and can easily capitalize on any attack.

When you are expert in Uke Waza, you accept the opponent’s attack, you welcome it, and take advantage of it, which also allows one to set the opponent up without rush, since you have to be confident to set the opponent up and allow him to attack first yet be ahead of him.

In general you initiate Uke Waza as quick and early as possible but it is not always the case, Aiko San used to point out to me to watch Sensei Nishiyama blocks, and he does not move until the attack is almost there, he receive the attack when it starts but actually moves to it late and without rush. This is, of course, mastery.