Stance considerations: Understanding outside and inside tension stances.

We have 2 type of stance: kime stance and kamae stance.

Here I discuss some elements of kime stance, the stance at moment of impact, which is most prevalent in the kata.

We have 2 types of kime stance: outside tension and inside tension.

Outside tension stances are most common in shotokan (zenkutsu dachi, kokutsu dachi, kiba dachi and sochin dachi) even though we use inside tension stances (Hangetsu dachi, sanchin dachi and neko ashi dachi) quite often.

In an outside tension stance, at kime the muscles of the hips and thighs are contracting from the outside in and toward the centerline of the body.

In an inside tension stance the muscles of the hips and thighs are contracting inwardly toward the front and the midline of the body.

The purpose of this contraction is to make a strong base in order to fully deliver the technique’s power through target, and avoid recoil, bounce of energy as reaction from impact. The contraction of the legs and hips allow for strong connection and transfer of energy from legs through the body center. Of course there are some other reasons such as contraction is potential energy, kime should be best condition to starting next action.

Important points:

Bones not moving

The bones of the thighs are not moving; rather the muscles are contracting around the thighbones and pelvis.

If the bones are moving, the thighbones will be out of optimal alignment with the hip sockets, and as result, transfer of energy at the hip joint will not be complete, and there will be undue stress on the hip joint, which over time can result in injury.

Contraction must have direction

The contraction of the legs and hips muscles is not static, since power needs direction. The contraction is either from the outside or inside toward the centerline of the body and in a spiral to the line of technique.

In a case of a punch for example the contraction of the legs and hips is in a spiral from the ground up to the technique line.

In a case of pull, or sweeping block, the contraction of the legs is in a spiral toward the ground, this is what we call reverse transmission of energy.

Stance contraction allows for total body contraction

We know that at kime we need total body musculature contraction in shortest time to line of technique. If the legs contraction is insufficient than the rest of the body contraction will lack, since the stance is the foundation.

When practice kata, try to move at full speed and at kime legs don’t move, not any wobble. Remember that when the outside stop, the inside energy don’t stop.

Learning and knowledge

Sensei Nishiyama used to tell me: “once you think you know, you are finished, you don’t learn anymore”.

This is the problem of knowledge, once we “know” something it feels old, even dead.

The fact that we can look at every day’s miracles around us, and not be constantly amazed is death.

“Not knowing” is different than ignorance, how do we go about increasing in learning while still maintaining the freshness and sense of wonder?

One idea is to treat each thing we learn as a piece in a larger puzzle that still has missing pieces.

Instead of each thing we learn become another thing we know let it be a reminder of how little we know.

Sensei Nishiyama used to constantly say that in karate “we seek the beauty of one finishing blow technique”, he never stressed doing more techniques and memorizing more combinations, but rather going deeper into each technique. Each technique has limitless levels. Aiko San used to say “treat each technique as a jewel”.

I remember going with Sensei to on of his international seminars, and he was teaching very basic techniques but very deeply, and some students looked very board, and I wanted to scream, please pay attention, you cannot get this information anywhere, don't miss out. Even now she I look at a picture of sensei doing simple reverse punch, I get the feel of how deep his technique was.

If we look at each technique and concept freshly, with amazement, we can keep finding out deeper levels.

With Sensei Nishiyama there was not one week that I did not learn something new or at least get a deeper understanding of things.

I heard this example of a mother and a baby traveling to far places, from the baby point of view they were always at same place, he was in his mother’s arms.

There were many times that Sensei Nishiyama said things that did not make sense to me, but with the years as he kept teaching us in all different ways, I understood where he was taking me.

There are times we need to accept our teacher experience and trust the direction he leads us, but we must be constantly questioning, curious and amazed.

Mokuso – make best mental/psychological condition for fighting. And for anything you want to be at your peak.

We start and end every class with a period of mokuso (meditation, concentration), yet most of us think of it as routine and just wait for it to be over so we can start training.

Truth is even we have the best technique, we will not be successful in competition or self defense, or any sport if we don’t have stable emotions and a quiet mind.

Mokuso is meant to create this condition, or a mind that is fresh, quiet and therefore aware of itself and everything around, that is a mind that is present and is responsive. A mind that have total focus without losing the awareness of the whole.

When we face an opponent and have such short time to make decision and react, if we analyze and our mind is not quiet, is over informed, we start having doubt, hesitate, lose stable emotions, then we cannot perceive the opponent, especially not the subtleties, the information that is there but is not obvious.

When we analyze we either confirm and wait or lose patience and rush, we are also easy to be manipulated and controlled by the opponent.

When our mind is quiet we perceive more information, so we are not only better fighters but also better students. Not just karate students, in the same way that we perceive the opponent as is, without judgment, so we can listen without our previous knowledge and with a mind that is beyond thought, thought is limited to what we know and is interfering and preventing us from true listening and learning.

Aiko San told me to take meditation very seriously. There are many ways for Mokuso, sensei Nishiyama used to tell us to half close the eyes and look softly down to a point 2,3 feet in front of us and with the exhalation push down any negative thoughts and emotions through the body center and to that spot.

Also, our karate is meditative, if we do the kata with full intention, and the intention, breath, muscles and technique match, than without effort our mind becomes very quiet.

I used to have a zen monk at my dojo whose famous master told him to go to karatein order to practice do-zen-moving meditation.

Of course you can meditate all day long and have a calm mind and strong spirit, yet you will die in a fight if you don’t have the technique.

Sensei Nishiyama constantly said, “Hard training makes confidence, confidence allows for stable emotions”. If you know you have strong finish technique and good timing, which will surely help stay calm and confidant.

So train hard and once in a while let’s remember that Mokuso is not just some ritual, but it allows us to have the right mind, and our body will move and respond only as well as the mind that controls it.

What is “Traditional” in traditional karate?

I have the feeling that to some people “traditional” implies old, out of date, stagnant, something or someone who refuses to change and adapt.

When I think of traditional karate, I think just the opposite, I think of karate that is alive and evolving, I think of principles of budo that were learnt through many generations of trial and error and those principles allow us to evolve, we do not have to rediscover, we are lucky to have a gift handed down to us.

I think of old masters seeking for ways to transfer what they discovered through combat, realizing that words can be misinterpreted and are not enough, therefore created a kata as a symbol of principle, as a mean to transmit those principles. The kata with oral transmission is how we pass on the collective wisdom of many generations.

And our job is to build upon them.

I think that if we just imitate the kata and focus on the outside form, we miss the point, we become rigid traditionalists, and than we have dead karate.

If we look at the kata as a mean to understand the principles, than the application of those principles is limitless and we can keep evolving.

Principles are laws, rules, and truths of movement, of combat. As we seek deeper and further beyond our limits, those principles are like guidelines, so we don’t deviate from the right path.

Even the most genius person could not have created airplane or I phone 10,000 years ago. Using the advancements of science that are handed from one generation to next allow an innovative person to create and go beyond the known limits.

I believe that we in karate have to embrace the old, deeply understand what was passed to us and with that knowledge and with an unconditioned mind, with a mind that dies to itself every day, look into newest information from sport research, from other people and arts discoveries and with our own experience keep on seeking beyond the known.

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.

How to relax?

In the last article I tried to explain what is relaxation, and now I will try to explain some of the steps to how to achieve relaxation or optimal amount of contraction in technique.

When I tell people to relax their shoulders or elbows or face, many will ask how do I relax?

There are few answers to that:
1. First, apply the principles of karate technique with the form as a mean, the better one follow basic principles the more likely to be able to relax and be effective.

Principles such as:

a. Technique always initiates from ground reaction, is indirect, the technique itself is only an expression, like using a tool or weapon, the weapon is not making independent effort but is handled by the person using it. If ground reaction is not being used there is no other choice but using the arms and legs, which make for top power technique. Also think of hikite (pulling hand) rather than technique because hikite increases body action speed and range and in turn increase energy to technique. Thinking hikite will also help stay mentally centered and relax the technique limb, allow it to be a tool ann expression.

b. Timing of technique, from feet to top, each segment increases maximum energy before next segment move, so maximum energy is accumulated. Simply put, body action first than technique, so the technique itself just makes direction, serves as contact area, and is additional force to the main power from the body.

If timing is off and the full body dynamics is not utilized, there will be tendency to make up for it by muscling the technique.

c. Joint as action center, if a joint is not stable, energy will not transfer fully through that joint and again there will be tendency to make up for it with top power technique.

d. Breathing matching muscle action and dynamics, if the breath is not synchronized with muscle action and dynamics, full rate of contraction/relaxation cannot be used, ground reaction cannot be maximized and the optimal use of muscles, the right amount in the right time cannot be achieved resulting in stiff technique.

e. Stable emotions and relaxed focus, if one is not stable emotions in kumite/fight there will be tendency to be protective and tight or overly aggressive and tight forcing technique.

f. Ho Shin - Give everything, when we are able to give everything, have no mind in the technique, as if each technique is last in our life, than there is no conflict mentally, and the physical follow without contradictory and extraneous tension.

g. Limitation in a range of motion along the kinetic chain will cause compensation and overuse in other segment. For example limitation in ankle dorsiflexion, or hip internal rotation, will cause over use of the muscles around lumbar spine or shoulder or both.

2. Awareness of self – we get comfortable with our postures and movement patterns that we are not aware of tensions we carry in certain parts of our body, those tensions feel normal to us, the wrong feels right.

For that reason, I like to sometimes use the dead body position of yoga in order to develop sensitivity to tensions in different areas and by noticing them I can let go of them, using breath and consciousness.

But one just need to listen to his Sensei’s correction and be sensitive.

3. It is not enough to understand those principles, one has to truly accept, believe and digest them into the nervous system, otherwise in a moment of truth one come back to habitual patterns and try to use force and stiff technique.

Therefore karate training is very wise, use the kata which is low stimuli to learn to use optimal form and strength and digest movement principles and gradually increase the stimuli, hitting the pads, doing basic timing when elements of reaction and distance are added, and than free sparring where anything can happen and nothing can be expected.

Using the pad is particularly important to get feedback and realized and internalize the concept that soft technique is way more powerful than stiff technique, that indirect power is way more effective than direct means.

Few thoughts about relaxation

Relax is not a letting go or collapse, relax is the due amount of tension for the activity.

Think of Usain Bolt, it was measured that with each step he produces reaction from ground equal to 1000lb, that is a lot of power, yet his face appears totally relaxed, he put all the tension where it should be.

I picture sensei Nishiyama’s punch and it is always seem effortless, that is for the same reason, no tension is used that is not contributing for the purpose.

For me the best way to describe it is the right amount (of muscle activation) in the right time in in the right segment.

Sensei Nishiyama used to say “keep your very center and contact area strong and everything in between soft”, and that is also tricky, because he spent a lot of time trying to explain what strong means, it is not tight, it is firm, sometimes Sensei will say “put ki energy in center and contact area and that is it”.

The wrong tension is like pushing the brakes while you are driving, it kills speed; it will create contradictory and extraneous energy.

Bud Winter was at one time the coach of all sprinting events world record holders, he coached his athletes not to extend a 100-percent effort. He claimed and proved that far more can be achieved with a four-fifths effort.

He encouraged athletes to use four-fifths effort and get timed. You will find it faster than 100 percent, even though it will not feel as fast.

How much contraction is necessary? How do we become more relax? In the next article.