Budo no Kaizen

Karate Kicks (Keri-Waza)

2015-02-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Keri-waza (kicking techniques)

Keri-waza (kicking techniques) are great, but sometimes they are over-emphasized, or under-emphasized, depending on the art, style, and school. As with any technique, context is important, and determines how and when a technique should be used. In the case of kicking techniques, there are typically three categories--kicks for self defense, kicks for sport fighting, and kicks for show. No category is "better" than any other, they simply have different needs, and use kicks differently. There is, of course, some cross-over between the three categories, as well.

Some kicks intended for self defense, demonstrated by Motobu Choki

In self defense situations, which is what classical karate was intended to be used for, kicks tend to be close-range and low. The reasoning behind this is that you are likely to be within arm's reach of your opponent if you are attacked, which makes long-range kicks difficult to do, and you do not want to compromise your balance and end up on the ground. In the photos, above, you can see Motobu Choki (infamous karate fighter) demonstrating three kicking techniques for this context. The first is a hiza-geri (knee strike), done at the closest range out of the three. The next is suki-geri (shovel kick) done at a medium range to the inside of the opponent's leg. The last is a yoko-kekomi-geri (side thrust kick) or kansetsu-geri (joint kick) to the opponent's knee, done at a slightly longer range. All three kicks, along with mae-geri (front kicks) to the legs and groin, are very useful and effective in this context. They can also be used very effectively in combat sports that allow them--particularly in MMA, where takedowns are legal.

Jodan mawashi-geri (high level turning kick) from my MMA fight

In combat sports, a wider variety of kicks can be utilized because you have the benefit of a matted floor, good lighting, and a referee. This isn't to say that you couldn't use the same kicks in self defense, or that using them in combat sports is not risky, but the risk level is certainly higher in self defense. In addition, some combat sports are riskier than others. For example, most Taekwondo and karate competitions do not allow takedowns and grappling, which means you are free to throw just about any kick you can think of, and if you do fall down, the fight is stopped so you can get back up. This is where hook kicks, flying axe kicks, and flutter kicks (kicking repeatedly from a chambered position without putting the foot down) come into play. In sports like Sanshou and MMA, however, where takedowns and various amounts of grappling are allowed, you open yourself up much more by throwing high-level kicks, or fancy kicks. This is fine if you are a better grappler than your opponent, but otherwise it can be a serious problem. In those situations, kicks to the legs and body tend to be more prevalent than kicks to the head, and they tend to be more basic, although the occasional spinning or flying kick does show up from time to time.

Kicks that jump, spin, or repeat generally fall into the category of "flashy" techniques, which are mostly used for show, as displays of athleticism, flexibility, and body control. These take a great deal of skill do do, and are very impressive. To some degree, high kicks can be included in this category, but usually only when they are kicking higher than head level. Many people see this kicks as great challenges in their training, and they can certainly be a great deal of fun. If you are a very skilled kicker, and a very skilled grappler, you might even be able to utilize such techniques in self defense or sport fighting. Typically, though, they are used for demonstrations or choreographed fights, like you often see in kung fu movies.

Mental Training

2015-02-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

When we think of karate training, we typically think of the physical act of training--the sweat, the effort, the pain, etc. People will often mention the mental aspect of training, but they are usually still talking about what happens while you are physically training; things like focus, intent, and envisioning your opponent. There are different types of mental training, however, which you can do while you are not physically training. The two most valuable, in my opinion, are research and visualization.

My physical karate library, which is much smaller than my digital karate library

Karate is not only a physical pursuit. In order to truly understand karate, how it works, and where it comes from, you really need to do more than just train in the dojo and practice at home. You have to research it! Research can be done through a variety of mediums--books, articles, websites, videos, interviews, etc. All of these are avenues that take you to information you might not otherwise have learned. They can provide historical context and clues about what karate used to be, and what you should be striving to make it. They can give you new ideas for how a technique might be done or used to make it more effective. They can even teach you new drills or techniques to improve your karate.

Does this type of research replace training? Of course not! It is merely a supplement--just like the strength training or body conditioning you might do to improve your karate. Without actually training, you won't be able to make use of what you've gained in your research, so you must do both! Read books and articles, look at photographs, watch videos, and ask questions. Once you've taken in that information, look at how your perspective changes when you are on the mats. Try (safely) or ask your instructor about some of the exercises and drills you might have seen, and see how they work for you. Explore your own ideas after being inspired by the work of others.

Excerpt from the OMNI study

As much as we might hate to admit it, there are times when we cannot train--perhaps you are sick, or injured, or even waiting in a place where it would be unwise to act out fighting imaginary foes (airports, government offices, etc.). In these situations, when you would like to be physically training, but can't, you can still train mentally. Just recently, a study was done at Ohio University and published in The Journal of Neurophysiology, which showed that mentally visualizing physical actions when you are unable to actually do them can help you maintain that physical function. The idea isn't totally new, but this is the first I have heard of it being put to the test.

Sports psychology mental skills pyramid from OMNI

Many high-level athletes (including martial artists) are taught to envision themselves winning whatever contest they participate in. Not only can this type of mental training help you maintain your skills when you are unable to train, they might actually be able to improve your performance when partnered with regular physical training. Motobu Choki once said "when I just think about performing a kata, even when I'm seated, I break a sweat." I have found that, when I mentally visualize myself practicing kata or working kata applications--especially when I'm exploring new ideas for kata applications--my heart starts to race and I start to sweat, just as Motobu said. When I get out on the mat and finally have a chance to work on the techniques I've been envisioning, I feel much more comfortable having done so. The mind's connection to your body is an amazing thing, and you should make use of it!

Revisiting the One-Legged Spin in Kusanku

2015-02-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

The one-legged turn in Kusanku Dai

A little over a year ago, I wrote a quick post to show three techniques that I had recorded video of, and wanted to share. I didn't go over any of the techniques in-depth, and I wanted to revisit the Kusanku application, to shed a little more light on it. The kata movement is found, in some variation, in every version of Kusanku that I am aware of. Some versions of the kata spin a full 360 degrees, while others only turn 180 degrees, and some versions jump instead of turning on one leg. As you can see in the animated GIF, above, our Kusanku Dai does a 180 degree turn on one leg. Our Kusanku Sho does a full 360 degree spin. In my view, both variations, as well as the jumping versions, are indicating a throwing technique.

This is a larger resolution version of the video I embedded in my original post. I probably should have re-recorded it, since I fumbled with my hands on the body lock trying to have the correct hand positions to match the kata, but it works well enough. Obviously, the throw is being shown in isolation, without any set-up or striking, and I am landing softly for the safety of my uke (person being thrown). The throw is not nearly as pretty when you do it full-speed, full-power against a resisting opponent, but it does work well. I haven't found any formal name for this technique, although one may exist. My Sensei just calls it Kusanku-nage (Kusanku throw), and I have been calling it hiza-age-guruma (knee lift wheel).

Hiza-age-guruma in Okinawa Shima

My inspiration for this throw came from watching videos of Shima (Okinawan "sumo") matches, where this throw seems to be very popular. In the animated GIF, above, you can see the throw in use against a trained, resisting opponent in Shima competition. Shima is quite popular in Okinawa, as I understand it, and it is a sort of evolution of tegumi/muto (classical Okinawan submission wrestling) after the introduction of judo and sumo by the Japanese. Unlike tegumi/muto, there is no newaza (groundwork) allowed, so the goal is to throw your opponent to the ground, much like judo or sumo. Unlike those two arts, the competitors must maintain grips on each others' obi (belts) the entire time, which gives it a different dynamic.

Interestingly, this throw is not an official technique recognized by the Kodokan (the headquarters of judo). That is why I do not know of an official name for it, and I also hadn't seen it in judo competition. Until now, that is! This year, Georgii Zantaraia--a Ukrainian judo competitor--used it perfectly against his Egyption opponent. You can see his throw in the animated GIF, above. It won him the match by ippon (one point--all that you need to win a judo match), and was featured in a "Top 10 Ippons" video by the Olympic Judo YouTube Channel, which is how I came across it. There are thousands of judo matches every year, so I certainly haven't seen them all, but this is the first time I have seen this particular throw used purposefully in high level judo competition. You sometimes see the knee come up as a competitor drives themselves back for ura-nage (back throw) or ushiro-goshi (backward hip), but it does not end up driving the throw the way Zantaraia does.

One popular grappling art that does recognize this as an official technique is Sambo--an eclectic Russian grappling art. They call it the "hip spring" throw, which as you can see from the animated GIF, above, is different from the hane-goshi (spring hip) throw of judo, but somewhat similar. In both, tori (the person throwing) places their bent leg against the inside of their uke's leg, and uses it to launch uke over as tori turns in place. In a way, you could say that it is a variant of hane-goshi, but the mechanics are a bit different--some people even say it is a blend of hane-goshi and the uchi-mata (inner thigh) throw. No matter what you call it, I highly recommend that you explore this technique, either as an application for Kusanku, or just as a solid addition to your grappling repertoire for dealing with chest-to-chest grappling situations.

Preemptive Hand Trapping

2015-01-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

This article can also be found on my new website, here.

Hand trapping is an aspect of Okinawan karate that has been lost in many dojo. So many, in fact, that it is not uncommon for karateka to comment on videos of Okinawan trapping techniques with things like "looks like Wing Chun"--they simply can't believe that it is a native aspect of karate! Of course, if you search "hand trapping" on YouTube, you will see that the vast majority of videos that come up are, indeed, Wing Chun videos. A quick look at a video of Taira Sensei--like the one, above--will show you that karate has quite a bit of trapping, as well. If that isn't enough, you can see more trapping in videos of karateka like Ryan Parker and Peter Polander. Even my recent video of a hikite (pulling hand) drill is an example of hand trapping, and my tuidi hojo undo video is based on a technique done from a hand trap.

Motobu Choki demonstrating entering against an attack and preemptively trapping the other hand

There are many ways to trap hands--or feet, as I mentioned recently--but in this article, I will be focusing on just one; the preemptive hand trap. You can see this technique demonstrated by Motobu Choki in his 1926 book, Okinawa Kenpo Karate Jutsu (Kumite Hen). In the sequence of images, above, you can see that he baits his opponent into throwing a strike at his face in Panel 1 by holding his guard low. In Panel 2, Motobu has entered into the attack, pressing his lead leg into the lead leg of his opponent to disrupt his balance, and deflecting the punch with his right arm while preemptively trapping his opponent's right hand before it has a chance to strike. In Panel 3, Motobu follows up with an elbow strike to the chest.

Motobu Chosei demonstrating one of Motobu Choki's kumite drills

Unfortunately, we have no video of Motobu Choki demonstrating this technique. Fortunately, we do have video of his son, Motobu Chosei. You can see him demonstrate this technique, as well as a variation for dealing with two consecutive punches, in the animated GIF, above. The distance between the two karateka is much greater than what is shown in Motobu Choki's book, and Motobu Chosei lifts his opponent's right arm as he strikes with the elbow, while Motobu Choki presses it down. Despite these differences, it is clearly the same technique, with some of the same concepts in play. I will point out that Motobu Choki's approach is likely the older of the two, as he is applying the concept of osae (pressing) by keeping his opponent's trapped hand down. This was a concept that Chibana Chosin stressed as being a key aspect of strong karate. You could also say that Motobu is demonstrating muchimi, which is a feeling of heaviness, or stickiness.

Yin Bagua example of the technique Motobu's book shows

For comparison, consider the Yin Bagua technique demonstrated in the animated GIF, above. It is virtually identical to the one Motobu Choki shows in his book, except that the Bagua adept steps to the outside of his opponent's lead foot, and strikes to the face with his palm instead of using an elbow to the chest. Also like Motobu Choki, and unlike Motobu Chosei, he keeps the trapped hand pressed down, rather than pulling it away from his opponent. To the best of my knowledge, Motobu Choki never trained in China, or trained with Bagua practitioners, so clearly he learned this technique as part of his karate training. This means that the same kinds of trapping appear in both Okinawan arts and Chinese arts, and are not exclusive to one or the other. The trapping found on Okinawa may have come from China, originally, of course, but it could also have developed independently--we will likely never know for certain.

Matt Brown vs. Robbie Lawler

Looking at these techniques, one might say that they are outdated or impractical. For that reason, I would like to present you with a modern example. In the animated GIF, above, you can see Matt Brown utilizing preemptive hand trapping in his fight with Robbie Lawler. Both of these fighters are known for their excellent hand trapping, and they both use it very frequently in their fights. In this example, you can see Brown trap both of Lawler's hands before they have the chance to fire off any strikes, and he quickly follows with elbows. It isn't as pretty as the formal examples in Motobu Choki's book, or the demonstrations by Motobu Chosei and the Yin Bagua instructor, but real fighting is rarely pretty. Regardless, the concepts remain, and they are clearly just as effective today as they were nearly a century ago.

Seiyunchin Bunkai Seminar

2015-01-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

This article can also be read on my new website, here!

Over the weekend, I attended a Seiyunchin bunkai seminar via Skype with one of Taira Masaji Sensei's senior students, Paul Enfield. Although I am a Shorin-Ryu practitioner, I have picked up some other kata throughout my karate journey, and Seiyunchin is one of them. The version I learned was a bit different, though, and I have been working on making it more like the Goju-Ryu version. Enfield Sensei's instructional DVD on Seiyunchin was quite helpful in this endeavor, but this seminar really helped bring things into focus. This may seem surprising, at first, because the seminar was not about how to perform the kata, but how to apply it to an opponent. In order to perform a kata properly, it is my belief that you must have an understanding of the applications. This ties in with what I recently wrote about regarding the importance of solo kata practice and partner practice.

Taira Sensei is a true master of his art, and it shows in everything from his kihon practice and hojo undo to his solo kata and kata applications. What he is really known for, though, is his approach to kata application. You can see his renzoku bunkai (continuous analysis) drill for Gekisai, a fundamental kata of Goju-Ryu, in the video, above. Enfield Sensei's seminar was on Taira Sensei's applications for Seiyunchin, and therefore it was heavily based on limb entanglement, limb control, and breaking the opponent's structure. Concepts such as muchimidi (heavy/sticky hands) and chinkuchi (blood-sinew-muscle, related to alignment and power) are vital to this kind of training. While the Goju-Ryu approach is a bit different from the Shorin-Ryu approach, there was also quite a bit of cross-over. In fact, some of the applications that Enfield Sensei explained were useful in furthering my understanding of Shorin-Ryu kata, rather than just Seiyunchin.

The seminar was just an hour long, but we were able to get through the entire kata. Almost every technique could be used as a follow-up to the previous, if the previous technique happened to be blocked or otherwise fail. There is a great deal of tactile sensitivity involved in feeling what your opponent is doing when working at such a close range. This is something that takes a lot of time and effort to develop, but can be very valuable. To see some of what was covered, you can watch the video, above, which contains several excerpts from the session.

Of course, since this seminar was held virtually, there were limitations. I did not have a partner with me to practice the techniques, which meant that I had a harder time thinking of questions since I couldn't actively discover them. In addition, I couldn't recieve corrections on things I was doing wrong, or that I could improve. There is also the usual technical difficulties that come with video conferencing--getting everyone but the presenter to mute themselves so there isn't an echo. You would be hard pressed to learn solely through virtual instruction, but for learning additional information, it's a very useful tool. You can gain access to instructors that you otherwise would not be able to, and the whole session can be recorded (even those who weren't in the Skype seminar can purchase the video here) so you can refer back to it later. You could also arrange to have a partner with you when the seminar is going on, so you can actively practice. All-in-all, it worked quite well for what we needed! I can definitely recommend holding seminars over Skype when travel is not possible, and Enfield Sensei's seminars, in particular, as he is a very good teacher and presenter.

Effective Self Defense Through Solo Kata Practice

2015-01-19T06:13:00.000-07:00

This article can also be found on my new website, here!

Kata practice--partner training on the left, and solo training on the right

It is generally accepted that solo kata practice is a vital component to karate training. This is something that I wholeheartedly agree with! Solo kata practice is an important tool for memorization, visualization training, developing muscle memory, and strengthening the foundational movements required to use the applications of the kata. That said, there tends to be an over-emphasis on solo kata practice in class by many instructors, where they regularly spend 50% or more of class on it. This is fine early on, when students are learning how to perform the kata, but eventually it should become something that students practice primarily when they are outside of class. Some of this emphasis is coming from the popularity of kata competition, certainly, but there is another reason behind it for many dojo. That is the fairly widespread idea that you will magically learn, understand, and be able to apply the fighting applications of your kata, just by practicing it over and over again.

A good book about the Japanese mentality behind kata

Kata is useful and important, but it is not magic. I suspect that this idea came from mainland Japan, where repetition of kata (they have kata for everything) is considered a form of meditation, and a path to enlightenment. While I don't reject the idea of solo kata practice as a form of meditation, I do reject the idea that it will lead to a deep understanding of, and ability to use, the techniques in the kata for self defense. The simple fact is that the practice of solo kata, alone, without ever studying the applications of the movements and drilling them regularly with a partner, will not prepare you for self defense. That would be like only ever practicing the hand movements used to play an instrument, and then being handed one and shoved on stage to play a duet--you may know how to move, but you don't have the experience of when and how to use those movements, how it really feels to use the instrument, or how to work with another person. You might have some accidental success, but that doesn't mean that the way you were practicing was the most efficient or effective way of practicing!

Violin practice with a partner

Skilled musicians spend the majority of their time practicing with their instrument, and with the people they will be playing with, they also practice the hand movements when their instrument and band mates are not available. They understand that this is the most efficient approach to their practice. Karate is very much the same, in that it requires hands-on practice, and practice with live partners, to be developed effectively. This partner work may not always be directly drilling kata application--there are many supplementary partner drills and exercises that go into developing effective karate, which must also be practiced. There is a lot of material to cover with a partner, so you should use your time with them as wisely as you can. Sometimes, you instructor does need to have you work through solo kata and exercises to make sure you are doing them properly, but for the most part, I believe that you should be spending the majority of your time training with partners whenever partners are available. Solo kata is for when you are alone, and class time is where you can make your kata come alive!

Announcement - New Website!

2015-01-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has followed and supported me, and my efforts with the Budo no Kaizen blog. It has been a great experience! At this point, I feel that my goals for the articles I write have outgrown this platform. I would like to move on to something a little more modern and professional-looking, and focus on articles about the practice and application of karate that will (hopefully) be useful to a wide audience.

In support of this effort, I am currently working on setting up a new website: Karate Obsession! I am new to the software, so it will probably take me a couple of weeks to get things situated. I will be migrating valid content from Budo no Kaizen to Karate Obsession, and I will be setting up routing so that anyone going to budonokaizen.blogspot.com will be sent to karateobsession.com. There will also be a Karate Obsession Facebook Page to support discussion of the content. I hope you will support me in this endeavor and, once again, thank you!

Punching: To Center, or Not to Center?

2015-01-12T06:49:00.001-07:00

Centered Punch by Hironishi Motonobu (L), Off-Centered Punch by Funakoshi Gichin (R)

When practicing kihon (basics)--which carries over into kata practice--there tend to be two schools of thought on where to aim punches. One says that you should aim to the center, as if your opponent were standing directly in front of you, so that you can work on your targeting the nose, solar plexus, or bladder, even when you do not have a physical target to hit. The other says that you should punch off-center, more in line with the shoulder, because it is more powerful and bio-mechanically efficient. I learned the first method when I started training in karate, and then had to switch to the second method when I transitioned to Shorin-Ryu. I actually still have trouble with that, to this day. While both approaches have merit, I do feel that the former method has a couple flaws.

Punching to the center against an opponent (L) versus punching in line with the shoulder against an opponent (R)

The biggest issue that I see with the center-aiming approach is its inherent assumption about positioning. By training your targeting in this way, you assume that your opponent is directly in front of you when you are punching them. While this may happen, on occasion, it is not ideal, and should not be your goal. One of the key concepts of karate is the use of tai sabaki (body evasion) to move off-line from your opponent's attacks. You should be orienting yourself at angles to your opponent whenever possible, in order to avoid your opponent's power and get to a more advantageous position. When you do this, you will find that your opponent's targets are more often lined up with your shoulder (or the side of your body, in general) than with your center line. In the image, above, you can both approaches illustrated with a body silhouette to represent the position of the opponent.

Diamond push-ups

Finally, we get to that "bio-mechanically efficient" comment I made earlier. When you throw a punch, you are extending your arm. Even though a proper punch starts from your feet and transfers energy from the ground all the way through your body to your fist, you still have to have the ability to extend your arm quickly and powerfully. If you don't have the strength in your arms to support the power generated by your body, then your arm will collapse when your punch lands, and you will lose a lot of that power. When you extend your arm toward the center, you lose strength compared to extending your arm in front of your shoulder. You can quickly confirm this by doing a diamond push-up, and comparing it to a regular push-up. Which one was easier? The regular push-up, with your hands beneath your shoulders! Everyone is built slightly differently, but the basics of the human body remain pretty much the same, and the way we are built effects the way we function. The way we function should effect the way we train.

Karate and Carrying Weapons

2015-01-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Traditional weapons used in Okinawan kobudo

This article is going to be a bit controversial, but I feel that it is an important topic that is too often neglected. As traditional martial artists, we often learn how to handle classical weapons--swords, bo, tonfa, sai, kama, etc. This is seen as a normal part of training, and a way to enhance your karate. Indeed, many of the techniques these weapons utilize can be done with a variety of everyday items. From a self defense perspective, it makes perfect sense to be trained in the use of weapons. Despite that, many traditional martial artists shun modern weaponry. Clearly, though, the old Okinawans had no such qualms with carrying the weaponry of their time.

Basic firearms training for police officers

Firearms have been common sidearms for hundreds of years, but modern RBSD (Reality Based Self Defense) systems, like some Krav Maga schools, seem to be the only arts that incorporate them. In my opinion, these tools should really be part of every martial artist's repertoire! To ignore them is to ignore the realities of violence. The bad guys have no problems carrying and using these weapons, and we shouldn't, either--provided it is legal where you live. Will every attacker be armed and intent on killing you? No. But it only takes one.

My carry weapon, and the holster I made for it

Having a firearm, and being properly trained in its use, gives you a major leg-up when dealing with a violent attacker. The vast majority of the time, merely drawing the weapon is enough to cause an attacker to flee--if I remember the statistic correctly, 97% of the time. In the event you must use deadly force to defend yourself, it is much easier to do so with a weapon than with your hands and feet. This becomes especially important as we get older, or when we have people with us that we want to protect, or if we are sick or injured. In those situations, our ability to fight one-on-one becomes compromised, and we need all the help we can get.

When faced with deadly force, unarmed techniques are vastly better than nothing--do not think I am saying that martial arts are useless! Many proponents of carrying firearms will insist that "gun-fu" makes martial arts training obsolete, but this simply isn't true. The skills that you develop in unarmed training actually enhance your ability to handle a weapon. In addition, they give you something to fall back on should you find yourself disarmed, or find your weapon broken or otherwise rendered unusable. You may even find yourself ambushed in such a way that you cannot bring your weapon to bear without first fighting off your attacker. Thankfully, some instructors of weapons-based self defense courses, as you can see in the video above, have started to address this more and more.

You may also find yourself in a situation where force is required, but not deadly force. A firearm is always considered deadly force, while your hands are not (although they can be). It is important to understand, and be able to work within, various levels of force. If a friend, relative, or even a stranger is being threatening and violent, but not endangering your life, you have no right to use deadly force. Joint locks, takedowns, and strikes may be much more reasonable responses to deal with that kind of threat. The decision to use force is a vital one, but equally vital is the level of force you choose. This is something that should be incorporated into your training, or it can be very easy to make a mistake.

Stepping on Toes

2014-12-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, there was a UFC event here in Phoenix, which was headlined by a very competitive fight between Junior dos Santos and Stipe Miocic. In one of the earlier fights during that event, a minor thing happened that caused some interesting discussion on some MMA forums. One of the fighters stepped on the foot of his opponent. Normally, this would not have even been noticed--it wasn't a foot stomp, and probably wasn't even intentional. The only reason it was noticed was because it had a very obvious effect, and the commentators even mentioned it.

Early in the first round, Gabriel Gonzaga managed to step on Matt Mitrione's lead foot as he (Gonzaga) pressed forward with lead right punch, causing Mitrione to stumble. The stumble was rather dramatic, with Mitrione dropping his hands to try to catch his balance and ending up 2/3s of the way across the Octagon. While it did not change the outcome of the fight, it showed people that such a trick could be useful, and led some people to wonder why more people don't step on their opponent's lead foot, particularly when the fighters are in open-faced stances (Orthodox vs. Southpaw). When faced with an opponent in the opposite stance, your lead feet are close to each other, making them easy to step on, but it isn't too hard to do against someone in the same stance, either.

As is often the case with MMA, many people seem to be oblivious to techniques--no matter how useful they are in other fighting arts--until someone uses them successfully in MMA competition. Stepping on your opponent's lead foot is nothing new--in karate, it would be classified as ashi-waza (leg/foot techniques)--and is used fairly frequently in other combat sports and martial arts. Consider its use by Iranian Olympic wrestler Reza Yazdani in the animated GIF, above. His highlight videos are filled with clips of him stepping on his opponent's lead foot to pin it to the floor long enough for him to grab onto their leg. He is far from the only wrestler--or even the only grappler--to do this, but he does it more frequently than most. There are throws in jujutsu and judo that do something very similar to stepping on the foot, and some competitors will even step on their opponent's feet to set up a throw, much as Reza does with his single-leg takedowns.

This concept of trapping the foot is very popular in grappling arts, but also shows up in striking arts. Boxers, kickboxers, and sport karate fighters all do it. In the video, above, you can see Juan Marquez stepping on Manny Pacquiao's lead foot as he steps in with a lead right, followed by a left uppercut, then another right. During that flurry, Pacquiao can do nothing but cover up and try to move his upper body, because he can't step away. When I first started sparring, I was actually taught to step on my opponent's lead foot if they kept backing away from me when I would shoot in to attack. I have found that, while it is not officially taught, it is quite commonly advocated in Kyokushin (and it's off-shoots), where close-quarters striking is a major component to their competition format. It isn't something that is used all the time, and it may not win you the fight, but it is a helpful trick to have in your arsenal. It can also be dangerous, if you use it right.

Funakoshi Gichin (founder of Shotokan) demonstrating a technique that includes stepping on the foot

In some of the applications we work for our kata in Shorin-Ryu, we step on the opponent's foot--especially when we have an arm or leg in our grasp. This helps prevent them from escaping our hold, and disrupts their balance, making them easier to throw. Of course, if you throw someone to the ground while pinning their foot to the floor, you can cause some serious damage to the ankle. We aren't alone, either. In his article, "The Why of Bunkai," Charles Goodin Sensei wrote; "Don't forget to step on the attacker's feet, twist his legs, strike his knees, etc." You can see in the photo, above, that even Funakoshi Gichin applied this concept in his techniques. In training with Ulf Karlsson Sensei in KishimotoDi, I saw it even more. A great many of the techniques in KishimotoDi utilize foot trapping, and they often do so quite naturally with the stepping required to use the technique. Clearly, this approach is one that is built into karate.

From Mario McKenna's translation of Itoman Morinobu's "The Study of China Hand Techniques"

Going back in time, a bit, we have this example from Itoman Morinobu's 1934 book, The Study of China Hand Techniques, which was recently translated into English by Mario McKenna Sensei. The book is a treasure trove of toudi (China/Tang hand) information, and is a must-have for any karateka interested in the roots of their art. In Figure 105, pictured above, Itoman shows that stepping on a retreating opponent's foot is a perfectly valid and old-school approach to self defense. In the caption, he simply says that you can run your opponent into the ground, but that does not necessarily mean he is saying this must be done with punches. Throwing your opponent could certainly be called "running an opponent into the ground," as well.

The Magic of Hikite

2014-12-22T07:25:00.002-07:00

A "traditional karate" example of hikite (pulling hand) while punching

Sometimes, I forget that the wider karate world hasn't moved on from formalized, impractical, block-punch-kick kata applications. I was reminded when, just a month or two ago, a relatively new karateka posted on a martial arts forum that I moderate, asking about hikite (pulling hand). He commented that it didn't make any sense, to him, to pull your hand down to the side of your body when fighting (as shown in the photo, above) because it leaves you open to being hit on that side of your head. For that reason, he couldn't figure out why hikite was being taught and emphasized in his dojo. When talking about kata bunkai (form analysis), I believe that hikite is pretty much the first thing you should be taught, as it is the foundation for a great deal of practical kata techniques. Unfortunately, it seems that a large number of karateka are still not being shown how to properly use it!

UFC fighter, Lyoto Machida (right), using hikite improperly during his fight with Rashad Evans

The most common explanations for hikite are that it is a chamber position, and that it is a biomechanical aid for making your punch stronger. Both of these explanations are typically derided by practical karateka and modern combat sports practitioners, alike. The "chamber" idea is, basically, that your hand goes there so that it is ready to fire off a punch. This is a flawed idea, as it moves your hand further away from your target, which means your punch will take longer to travel to the target, which means that your opponent is more likely to evade or block it. It does make some sense if you are punching to the body at close range, though. The "biomechanical aid" idea says that your body acts like a teeter-totter when punching, and that by pulling one hand back as the other goes forward, you emphasize the twisting of the body, thereby making your punch more powerful. While the basis of the theory is technically true, I see no value in pulling the hand to the side of the body, rather than to the side of the head, if this is what you are trying to emphasize. Both explanations leave one side of your head completely open to being struck, with your hand doing nothing. You might get away with it, like Lyoto Machida did in the photo, above, or you might get knocked out.

The beginning of Kihon Ippon

Hikite is called "pulling hand" for a reason--you are pulling something with that hand! We teach this to students as soon as they start learning the Kihon Kata, which are the first forms in our curriculum. If you look animated GIF, above, you can see that Kihon Ippon starts by reaching out with an open left hand, closing it, and pulling it back to the side of the body as you punch with the right hand. So does Kihon Nihon, in fact, which is our second form. It plainly shows you that the pulling hand is meant to grab something before it goes back to "chamber." Admittedly, some kata applications do not require both hands, and in those instances, the "chambered" hand can actually be doing just about anything. Even Funakoshi Gichin (founder of Shotokan) said that one should not be "shackled to the rituals of kata" in "actual combat." Even so, the vast majority of the time, that hand is pulled back because it has something in it.

In the video, above, I show a drill that I use to develop tactile sensitivity for hikite. Any time your arms touch your opponent's arms, you can pull them, and this drill gives you that reference (as well as some forearm conditioning). In the drill, both partners are pulling each other, but you could just as easily designate one person as the puller. For a more scenario-specific drill, you can do the same techniques against a partner holding their hands up in a boxing-style guard position, or against a partner throwing punches. In reality, depending on what your opponent does, and what you do, you may be in position to pull their head, shoulder, or leg, rather than their arm. It is all still an application of hikite. If you are working on your kata bunkai, and you can't figure out what the "chambered" hand is for, then either your application is wrong, or that hand should be removed from the "chamber" position and put to some other use.

Book Review: Dave Lowry's "Traditions"

2014-12-18T16:16:00.004-07:00

Recently, Tuttle Publishing reached out to Patrick, the owner of KarateForums.com (where I am a moderator) to have people review some of their martial arts books. The book I chose was "Traditions: Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways," by prolific martial arts author, Dave Lowry. You can find my review in the KarateForums.com Article Subforum. The book can be purchased through Amazon, or from the Tuttle Publishing website.

Naihanchi Kata Footwork Training Exercises

2014-12-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

An enbusen (performance line) diagram for Isshin-Ryu Naihanchi footwork variations

When doing kata training, it is not generally accepted to modify any part of the kata, including the footwork. That said, it is not completely unheard of. Oyata Sensei of RyuTe was known to change the footwork of his kata from time to time, to better illustrate the applications. More recently, Onaga Sensei of the Shinjinbukan has been known to modify the stepping of some kata--primarily the three Kihon Kata that were developed by Chibana Chosin Sensei--to emphasize tai sabaki (body evasion). As you can see in the diagram, above, Isshin-Ryu also makes use of such modifications. Much like performing a kata hantai (mirrored), these types of modifications are not meant to create new kata, but rather to improve one's understanding of the kata, and develop the movements necessary to perform a wider variety of applications.

In our dojo, we do not teach kata with modified footwork, but many of the instructors do practice their kata with different timings and footwork during our personal training time. Every now and then, we will ask our students to try these modifications during class, but it is not required. Naihanchi is the easiest kata to do this with, as the enbusen is extremely simple. The most basic footwork exercise we do with Naihanchi is the mawashi-ashi (turning step) exercise, seen in the video, above. To do this exercise, you simply spin 180 degrees every time you step into kosa-dachi (cross stance) in the kata. This is the same type of footwork you would use to execute a throw, or a joint lock that requires twisting power. Those types of applications become much easier to see in the kata when you utilize this footwork.

Another drill that you can do with Naihanchi, which I find to be the very beneficial, is the tai sabaki exercise, which you can see in the video, above. This exercise focuses on the evasive entry methods of the kata, where you apply the concept of issun hasureru (avoid by an inch) as you slip past your opponent's attack to counter them. To do this, you step forward into your kosa-dachi, instead of stepping side-to-side, as the attack should always be coming from in front of you. You will notice that, as I do this step, my body will tend to lean, which helps me to avoid the attack. In this training session, I was leaning forward, to go underneath or around attacks, but you may also choose to remain upright, or lean sideways. This footwork will also result in orienting you sideways to your opponent, as the kata indicates you are meant to do. This makes it much easier to see how you might be able to move around your opponent's attacks as you apply the kata, as well as highlighting some applications that off-balance the opponent, or generate twisting power as you move.

Kosa-dachi can be utilized in a variety of ways in Naihanchi

Two other exercises that I like to do, on occasion, are the hineri exercise and the shirizoku exercise. Hineri (twisting) Naihanchi is basically the opposite of the mawashi exercise, in that you twist into kosa-dachi and then step through, rather than stepping to kosa-dachi and twisting around. The shirizoku (step back/withdrawing) exercise is essentially the opposite of the tai sabaki exercise. Rather than stepping forward into kosa-dachi, you step back into kosa-dachi, and then step through. Both of these utilize slightly different methods of tai sabaki, and apply the twisting function of kosa-dachi in different ways.

Naihanchi is a kata in which the footwork is implied, more than it is explicitly shown. This is different from kata like Passai, Kusanku, or even the Pinan kata, which all show footwork that very closely works with the applications of the kata. As I mentioned in my article on kosa-dachi bunkai, you can do a lot with a simple step/stance. For this reason, I find that exercises like the ones I have shown, here, to be very useful for Naihanchi training. If Naihanchi is part of your system, I am of the opinion that you should be exploring the kata in a wide variety of ways--not just in the practice of drilling applications with a partner, but also with the practice of the kata, itself.

Stances in Naihanchi

2014-12-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

When karateka, who practice Shuri-Te lineage karate, realize that other styles utilize a different stance when practicing Naihanchi (aka Naifunchin/Naifuanchi/Tekki/Chulgi/etc.), they often seem to fixate on that difference. Most instructors who teach Naihanchi tend to emphasize the importance of the structure of the stance--some even do shime testing (as seen in the video above) to reinforce the importance of the structure. I feel that this structure-focused approach tends to make karateka feel that the way they were taught is the only way it should be done. Don't get me wrong--structure is certainly very important--but there is more to Naihanchi than the structure of a single stance, and just because a specific structure is vital to your version of Naihanchi, that does not invalidate other methods.

Naihanchi stances from Chibana Chosin (left), Motobu Choki (center), and Funakoshi Gichin (right)

Among the styles that practice Naihanchi, there tend to be three primary stances that are used. One of them is the "toes-in" stance that is typically referred to as Naihanchi-dachi (Naihanchi stance). Another is kiba-dachi (horse-riding stance), with the toes pointed forward. The third stance seems to be one that used to be popular, but has fallen out of favor. It is shiko-dachi (sumo stance) with the toes pointed out at angles. There are varying degrees in each of these stances, but they will still fall into one of these three primary categories.

Itosu "Anko" Yasutsune

The "toes-in" Naihanchi-dachi may be the most common, but it also seems to be the newest--at least in the context of Naihanchi. Motobu Choki remarked that he did not like Itosu Anko's "pigeon-toed stance" in Naihanchi, and that it was not the proper stance. It's entirely possible that other Shuri-Te systems were doing it, as well, but Itosu-lineage karate seems to be the only one that propagated the "toes-in" stance. This, to me, seems to indicates that it was something Itosu introduced. That does not make this method "wrong," of course. It simply means the stance may have a different purpose. In all likelihood, that purpose is a focus on structure, rooting, and strength-building.

Itosu trained under a man named Nagahama, from whom he is said to have learned "strength-building" karate. We don't know for certain what style he taught, but it has been suggested by Scot Mertz that "Nagahama" is the old Okinawan pronunciation of the name "Nakaima," which is the family that teaches Ryuei-Ryu (a Naha-Te system). If that is the case, then it is quite possible that Itosu would have learned Sanchin, and modified the Naihanchi he knew to be more Sanchin-like. You can even see the similarities between Sanchin-dachi and the "toes-in" Naihanchi-dachi in the image, above. Even if Itosu did not have any training in a Naha-Te system, he may simply have figured out the rooting benefit of turning the toes inward on his own. Either way, this stance is very good for rooting yourself to the ground, and developing a powerful base.

Motobu's preference for a "toes-forward" kiba-dachi seems to be a good middle-ground for stability and movement. The more rooted you are, the less mobile you will tend to be. By pointing the toes forward, you can remove some of the tension from the stance, which frees you up to move more quickly. For a rough-and-tumble fighter, like Motobu, this makes perfect sense. In addition, the "toes-in" stance can be a little harsh on the knees and ankles, so it is possible that he simply felt it was harmful. It is actually fairly common for karateka who practice Naihanchi with a "toes-in" stance to change their stance to a more "toes-forward" or "toes-out" position as they grow older, for that reason.

Motobu Choki demonstrating a Naihanchi application

This type of kata training made Motobu's legs strong, and his rooting and structure were most likely quite solid. I do feel that it is worth pointing out that Motobu, despite his practice of the Naihanchi kata in kiba-dachi, did not use kiba-dachi in his application of Naihanchi. In fact, the vast majority of techniques that we have photographs of him demonstrating use either shiko-dachi, or shizentai-dachi (natural body stance), which is like a short zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). In the image, above, you can see one such example. You can also see it in the images I used in my post about Motobu and Konishi demonstrating old ti concepts. Clearly, Motobu felt that the stance could be changed in application, but was still important for training purposes in his kata practice.

Students of Yabu Kentsu practicing Naihanchi in shiko-dachi

Finally, we come to what may be the oldest Naihanchi stance--the "toes-out" stance of shiko-dachi. This stance seems to have been used fairly commonly prior to World War II, but fell out of favor after that. Even some students of Itosu--such as Yabu Kentsu and Funakoshi Gichin--taught Naihanchi in shiko-dachi. That said, those men also trained under other instructors, who most likely taught the shiko-dachi method in Naihanchi, as opposed to Itosu's "toes-in" stance. Of course, Funakoshi also changed the stances in Naihanchi over time, so he may not be the best reference. Aside from that, we know that Shuri-Te-based systems that do not include Itosu in their lineage (such as Matsumura Seito and KishimotoDi), as well as Tomari-Te systems, utilize shiko-dachi in their Naihanchi.

Me, performing the beginning of Tachimura no Naihanchi

If the "toes-in" stance is focused on stability and rooting, it stands to reason that the "toes-out" stance would be focused on mobility. This is true, to a point, but it isn't necessarily the type of mobility you may think of. The stance still serves the purpose of dropping your center of gravity, and loading your legs with your body weight, which can make it hard to step while maintaining the stance. Of course, you would not be stepping while maintaining that stance in application--you would be stepping from a natural position into that stance, which is quite easy to do. Once you are in that stance, it is still easier to move when your legs are not locked into position, and the "toes-out" position also allows you to easily raise or lower your stance, or shift your weight from one leg to the other. Despite this mobility, it is still a stable stance--in judo, it is called jigotai-dachi (defensive body stance), where it is used to defend against being thrown, and it is used as the primary stance in sumo. It's prominence in grappling arts indicates that it still keeps you stable and rooted enough to stay on your feet, which is vital for self defense. In my view, these features make shiko-dachi the ideal stance for live fighting and self defense. It does lose some of the rooting and structural benefits of the tension generated by turning the toes inward, but not so much as to leave you unstable.

In the end, the choice of stance in Naihanchi is up to you, as the individual karateka. Do you want to develop a powerful, immovable structure, or do you want to be quick and mobile, or something in between? Yes, your Sensei will teach it the way it is done in your style, but karate is a very personal journey. You may change styles, or train under a different instructor, or get an injury, or any number of other things that can influence the way you train. As an example, in the video, above, you can see Katsuya Miyahira (a senior student of Chibana Chosin) demonstrate Naihanchi Shodan. He clearly would have been taught to do this kata with the "toes-in" Naihanchi-dachi, as that is what Chibana used. Despite that, he does the kata with his toes pointed slightly outward--not as far as the shiko-dachi of Yabu Kentsu or Kishimoto Soko, but far enough to be distinctly different. Not only that, but he also steps off-line in spots, rather than maintaining the purely-straight enbusen (performance line) of Naihanchi. Some have said he merely did this things because he was old, or ill, or injured. I prefer to think he merely adapted the kata to fit his body and his goals.

Turning a Punch into an Elbow Strike

2014-12-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

Motobu Choki (left) and Kano Jigoro (right)

Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo, once met with Motobu Choki to discuss martial arts. We don't know a great deal about that conversation, except what Motobu told to his students. According to Motobu, they talked about many things, but "...about karate, he [Kano] asked me what I would do if my punch missed. I answered that I would immediately follow with an elbow strike from that motion." For a long time, I found this statement to be hard to believe, because I certainly couldn't turn a punch into an elbow strike! After working on it for a while, though, I discovered that it was definitely possible. In fact, it wasn't just possible--it was a great idea!

In the animated GIF, above, you can see Paul Enfield Sensei--a senior student of Taira Masaji Sensei and former uchi-deshi (live-in student) of Higaonna Morio Sensei---using a makiwara to train a punch and elbow that flow together in one motion. I am nowhere near as smooth or powerful as Enfield Sensei, but I do work on this technique on the heavy bag and, to a lesser extent, the makiwara. It takes some work to get a feel for the flow, and it's easy to lose the punch by being too focused on the elbow strike.

Turning a punch into a trap into an elbow during jiyu kumite (free sparring)

If you use this technique as an actual punch and elbow, it works best when your opponent has avoided your punch by moving to the outside of the attack. They could do this by moving their head, or parrying your punch. Either way, it leaves them lined up for the elbow strike. If they move to the inside, you can still catch them with an elbow, if they haven't moved very far, but it isn't as powerful. In the animated GIF, above, you can see that my partner blocks my telegraphed lead punch, pressing it to the outside, but I counter by trapping his hand down and following with the elbow. It's essentially the same technique, but with a hand trap added in. If you miss with the elbow, you still have a strong backfist or hammerfist in the chamber, ready to fire.

In the video, above, I show this technique on a punching bag, and then with a partner, so you can get an idea of how to practice it. If you plan to try it in sparring, it's best to wear elbow pads--I use these Contender Fight Sports elbow pads, but any MMA elbow pads should work. Elbow strikes are something that don't often get much attention in jiyu kumite (free sparring) because they are pretty hazardous. They have a tendency to cut the face, and they can impart a great deal of force, even when you're trying to be careful. Pads take away the cutting factor, and dampen the impact, making it much safer and more reasonable to spar with elbows. That said, it still feels about like being kicked with shin pads on, so it's important to use good control with your sparring partner.

My Visit to Wah Dojo

2014-11-25T09:06:00.001-07:00

Myself with Evergrey at Wah Dojo

Some of my readers may be familiar with Evergrey, the author of the old Crazy Kyokushin Chick blog. I connected with her through that blog, but we have kept up on Facebook over the years. Last week, I had to travel to her neck of the woods for work, so she invited me to train at her dojo. Wah Dojo is a traditional Kyokushin school in Concord, CA, which was founded by Tyrone Wah Sensei--a Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) in Kyokushin, and an active member of law enforcement. I brought my white belt with me, but Wah Sensei insisted on having me wear my Shorin-Ryu rank, since I was just visiting. I attended two classes--one on Tuesday night, and one on Wednesday.

The entrance to Wah Dojo, steamed up from the sweat in class

Tuesday was a kihon (basics) focused class. We started off with a warm-up of jogging and side-shuffling around the mat, and then some knuckle push-ups with our hands off the mat. To finish the warm-ups, we went through some fairly extensive stretching. After that, the theme of class was keri-waza (kicking techniques). We worked primarily on mae-geri (front kick) and mawashi-geri (roundhouse kick), in a couple different combinations. It was a good workout, and about the most that I could handle with my ongoing motion sickness/fatigue issues.

Omid (left) and Justin (right) were two of the black belts I sparred with--this photo is from Omid's shodan test

Wednesday was a kumite (sparring) focused class. The warm-up and stretching were more-or-less the same as the day before, but with a more intense warm-up and less intense stretching. Once we were warmed up, we got into tai tanren (body conditioning). We are no strangers to tai tanren in my dojo, but we certainly don't do as much as Kyokushin people do, so I expected it to be pretty thorough--and it was! We started off with punches to the chest, then the stomach, then the ribs, then the back-side of the ribs and the lats, then the legs. After that, we did a little self defense drill against someone grabbing your shirt, which looked and awful lot like Naihanchi! Finally, we got into kumite, which started off with everyone lined up across from their tai tanren partner and all sparring at the same time. We rotated partners a few times, so I was able to work with two black belts and two teen kyu-ranked students. The last part of class, Wah Sensei had everyone stand around the outside edge of the mat, and matched up people to spar in the middle. I got the chance to spar with two more black belt students, and then I got to spar with Wah Sensei.

With the students of Wah Dojo after class on Wednesday

Everyone I worked with was friendly and open to having me in class, which was comforting. They were also a tough bunch of people--as one would expect from a Kyokushin dojo. They spar with punches to the face, using MMA gloves, so I didn't have to adjust my sparring too much, although they did say I punch to the face a lot more than they do, and my control wasn't very good that night. Nobody seemed to be offended, though, and nobody got injured, so it worked out well. There was another Shorin-Ryu practitioner who trains there, and Wah Sensei was hoping we would talk, but that didn't end up happening. Ev and her fiancee, Michael Dunn Sensei, were even kind enough to put up with me showing them Naihanchi and some of its applications after class. I can certainly recommend their dojo to anyone looking for solid karate training in the Bay Area, and hopefully I will get to train with them again, someday!

Ukemi - How to Fall Safely

2014-11-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

Slips, trips, and falls are one of the biggest causes of injury and accidental death in the United States, according to the National Safety Council. With winter coming soon for much of the Northern hemisphere, slipping is going to be even more prevalent! I suspect that the same can be said of pretty much every other modernized country, where food, water, sanitation, and healthcare are available to the majority of citizens. Despite all of our technological advances, we are still beholden to the laws of gravity! Martial artists talk about self defense all the time, but many of them neglect ukemi (breakfalls) in their training. I can tell you, from personal experience, that you are vastly more likely to use ukemi to protect yourself in real life than any other technique you learn in the dojo!

Kaiten-ukemi (rotating/rolling breakfall) as done in Aikido

Learning to fall is the specialty of "soft" arts like Aikido, judo, and jujutsu. This makes sense, since those arts specialize in techniques that either throw the opponent, or force the opponent to fall or roll to escape. In order to train those techniques safely, everyone in the dojo has to know how to fall and roll properly. Generally, there are four types of ukemi--mae (front), ushiro (back), yoko (side), and kaiten (rotating/rolling). There are some subtle variations of these, but they can all be categorized in these four primary groups.

To practice mae-ukemi (front fall), it's best to start from your knees, as it can be a rather frightening thing to practice, at first. You will want to be "standing" on your knees, with your head turned to the side, your forearms raised in front of you and held flat, as if against a wall. At this point, all you have to do is try to straighten your legs, which will make you fall forward. The impact of your fall should be distributed along your forearms, from fingertips to elbows. Once you are comfortable with this, you can start from a standing position, then squat halfway down, and shoot your legs back to make yourself fall. From there, you can work up to a "dead tree" type of fall.

To practice ushiro-ukemi (back fall), you can start from a seated position to get a feel for when to slap the mat. The slapping seems strange, but it does serve a purpose--two purposes, actually. The first is that it spreads the impact of your fall over a wider area. Imagine dropping a hardcover book flat on its face, as opposed to dropping it on a corner, which would damage the cover. The second is that it tightens the muscles of your back and sides, protecting your ribs and spine. To begin from a seated position, you should tuck your chin to keep your head from hitting the floor, and put your hands in front of you so it is easier to slap. Then, simply push yourself backward, maintaining a curve in your spine. When your shoulder-blades touch the ground, slap your hands as hard as you can on the ground next to you. Be sure to keep your arms close to your sides, as the higher you slap, the more stretched out the muscles of your back and sides become, and the less protection your ribs and spine will have. Once you have the timing down, you can practice from a squat, and then from standing, and eventually from a jump.

To practice yoko-ukemi (side fall), you can also start from a seated position. Again, you will want to start by tucking your chin and bringing your slapping hand in front of you. At that point, push yourself to the side so that you land on the side of your back. This is something that confuses some people, because they think they should be landing completely on their side when working on a side fall. If you do that, you are likely to injure your shoulder. You want to land on the edge of your latissimus dorsi muscle, with your shoulder pulled in front of you when you slap. This will spread out the impact of your fall, and keep your shoulder from being crushed. Once you are comfortable with the timing and landing, you can work it from a squatted position, and then from standing, and eventually from a jump, just like the back fall. Be sure to keep your bottom leg flat against the floor, and the other leg should have the foot planted on the ground behind your bottom leg. If you don't, you can end up with your knees or ankles slamming into each other, which is quite painful.

To practice kaiten-ukemi (rotating/rolling fall), you can start from a kneeling position. The motion of this technique is something like an angled somersault. Again, it is important to tuck your chin to keep your head from hitting the ground. You will use the arm on the side of your body which has your knee off the ground to form a circle, from your shoulder to your knee that is on the ground, with the back of your hand on the floor. Maintain this circle as you drive yourself forward with your back foot. You will want your body contact with the floor to travel from the back of your hand, up your arm, and from your shoulder down to the opposite hip. When the hip touches the floor, you should end up in a side fall position, and slap the mat as hard as you can. The side fall positioning of your legs will keep them from slamming together when you land, which can be very painful. Once you are comfortable with this, you can try it from standing, and then running, and then even jumping.

3 Tips for Visiting a Dojo

2014-11-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Every martial art, and every organization or school, within it, is going to have a different set of behavioral expectations for its students. Within Asian martial arts, especially, there are certain things that are expected that you wouldn't necessarily think of. For someone new to martial arts, or someone visiting another school, it can be difficult to know what you are supposed to do. While there are no standards, there are some things you can do that will help. Since I will be visiting another dojo, this week, myself, I figured I would share some of my thoughts on the topic.

Introduce Yourself in Advance

When visiting a school for the first time, whether you're brand new to martial arts or not, it's important to introduce yourself in advance. If you already know someone who knows the instructor, it's best to have them reach out for you. This helps establish a connection to the instructor, and they will usually be more willing to open their school to you. Once this has been done, you should still contact the instructor, yourself. Again, this makes you seem more like an individual, and less like a nebulous "prospective student." As always, be polite and respectful, and use proper grammar and spelling if you are using email or a letter to contact the instructor.

When in Doubt, Bow

Asian martial arts make extensive use of bowing, so if you are ever confused about whether you should bow or not, you might as well bow. There are certain times when you will most likely be expected to bow, though. When you enter the school, it's often customary to bow--exactly where, and to whom/what may vary, but however you choose to do it should be fine, as a visitor. It is also customary to bow before you step onto the mat, or workout floor. Again, where, and to whom/what may vary, but you can observe what regular students do to get an idea. Most classes will start and end with some type of group bow-in/bow-out, and you will be expected to bow to your partner before and after practicing any type of drill with them.

Empty Your Cup

If you already hold rank in another martial art, you should bring a white belt with you. Remember that, unless the school is within the same organization as yours, you have no rank there. Put the white belt on, and line up wherever the other beginners line up. The instructor may ask you to wear your regular belt (he/she should know about your experience from your introductions), but don't assume that they will. If they do, it's important to keep a white belt attitude while you are in class, regardless of the color the belt around your waist is. All that said, it's also important that you don't keep your experience a secret. If any of the other students or instructors ask about your experience, you should let them know how long you have trained, and in what art. Similarly, there are some situations (like sparring) where it is important for your partner to know what your experience level is. Be humble, but honest.

Sensei Bethea's 2014 Visit

2014-11-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Eddie Bethea, Kyoshi, Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt) in Shorin-Ryu, Shorinkan

Every year, my Sensei's instructor--Eddie Bethea--comes to visit on his way to the Shorinkan Cal-South Camp, which is held in Winterhaven, CA/Yuma, AZ at the beginning of November. When he does, he stays with my Sensei and teaches at least two nights at the dojo. This year was no exception and, as always, Sensei Bethea was great to be around and learn from. I helped him with his Youth Karate Seminar, and attended his Adult Combat Karate Seminar, both of which were on Wednesday, November 5th.

In the Youth Karate Seminar, Sensei Bethea got the kids going with some pretty high-paced warm-ups. During these, I discovered that I seriously need to up my game when it comes to sit-ups, as Sensei Bethea (who turns 71 soon) does them about twice as fast as I do! After that, he had the kids work on some tuidi (seizing hand) techniques. The first was kote gaeshi (wrist reversal), and the second was nikkyo (a figure-S lock). When one kid upset another, Sensei Bethea had them stop doing joint locks, and moved on to kumite (sparring) drills. We worked on those drills for the rest of the class. At the end, Sensei Bethea answered questions that the kids had for him.

In the Adult Combat Karate Seminar, Sensei Bethea always works a blend of self defense drills and kata applications. This time, he got us started off with some "what would you do if..." scenario drills, where he gave us an attack and had us defend against it however we knew how. He kept the pace going pretty quickly, so our heart rates and breathing increased, and we were put under pressure to defend ourselves. After that, we worked on a variety of techniques--some directly from kata, and others that were adapted. My favorite technique was an application we worked from Naihanchi Shodan, where you elbow the opponent in the face as you sweep them.

Passai and Kusanku Oyo Bunkai - Sukui-Uke

2014-11-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Recently, an online friend of mine, who studies and teaches the Shinjinbukan system, has been posting video clips from Onaga Yoshimitsu Sensei's trip through Europe. The most recent video (at the time of writing this post) is the one, above. At about 1:14, you can see Onaga Sensei demonstrate an application for a movement in Passai. We actually teach the same leg reap application for that sukui-uke (scooping receiver) movement in our dojo. This isn't terribly surprising, for two reasons. One is that Onaga Sensei's kata curriculum is the same as ours, minus the kata added by Nakazato Shugoro Sensei, so we are bound to have techniques in common. The other is that the movement is one of the few WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) movements in kata. I have seen everyone from practical bunkai experts, to karate masters of the early 1900's, to purist Shotokan instructors demonstrate this application. The real differences are typically in the entry and the follow-up.

In our kata, this sukui-uke actually shows up several times, in a few different variations. The sequence that Onaga Sensei is demonstrating can be seen in the GIF, above. This is from our Passai Dai (Tawada Passai). It starts from a right-side-forward meotode-gamae (married hands posture) in neko-ashi-dachi (cat stance), then steps back to shiko-dachi (sumo/horse stance) and goes through the scooping motion, which continues into a jodan-uke (high level receiver) position. Following that, you step through with your left leg into neko-ashi-dachi and perform a simultaneous osae-uke (pressing receiver) and age-ura-tsuki (rising reverse thrust) to end in a left-side-forward meotode-gamae. This sequence also exists in Passai Sho (Itosu Passai), and while the entry and follow-up are different, they are really just simplified representations of what is being done in Passai Dai.

You can also see the sukui-uke movement in our Kusanku Dai, as well, but with a different entry and follow-up. You start from yama-gamae (mountain posture) in a right-side-forward neko-ashi dachi, then step forward into shiko-dachi to do the scooping motion, with the left arm extended toward the ground and the right held upright like supporting a box on your shoulder, then the right hand is thrust down so that it crosses the left at the wrist. Following that, the hands open and rise, together, to form an open-handed juji-uke (crossed receiver).

In my opinion, when you boil it down, you really have the same technique done in two different ways. For those familiar with judo, they are basically variations of te-guruma (hand wheel). In the context of the kata, one is a leg reap that steps back and lifts, and the other is a leg reap that steps forward and drops. In the video, above, I demonstrate the way I interpret these techniques. Both techniques have some subtleties to them that make them work better, but they are difficult to show in short video clips. It also isn't necessary to use this technique against a kick--that is just the easiest to illustrate in a video. In actuality, you can use the same technique pretty much any time your opponent's leg is within reach. They could be kicking you, kneeing you, trying to sweep you, or they could simply be off-balance enough for you to grab their leg and pick it up.

Review: Paul Enfield's Ashi-Waza Video Notes DVD

2014-11-04T07:15:00.002-07:00

Taira Masaji, Kudan, Hanshi - Photo courtesy of Chris Wilson's "Karate Masters Portrait Project"

Taira Masaji Sensei is a Kudan (9th Degree Black Belt) in Okinawan Goju-Ryu, formerly of the Jundokan, and a student of the late Miyazato Eiichi Sensei. He is a fast, fluid, powerful karateka, and he is renowned for his kata bunkai (analysis). If you've never seen his material, you can see one of his renzoku bunkai drills here. Those flowing drills, which move from one kata movement to the next through the entire kata, are probably what he is best known for, but they are simply a quick way of recording the techniques in the kata, and how they can be bridged together. Any technique in those drills can be taken and used separately, if one knows how to finish it effectively, and they are built off a series of bridges, or joining techniques, that can be universally applied. While I do not study Goju-Ryu, I can still see great value in Taira Sensei's work, and he is certainly a master of his art!

One of Taira Sensei's senior students is Paul Enfield Sensei, who I believe was also the uchi-deshi (live-in student) of Higaonna Morio Sensei for some time, and even acted as uke (receiver) and narrator for Higaonna Sensei's instructional videos. Whenever Taira Sensei travels around English-speaking countries to teach, Enfield Sensei acts as his liaison, assistant, and interpreter. His wife, Michelle Enfield Sensei, often records video during these trips. They then compile the clips they collect over the course of these tours into DVD's, which they sell on their dojo website. I had been interested in several of these DVD's for quite some time--especially after seeing the material that Enfield Sensei has already freely shared, online. After I mentioned this, in passing, during a conversation about secrecy, and he was kind enough to offer me a free DVD to review! The one I chose was the DVD of "video notes" on Taira Sensei's ashi-waza (leg techniques), which you can see a preview of, above.

DVD footage of Taira Sensei explaining ashi-kakie

The DVD is about 35 minutes in length, and divided into sections that cover different techniques and entry methods. Since the footage is a collection of recordings from seminars, rather than something shot in a professional studio, you will see some unplanned camera movements, the lighting isn't always the best, and the sound isn't very good. In my opinion, this does not diminish the quality of the material being presented in any way! Enfield Sensei has included zoomed-in, slow-motion, black-and-white or sepia-tone replays of the techniques being performed, which provides a great look at the details, and removes distractions. He has also taken the time to display key points in text at the bottom of the screen for clarification, so the audio explanations aren't really necessary.

DVD footage of ashi-waza from the kata, Seiyunchin

The material, itself, is great! We have many of the same ashi-waza in Shorin-Ryu, but we don't utilize them as much as Taira Sensei, and some of his methods are more advanced than ours. For me, this DVD really helps build on the material I have already learned. For someone who has never learned any techniques of this type, they may seem strange and impractical. It definitely takes time to get a feel for them, but they are a subtle, yet powerful addition to kata application that is worth the time. In the DVD, the techniques are often connected to the movements in Goju-Ryu kata, which is probably helpful for people who study those kata. Since I only know modified versions of Sanchin, Seiyunchin, and Tensho, it doesn't benefit me as much. Even so, I can see connections to some of my Shorin-Ryu kata in the same movements. These techniques are a fantastic building block to further your study. The bottom line is; this DVD can improve your karate, and if you want to improve your karate, then this DVD is certainly worth the price!

Kusanku Dai Oyo Bunkai - Kuchiki-Taoshi

2014-11-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

Most Suidi/Shuri-Te lineage karate contains at least one version of the kata, Kusanku. This kata was, supposedly, developed to record the techniques brought to Okinawa by a Chinese envoy of the same name, as described in the Oshima Hikki. Patrick McCarthy has written about this in several books, and Jesse Enkamp posted this article about it, a while back. Itosu simplified and modernized the version that he knew, and called it Kusanku Sho. In this article, we will be looking at Kusanku Dai, which is generally considered to be "less altered" than Kusanku Sho. Even so, there are many versions of Kusanku, and they all do things differently. The one I know is the version passed on by Chibana Chosin to Nakazato Shugoro, as seen in the video, above.

Me, demonstrating Kusanku Dai

One of the more obscure sequences in this kata is the simultaneous right jodan-uke (high receiver) and left gedan-tsuki (low thrust), followed by morote-soto-ude-uke (double outside-of-the-forearm receiver), done in a forward-leaning zenkutsu-dachi (front stance). You can see me perform this sequence, along with the movement before and after, in the GIF, above. This posture is sometimes called ura-gamae (back posture). Some styles do this section of the kata differently, so the application that I'm going to discuss may not fit for everyone, but it's still a useful technique.

Kuchiki-Taoshi (Dead Wood Drop)

My preferred application for this sequence is one that judoka might recognize as kuchiki-taoshi (dead wood drop). It is, essentially, the judo version of a Western wrestling knee pick. If you look at the middle illustration (b) in the series of images, above, you will see that it actually matches the kata quite closely. Just like the kata, tori (the person doing the technique) is lunging forward with their right leg, their right arm is bent and above their head, and their left hand is extended down below them. This technique grabs the opponent's leg just below the knee, which fits the kata, but if you were to go lower, you could also grab the back of their heel. This would be called kibisu-gaeshi (heel reversal) in judo, which is their version of a Western wrestling ankle pick. Personally, I find it difficult to reach that low, but someone shorter than I am may not have such an issue.

Once your opponent has fallen, you still have their leg in your hand. At this point, the morote-soto-ude-uke may be applied as a joint destruction technique. In the kata, the left hand turns over and curls upward, which can wrap your opponent's leg with your arm, pinning it to your body. Your right hand crashes down, which would hyper-extend the knee joint. This is a technique that cannot be done slowly, as a submission technique, as you will not have the strength in your arms to overcome the strength of your opponent's leg. Instead, this should be done as soon as they hit the ground, and with great force. Even a short jolt, when your partner isn't expecting it, can be quite painful.

Naihanchi Shodan Oyo Bunkai - Haishu-Uchi

2014-10-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

Motobu Choki (right) teaching women's self defense

I recently wrote about the importance (or lack thereof) of hand formations in kata and, in that article, I specifically mentioned the use of haishu (backhand) versus haito (ridgehand) in Naihanchi Shodan. Now, for the sake of clarity, I wanted to illustrate the points I made in that article a little bit more explicitly. You can see in the photograph, above, that one of the applications that Motobu Choki taught for the haishu-uke/uchi (backhand receiver/strike) movement in Naihanchi was a strike to the face. This works very well! It's simple, it's effective, and it's relatively safe for the person doing it.

Uehara Seikichi teaching haishu-uchi (backhand strike)

We can assume that this application is one Motobu Choki picked up through his elder brother, Motobu Choyu. This is because we also find the very same technique in Motobu Udundi, as taught by Uehara Seikichi. Once again, the back of the open hand is used to strike the attacker's face. The only difference between these two images is that Motobu is teaching the technique from a defensive position, and Uehara is teaching it from an offensive position. You can see the difference in the right hand (being gripped in Motobu's photo vs. gripping in Uehara's) and in the distance between the tori (person performing the technique) and uke (person receiving the technique).

Xingyiquan techniques

None of this addresses the use of haito-uke/uchi (ridgehand receiver/strike), however. In the animated GIF, above, you can see an instructor of Xingyi teaching a technique to deal with an opponent who has grabbed your arm. The instructor breaks the grip, controls the arm, and enters with a throw that utilizes a haito hand position, in order to better fit the arm beneath the chin. He then goes on to show that the same movement can be done as a backhanded strike to the face--the very same technique taught by Motobu and Uehara. In the full video, he shows that these techniques are both applications for the same movement in one of Xingyi's forms.

Of course, the movement can also be used for throwing, locking, and receiving, but in this instance we are looking only at the striking applications. Clearly, the Xingyi example is showing how the same movement can be used for throwing, as well as striking, but does not show striking with both hand positions. In the video, above, I show how the same movement can be used to strike with either haishu, or haito, depending on the target. In my opinion, haishu-uchi is best suited to striking the face, while haito-uchi is best suited to striking the neck. If you strike to the neck with haishu, you'll have a hard time getting it beneath the chin, and the impact will be distributed across the entire height of the throat. If you strike to the face with haito, you run the risk of your hand going into your opponent's mouth, where teeth can cut you, or they can purposefully bite you. During Motobu's time, antibiotics weren't really available--Penicillin wasn't even discovered until 1928--so a infections were deadly, and getting bitten is a very good way to get an infection.

The Dangers of Secrecy

2014-10-28T21:46:00.001-07:00

Traditional martial arts have a secrecy problem. This problem has existed for a very long time, and has likely lead to the death of countless fighting systems, and the degradation of many more. There was certainly a time where secrecy was important in martial arts--rivals and enemies discovering how you train, and what your best techniques are, would have a leg-up in challenge fights and ambushes. Despite the fact that this isn't really the case, these days, the practice continues in many dojo all over the world and, unfortunately, it has had a few unintended side-effects.

Taika Seiyu Oyata (left) and Tasshi Jim Logue (right)

It used to be that masters would only teach the entirety of their system to one, or a small handful of students. This meant that, when the master died, it was up to those few people to continue spreading the system in the same way. This would keep the system small and, to a degree, would maintain a level of "purity." The problem is that, sometimes, those students also die. During World War II, many Okinawan lives were lost, and almost certainly a great amount of karate knowledge was lost along with them. There have been more recent examples--such as what happened with Oyata Sensei's RyuTe system--of this occurring on a smaller scale, so we know that it will continue to be an issue. This is tragic, because these systems contain very valuable information, and we may never know what was lost.

George Dillman is one of the most well-known fraudulent "masters" in the world

Another problem with secrecy is that it leaves room for fraud. When there are no examples of your system available on the public domain, you have no way of refuting false claims. People will attend a seminar, or cross-train a bit with someone, and a little while down the road, they are claiming to be masters of some obscure aspect of martial arts--kyusho (vital points) is a popular one. You can tell the public that those people are doing things wrong, or poorly, or are lacking legitimate knowledge and training, but that isn't really enough. You end up being accused of using the "No True Scotsman" logical fallacy. The burden of proof is on you to prove that person wrong, and the only way to do it is to show how it should be done. Meanwhile, these people can gain major followings, who believe they really are masters, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. In the process, they taint the entire body of martial arts knowledge, and make your art look bad.

The third issue that I have with secrecy in martial arts, is a problem that comes along with just about every form of isolationism--delusions. When we are surrounded by people who learn the same things we learn, do things the way we do things, and believe the way we believe, we have no reason to question anything. Everyone around us supports our beliefs, and we can all be a happy little family unit. The trouble with this is that questioning and comparing is how we stay grounded, and maintain a realistic outlook on things. The phrase, "sunlight is the best disinfectant," comes to mind. The infamous Yellow Bamboo style, seen in the video, above, is an extreme example of the kinds of things isolation can cause people to believe in.

Iain Abernethy, Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt)

Just recently, Iain Abernethy--currently considered the foremost instructor of practical kata bunkai--started a collaborative project to get the wider martial arts community involved in sharing ideas about kata application. I was very excited by this project, because it is a way for like-minded martial artists all over the world to share what they know and how they do things. Projects like this one improve the collective intelligence and memory of the community which, in my opinion, is vital to the development and enhancement of martial arts. It leads to a better overall understanding of martial arts, more examples of quality material for public consideration, and greater redundancy of information, ensuring that it will not be lost if a handful of people pass away.

GASP! SECRETS!

Unfortunately, many people in the martial arts community are still strongly opposed to this idea. They believe it will foster fraud, promote a "YouTube Sensei" environment, and discourage people from seeking legitimate instruction. Maybe it's just because I am one of those darned "Millennials," but I believe the exact opposite is true. Even on an individual scale, sharing information has the benefit of advertising for your dojo. Iain Abernethy, himself, has a couple HOURS of video available, for free, and still doesn't seem to have any trouble finding students. If someone is considering training, they will typically look up the schools in their area. Usually, they will then search for the style and the instructor's name, to see if they are any good, and someone with a large following (like Iain Abernethy) has shared your material, a prospective student is more likely to seek out instruction from you. Besides, it isn't as though sharing a 1 minute video explaining one application for one kata movement is going to give away everything you've trained your entire life to learn.

Sometimes, fictional masters give great advice

Even amongst people who believe information should be shared, it is often felt that it must only be done by the most senior-level of instructors. Interestingly, Matthew Apsokardu, the writer of the Ikigai Way, just posted this great (fictional) story about two masters' differing opinions on the sharing of information. I'll let you guess which one of the two masters I happen to agree with.

5 People You Will Find at the Dojo

2014-10-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

I write a lot of articles about karate techniques and concepts, but not a lot about the people who train in karate. Today, I decided I would do that a little bit! When you start training in martial arts, you will notice that there are certain personality traits that keep popping up in certain people. These seem to exist in pretty much every martial art, so chances are good that you've run into them! I would like to take a lighthearted look at just 5 of the kinds of people you will find at the dojo.

The Reluctant One

This person doesn't really want to be training. Honestly, everybody is "The Reluctant One," at some point. You're feeling tired and grumpy, and you really just want to stay at home, but you feel obligated to come to class. Usually, you leave class feeling better, so it works out! Sometimes, though, this is just a kid whose parents made him or her come to karate class. Do your best to encourage "The Reluctant One," when you notice them having a hard time!

The Enthusiastic One

This person really loves training. This person tends to be me, most of the time, but if you enjoy martial arts, you will probably be "The Enthusiastic One" from time to time. Maybe Sensei is teaching something you find really interesting, or maybe you're helping someone with a technique you feel you are good at, or maybe you just love to sweat. Sometimes, this person can become "The Overly Enthusiastic One."

The Injured One

This person always seems to be injured or sick. In all fairness, everyone is going to get injured or sick, eventually--that's just part of life. Some people, though, always seem to have something wrong. A broken finger, a cut on their foot, a kink in their back, etc. They may be limited in what they can do, but if they are on the mat, be sure to take time to work with "The Injured One!" They made the effort to train, even though they could have become "The Reluctant One," instead!

The Philosophical One

This person really loves the "do" ("way") in "budo," and maybe they fancy themselves a bit of a zen master, as well. They like to have long discussions about self discipline and discovery, self control, and the meaning of life in the form of martial arts. "The Philosophical One" can be fun, but sometimes they get side-tracked, so if you are training with this person--or you are this person--do your best to save the philosophy for after class.

The Reminiscent One

This person misses the Good Old Days™, and will often tell you stories about them. The Good Old Days™ are always relative, and every person has them, so it's easy to be "The Reminiscent One." There can be a lot of value in these stories, and they can also be quite entertaining. We can learn a lot from the people who have been there before us, and we can teach a lot to the people who come after. Just like "The Philosophical One," it's easy to get wrapped up in conversation with "The Reminiscent One," so do your best to keep the stories short until training is finished.