Journey between Now and Then

       Whap! I am stuck by a front kick, caught off guard and my blocking technique didn’t work. Of course, the instructor in front of me knows this and he is trying to help me.  Whap! Again, I am struck by the same kick. Why can’t I get this? It is just a simple block, and I know the kick is on its way. Why isn’t this ‘clicking’ for me? 

        When I was in school my teachers would often recommend that we students figure out our ‘learning style.’ We learned by doing, reading, watching, etc. I believe it is the same for training. For me, self training works and it helps things make sense. Perhaps this doesn’t work for you or it may not be feasible. There are different ways to learn; asking questions, watching, doing and being in the right mindset. Try asking questions. This seems simple and very straight forward; but how often do you ask questions of your senpai, the ones who don’t normally teach classes? This is a gold mine for me. I’ve always noticed that my senpai like sharing their knowledge and they enjoy helping. They have a way of explaining things that are different than the instructors and it is always helpful. Training under different instructors, different dojos, going to camps and tournaments is a great way to learn. It is here where the world is your oyster. Ask questions, seek advice, and try new things.

       We watch others when we are in the dojo, it is natural. We watch how others react, move, what they do well, and where they need some work. During a formal class you may not have much opportunity to watch, except for the times your instructor has groups take turns on and off the floor. Watch your fellow karate-ka. It will surprise you how much you can learn. If it’s a lower ranking group, think of ways you can help, think of advice you can offer. When you go back on the floor, make sure you are executing proper technique so when the lower ranks watch you are setting a good example. If you are a lower rank, watch your senpai and try to imitate what they do well. After class, I often see people watching others who are participating in post-training drills or kata. Watching is an good way to learn but don’t spend too much time idle when you have the opportunity to move. Work on some drills from class, grab a partner and do some training, ask questions and solve it together.

        Every now and then a certain technique, feeling or movement ‘clicks’ for me. Sometimes the information is presented differently, sometimes it clicks by watching others, but most of the time self training and an empty mind is key for me. I am fortunate to have a small space in my home to train. Amidst the mess of an unfinished basement, towers of dirty laundry and an obstacle course of matchbox cars and transformer toys, lays the glory land we call our dojo. It is here where I find myself lately working over and over again on kihon, kata, and sometimes kumite. (Don’t worry, I only ask my husband to be a target, not the little boys.) I don’t spend much time here, maybe 30-40 minutes per day, but this time is precious and instrumental in my progress. Try to do a little bit of self training every day. Start with just 10-15 mintues a day or every other day. Even if you just stand and punch for 10 minutes, it is not wasted time.

       When we struggle with a certain task, we often become frustrated and emotional. We get down on ourselves and cannot focus. This makes everything more difficult. We come to the dojo to learn and to continue on our journey in our own martial art. When you walk in, empty your mind, free it from distractions and expectations. Just do your best. Empty your cup, don’t be prideful. You cannot learn what you think you already know. Mental training is the toughest of all, since our mind controls what our body does. I find that when my mind is free, I can move, respond and absorb much better.

        Something just clicked for me. I’m not sure what it is, but training feels different. I know too well that I will soon again be searching for more answers to something that just isn’t right. But, currently, I'm in the now (or then?). In some way I look forward to the next challenge because what I’ve learned in the past few weeks is that karate is all about the journey between the now and then.

Endeavor: Two Methods to Improve Your Training

This article was published in Shotokan Karate Magazine (Issue 121, 10/2014) and posted here with the author’s permission.

I remember my first training back from a major surgery: I made it through the one hour training, but could barely walk off of the floor. My legs were struggling to hold me up and I found it hard to catch my breath even after simple drills. I thought to myself, “How will I ever get back, let alone improve my level?” As a sandan who has been training for 20 years, giving up wasn’t an option as karate is a part of my life. Though I continued to train, it was hard for me to get to the dojo because of how difficult the trainings had become. I wasn’t conditioned and my body wasn’t strong. I was training one or two times per week but I knew it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t until I decided to take my yondan exam that things began to change for me. I dedicated more time for myself in the dojo and made sure that I got there at least three to four times per week. Over time, and with an abundance of support, I reached my goal of getting back into shape and feeling an improvement in my performance. I felt my body become stronger: I had an improved stamina during training, my techniques were sharper and I was moving more efficiently. Looking back at that difficult year, I learned about and subsequently researched two key components which can bring karate players, of all stages, ages and abilities to their next level. Karate ka who are looking to advance their training must have a good level of athletic fitness and must dedicate themselves to deliberate practice.

Health-related physical fitness refers to a general state of well-being. A physically fit person is able to go about their life without struggle and is generally able to participate in physical activities. This level of fitness is achieved by consistent exercise.  Athletic fitness is an expansion of health-related physical fitness, in which the athlete focuses their fitness in such a way to maximize their success during performance.  This increased level of fitness allows the athlete to develop better and consistent proper mechanics through high repetition and intensity. Successful performance in karate training means consistent proper execution of technique, and an improvement in speed, power and agility. For this type of physical fitness, one should increase their cardiovascular endurance and capacity as well as improve their muscular power, balance and flexibility, as well as any sport-specific fitness component. Having cardiovascular endurance enables the athlete to train longer and at a higher intensity before fatiguing.  For the karate player, this means that one ought to push themselves to their max often and for longer periods of time during training to improve their cardiovascular endurance. This may not be possible right away and practitioners should ease themselves into this type of intense training over a three to four month period. While karate is a balance of slow and fast movements as well as hard and soft movements, karate players must prepare themselves to work. Cardiovascular endurance is needed during training to complete kihon, kata and kumite. When working on kihon drills, cardio is required so that the athlete can maintain proper form and technique while keeping up with the instructor’s count. Similarly in kata, one needs to be able to complete the given kata correctly with proper timing and demonstrate their understanding of the kata. For kumite, cardio endurance helps the practitioner perform with proper form, timing, and execution of technique. Without ample cardiovascular endurance, athletes are subject to fatiguing sooner than athletes with proper endurance. Fatigue first affects some karate players by diminishing their attention to detail. Their draw hands may be weak, targeting may be off and they have less focus between techniques. Next the big muscle groups begin to tire; the arms and the legs are weak. Stances, kicking, and arm techniques will become weak and not fully extended. Fatigue, in its final stages, leads to confusion, lack of focus and frustration which ultimately leads to mistakes.  In kihon and kata mistakes made may create bad habits and ultimately will not assist in improving performance.  Mistakes during a kumite drill or match can also lead to bad habits, will not aide in improvement and may result in injuries for both practitioners. Cardio endurance allows the practitioner to train longer before fatigue begins. When fatigue does happen, good cardio endurance helps athletes keep proper form and technique and therefore continue to improve their performance.

Sport-specific conditioning depends on the demands of the sport.  For the purposes of karate the hip flexor muscles, as an example, are some of the most important and greatly used muscles during training. Flexion is a term that refers to the movement that decreases the angle between two bones at a joint. Flexion is initiated by a muscle contraction and that muscle is called a flexor.  Hip flexor muscles are located where the hip and upper leg intersect and refer to the group of muscles which manifest hip to leg flexion.  Hip flexors are used during training to hold a stance, to kick, and are used during all types of movement. Because the demand on these muscles is so great, a karate ka must have strong hip flexors to maintain athletic fitness. During training and other fitness activities, the karate player should focus on strengthening the hip flexor area by repeated use and cross training activities. Such activities may include knee raises, kicking multiple times with the same leg without touching the floor, and kicking with the same leg multiple times in several directions. These activities should be done at high repetition to increase strength in the area.  Without strong hip flexors, or other sport specific conditioning, the athlete may fatigue sooner and may subject themselves to injury.

To increase athletic fitness one should also find a cross training routine when dojo training is not an option. When looking for a cross training workout routine it should compliment the components of karate. Running is a good way to increase cardio endurance but other than legs, little else is involved.  Plyometrics, or jump training, workouts are exercises which involve repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles to increase muscle power. Some examples of what may be included in a plyometric workout would be jumping (at a high intensity) across a series of different height obstacles, lunges, and jumping rope.  Plyometrics are a great cross training exercise because it incorporates the hip flexors, core, arms, and legs as well as turning and jumping. These workouts can increase muscle strength and joint stability as well as improve the practitioner’s agility, explosive capability (kime) as well as cardio endurance.  Working in tandem with regular intense karate workouts plyometics, or another appropriate cross training routine, will assist in making athletic fitness achievable.

A second factor that will help karate ka improve their level is deliberate practice. Deliberate practice refers to the concept derived from The Deliberate Practice Theory developed by K. Andres Ericsson and his colleagues. Deliberate practice is defined as a meticulously organized activity engaged in with the specific goal of improving performance. These deliberate activities, in order to be successful, are challenging, effortful and not immediately enjoyable. Such activity is different from work and play and the amount of deliberate practice is directly related to the improvement of one’s performance.

  Practice, or training, is something with which all karate ka are familiar, but often times it is done without “deliberate” purpose. Karate players who are looking to improve their performance should first set a goal for themselves. The goal may be proficiency of kihon, a kata, a successful dan examination, or a successful tournament. This goal will help the karate ka stay motivated throughout the improvement process. Engagement in these trainings must be physically and mentally challenging.  For a physical challenge in training, the karate player should focus on techniques and movement that are not yet natural or easy. For instance, if the karate player’s goal is to improve movement in kumite, they may focus their training on new ways to shift their body.  When in a kumite situation, it is natural for the defensive karate player to move backwards while blocking the advancing attack. To improve performance, this practitioner may decide to work on moving to the side or moving in to the opponent when attacked.  To achieve the goal of improved movement, the karate player should separate the basic mechanics of the body shifting. First they should focus on foot work, then add hand techniques and lastly add leg techniques. By separating and practicing the basic mechanics of body shifting, the practitioner is deliberately creating a new foundation for improved movement. Working on new body shifting must become familiar, and comfortable for the karate ka, which can not only be a physical difficulty, but mental as well. It will be physically difficult as moving to the side or in requires different muscle groups and reaction time.  Mentally, the practitioner must break the old ‘habit’ of moving backwards to defend themselves. These new movements, as well as all other training, must be done correctly as improper techniques may impede improvement.  Karate training can be described as ‘fun’ but it is not inherently enjoyable meeting the demands of deliberate practice as it is a difficult mental process. Training new movements and techniques are difficult psychologically because it is not uncommon that practitioners will begin to doubt their abilities, especially if they are struggling to adapt.  

 Ericsson argues that deliberate practice is different from work and play. When at work (competition) the body will use trained methods of success (gyaku-zuki) rather than finding new ways (techniques) to complete a task (kumite match or defending yourself). When at play (training done for general fitness), activities are done for enjoyment as opposed to skillful development. Karate players who are looking to improve performance need ample training designed to foster and strengthen their karate in ways not done before.  As stated above, one must actively and properly train different movements. In order to improve and grow in training, one must expand from what is already known and familiar and turn their focus to what seems unnatural and difficult.  For a karate ka to benefit from these exercises, they must dedicate themselves to spending several hours per week doing this deliberate practice; as the amount of deliberate practice trained has a direct relationship with performance level. The more time put into deliberate training, the better the improvement will be. Time spent in solitary practice, or self-training, in addition to deliberate practice with an instructor or mentor, is also directly related to improved skill level of the practitioner.  

Whether you are trying to come back from an injury, or to get to your next level of training, or trying to break a through a plateau, having a good level of athletic fitness and committing to deliberate practice can get you where you’d like to be.  Athletic fitness assists the karate player to be in shape for the demands of karate. The athlete will have the appropriate cardiovascular capacity and endurance to successfully complete kihon, kata and kumite. This endurance will allow the practitioner more time in training without fatigue, and once fatigue sets in, they will be better able to manage it.  Strengthening the sport-specific components of karate is important as it also maximizes training time (reduces fatigue) but also prevents injuries.  Less fatigue and injuries translates to proper and effective training and ultimately leads to improvement.  Karate players need to set an improvement goal for themselves and dedicate their training to deliberate practice.  This process will be both mentally and physically challenging and it will not produce an immediate reward.  The practitioner should also expand their focus from what is familiar and must concentrate on different skills which demand sufficient effort.  Karate players must also devote ample time to their training.  Athletic fitness and deliberate practice are not activities that will change one’s karate overnight. It is a journey which takes unvarying motivation and sincere commitment. Fortunately, karate is a life-long endeavor which leaves all karate ka with ample time for improvement.

  

This article was first published in Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue 121 Oct 2014. Republished on this site with permission from the author.

Niju Kun

2. In Karate, never attack first.

   I believe that this principle is built off of the Dojo Kun command: refrain from violent behavior. As Shotokan practitioners we should be working toward the perfection of our character. We should be non-violent and peace-keeping individuals. Never attacking first fits well into these ideals and has a variety of explanations. 

   You should never attack a person before you have given yourself time to observe. During a kumite match, sparring in the dojo or in a self-defense situation, there are many things that you must be aware of before you strike. Before you strike, you should consider: is this person trying to hurt me? What is their intensity level like? What are their weaknesses? What are their strengths? If you attack a person before these questions are answered, you will not be performing your technique with the best advantage. When you allow yourself time to observe your opponent, partner, or attacker, you give yourself the opportunity to figure out their strategy. Once you are able to predict what the person might do, you are able to defeat them much more easily. In this interpretation, I am suggesting that you first observe and then you attack.

   Perhaps it is a self defense situation and you do not have the luxury of time to observe. Having your mind in the right place is key to survival.  Adjust your mindset to getting yourself free instead of hurting your attacker: assertive thought over aggressive.  If you know you are in a dangerous situation, and your mind is clear and in a ‘non attacking’ or ‘defensive’ mind set, you will be able to defend yourself much better. Just like in the rest of our training, if your mind is relaxed, then your body is relaxed and able to respond quickly. Instead being focused on the goal of hurting your attacker, you will be able to see opportunities to defend yourself and to free yourself from danger. If your goal is to hurt your attacker, you may miss an opportunity to run away from the danger, which may put you in an even worse situation. You must put your sense of pride away to stay safe; don’t stay and fight if you have a chance to walk (or run) away. I am not saying that you cannot strike your attacker if you know a fight is imminent. You may even strike your attacker first if you know you are in harm’s way. If you feel you are in danger, you have already mentally been ‘attacked’ by the perpetrator, and therefore wouldn’t be attacking first. Once you have struck your assailant, attempt to get free. Here, I am suggesting that instead of a ‘fighting’ or ‘attacking’’ mindset have a ‘defensive’ or ‘escaping’ mindset.

   There is a real life application to this command. Never verbally attack first. There are many times throughout our day that we come in contact with other people. Sometimes things happen and cues can be misread or someone’s bad mood can be taken personally. Never allow these situations to cause you to respond negatively. Our goal as martial artists is to be friendly and to keep the peace with everyone whenever possible. Remain humble in all of your interactions. Do not submit to the temptation to call someone a name, make jokes about someone, or to say something negative. Though this is not a physical attack, it is an attack nonetheless and it is unacceptable for a martial artist. Do not attack with your words or body language, always be humble and kind.

   Never attacking first does not mean that you are weak or submissive.  If you have complete control of your mind and body (and tongue), you should be quite confident in your skills to defend yourself. You will have wisdom and strength greater than those who attack without thought.   

    “You need neither tremble before, nor tyrannize over anyone, for you have become wise and strong [through diligent training]. Only the weak cower, and only the weak are bullies. Humility is different than weakness; it is rooted in confidence, skill and strength.”

Master Teruyuki Okazaki, Perfection of Character

Niju Kun

1. Do not forget that karate begins with a bow and finishes with a bow.

Bowing in western society is something rarely seen outside of a dojo atmosphere. However, once you set foot inside the dojo, you should be immediately transported to a different time and place. A time and place where bowing is the ultimate act of respect, acknowledgment, and sincerity. Bow, or rei, in Japanese literally translated means to greet and salute. In addition to those translations, bowing can also be used to mean encouragement, sympathy, gratefulness, spirit, diligence and order.
It is no accident that Master Funakoshi began the Niju Kun with bowing. Rei is the very first thing a new student learns. The correct footing, hand and head position is critical in order to convey the proper feeling. When bowing from a standing position (ritsu-rei), you must bow from the center of your body, or waist, and lower your head. We lower our head in order to express trust and humility. When one is humble they are more able to learn. Along with lowering your head, your eyes should be looking downward or forward on the floor- never at your opponent. Your arms and hands should be simply relaxed at your side – do not hold on to your gi, slap your legs, or make any sound with your hands. Your feet should be in musubi dachi: heels touching one another and making a ‘V’ shape angling them outwards. When you bow, bend forward about 45 degrees without moving your arms or hands from your side, pause, then slowly return to a standing position.

Bowing from a sitting position, or from seiza, is a more formal way to bow and that is why it is performed at the beginning and the end of every training. From the seiza position, lower your left hand to the floor in front of your left knee, then follow with your right hand. When the hands are on the floor, your index fingers should be touching, making a triangular shape between your two hands. When your hands are on the floor, bend your body at the waist and lower yourself to the floor. Your neck and head should be bent toward the floor and your eyes closed or gazing slightly ahead of you. Since this is a more formal way to bow, you will stay in the bowing position for slightly longer than the standing bow. Once the bow is completed sit up in the reverse order – slide hands back to legs then sit up slowly to a straight-backed position.

Correct bow from seiza 

While the physical act of bowing is quickly learned, it is much more difficult to master the mental bow. Every time we bow in the dojo, we must not only bow with our bodies, but with our mind as well. When we bow before our instructors, it is a way of saying, ‘help me and teach me more.’ When facing a fellow karate player during class or a tournament, you should be thinking (during your bow) ‘I trust and respect you and I am entering this endeavor to practice my skills and nothing more.’ You should be able to exude these feelings when you preform your bow. Sadly, many practitioners have forgotten about this and bow without feeling or care. I affirm that these players are not true martial artists. Bowing with sincerity is the utmost way of showing courtesy and as Sensei Okazaki has said many times before, “If you do not show courtesy you are not a true martial artist.” As martial artists we should distinguish ourselves from the rest of the population, and show everyone respect and courtesy. This ideal should be active in your trainings, but also outside of the dojo as well. Bowing reminds us that everyone deserves respect, from small innocent children to dangerous enemies; for they all have the ability to teach us something.
When you bow in the dojo, remember that you are performing a genuine act. Bowing communicates a lot about a person, so make sure you are sending the right signals.  The signals depend on the situation, so be mindful of that. Never intentionally disregard someone’s bow to you or do a ‘quick’ bow as you enter the floor. Always bow with intention and sincerity. Bowing is a part of our training as martial artists. Just like we would never do kihon, kata or kumite without purpose, we should never bow without purpose or focus. Master Funakoshi reminds us that karate should always begin and end with a bow; so it is important to begin and end your training with these ideals in mind.

Connecting Conversation and Kumite: Move according to your opponent

At an early age we learn to speak according to our audience.  The tone and inflection that we use depends on the audience and the intent of the message.  For instance, when someone walks in to their surprise birthday party, everyone merrily exclaims, ‘Surprise!’ It would be strange to whisper ‘Surprise’ instead of shout. When someone is telling you a sad story, perhaps about a loss of a loved one, you will likely respond similarly to how the speaker has told you the news. You would choose your words wisely and speak in a soft tone. Sometimes the dynamic between the speaker and the listener must be the opposite.  Observing the speaker is key to knowing how to respond. During an argument with someone who is yelling and very emotional, it is best to use a calm and assertive voice instead of matching the intensity of the other person. Being calm and assertive will allow you to be in control of what you say and how you are presenting yourself. When both sides of an argument lack control and are very emotional, the argument may escalate into a physical dispute.
Just like we must answer according to the speaker, you must always respond according to your opponent (Niju Kun #13) in kumite and combat. We begin to see this in very basic training- gohon and sanbon kumite. As the offensive side moves forward, the defense steps back. The defensive side is learning to move according to when and how the offensive side advances.  This concept is continued throughout all levels of kumite.  Movement isn’t the only catalyst which manifests a response. Just like you change the way you speak according to your audience, you must change the way you fight according to your opponent. Height difference, strengths and weaknesses of opponent, intensity and presence are all factors in responding.  Tall people have long limbs, which is obvious, but be aware of this when fighting. Understanding their distance is key to success.  When fighting a shorter person, attempt to use your longer limbs as your advantage. Force your distance on them.  Take notice of your opponents’ favorite techniques as well as what they don’t do well. Perhaps they are a very strong attacker but they do not defend well.  In this scenario, you must become the aggressor.  Attacking the opponent may break their focus and give you an opportunity. Intensity is something that can be seen, felt and sometimes heard.  Most of the time in a tournament the intensity is high. High intensity is good; however you must maintain control of your techniques and your mind. It is important to monitor the intensity level of your opponent, and watch for signs of emotion.  Emotions come from high intensity and a cluttered mind. They may be emotional because they feel pressure to win, they are mad about a point scored/not scored, or they may want to hurt you. Emotions will affect how the practitioner fights and they will not be stable, and injuries often occur.  Do not allow their emotion to affect your fighting behavior.  When this happens, it is best to end the fight as quickly and cleanly as possible.
How many times have you asked someone what their name is only to forget their name seconds later? If you are like most people, this happens a lot. It is because we are not being active listeners- we have other thoughts on our minds at the time.
Often times when we are ‘listening’, we allow our minds to wander or to go off on to tangents based on something the speaker has said.  Be aware of yourself and where your concentration is during the conversation. Another habit is to think about your response to the speaker before the speaker finishes talking. If we truly want to know and are interested in the speaker, we should commit all of our attention on them, and not ourselves. In kumite, or in a self-defense situation, listening to your opponent is vital. Though there may not be a lot of words exchanged, there is still plenty reason to listen.  In any given match all practitioners have ‘tells.’  These tells may be easy to see, such as moving their arms forward before they kick or moving their front foot out before they step.  Some of these tells are harder to recognize; the karate player may use a certain stance before a particular technique as in using a one line stance before attempting ushirogeri.  By listening (watching) to these tells, you will be better prepared to respond to your opponent.  If you pick up on these tells and see one, you will have the advantage. Keeping your mind focused on your opponent and not yourself is key to success.  Always focus your attention on what your opponent is doing and not what you are doing. Be aware of your thoughts during the match, don’t think or plan out what your next attack will be.  Don’t think- just watch. During conversation, if you aren’t being an active listener, you may just be considered rude or absent minded. During kumite, if you do not watch out for tells and are too focused on yourself, you will miss opportunities to strike or to defend yourself.
Lastly, during both conversations and kumite, you must keep your mind open and free from distractions. When you are speaking with someone, have an empty mind and listen to the speaker. Distractions may be your cell phone or other people in the room.  Ignore all distractions so your mind cannot wander.  This will allow you to absorb what they are saying so you may give an appropriate response.  During kumite if you keep your mind open, your body will be relaxed.  A busy or cluttered mind causes your body to tense because you will be anticipating movement from the opponent.  During this time of anticipation, you are vulnerable because you aren’t focused on your opponent- you are focused on how you will react to a possible attack. Your reaction time will be slowed as well. Since your body is already tense, your body must first relax then move according to the opponent. If your mind is open and your body is relaxed, you will be able to react immediately when the person moves.
When all of these pieces come together you will be more comfortable in sparring and speaking in day to day interactions. In kumite, remember to always move accordingly, listen (or watch) accordingly and have an empty mind. Speaking accordingly, listening accordingly and blocking out distractions will enable you to become a better and more cognizant conversationalist. In both scenarios, it is crucial to focus on them and not you. This is a difficult thing to do. Mastering conversation will help you with your personal and professional relationships. Use these practices in your everyday life; at the dojo, home, the office and anywhere you go. Just as Niju Kun #10 advises: once we begin these practices daily, we will see the true beauty of karate-do.