We’ve all heard of cases over the years where a martial artist has applied their skills as a means of self-defence, only to later discover their attacker has pressed assault charges. In many cases, the attacker (the real criminal) wins the case. The martial artist, in their act of defending themselves, is charged. 

“How can this be?”, you might ask. It’s important for any person trained in martial arts to have a basic understanding of how the law works in self-defence.

To begin with, one should not lose hope. The law states that any person is entitled to defend themselves, their property or another person. However, for situations requiring this, only ‘reasonable force’ can be applied. What is seen as reasonable will depend entirely on the situation and its progress.

Reasonable or excessive force?

In cases where excessive force has been applied, the defendant may find themselves being charged. In these cases, the onus is on this prosecution to prove the martial artist (defender) used excessive force.

An example of reasonable force may be as follows. If you believe someone is about to be murdered, then you can use any appropriate method to prevent this. However, this does not give you free license to murder the assailant. If you use a metal bar to beat the assailant to the point that there is no further risk, you are breaking the law if you continue your attack. In essence, you can only do the minimum required to stop or avoid injury.

Having said that, this does not mean that if an assailant is seriously injured you will always be charged. For example, if an antagonist who attacks you ends up in a hospital with a broken skull, it does not mean you will be charged with assault. This is because the courts do recognise that a person defending himself cannot weigh to a nicety the exact measure of his necessary defensive action. If, in a moment of unexpected anguish, a person had only done what he had honestly and instinctively thought to be necessary, that would be potent evidence that only reasonable defensive action had been taken.

Self-defence and the law for women 

It is very rare that a man who attacks a woman, only to be beaten, could have her prosecuted for assault. Even in cases where she did know very clearly that her actions could cause serious injury. 

For example, where a woman puts her attacker in a hospital through gouging his eyes or twisting his testicles, although her knowledge that this action would cause injury, it would be deemed as necessary, providing she felt seriously threatened. However, where a woman engages in a fight (whether with another woman or man), the basic rules for self-defence and fighting would apply.

Self-defence and the law in the form of fighting 

Whilst the majority of people who take up martial arts do so with the intention to never use their skills – but for self-defence, there is a small percentage of people training whose aim is to learn to fight. In most fights involving a martial artist, it is more often these people who are involved. This often puts martial artists in a bad light with the law. Therefore when a karateka does find themselves in a fight, there are a number of things they should be aware of to ensure they can prove self-defence.

The most common place for fighting is any venue where alcohol is served. One drunk person provokes another and tries to initiate a fight. In the case of fighting, the degree of force permissible depends on whether the defendant’s actions were reasonable in the circumstances. If it were to go to court, it is important the martial artist had demonstrated by their actions that they did not want to fight. For a fight to be considered self-defence, one person must have shown that they tried to temper and disengage the situation, and perhaps make some physical withdrawal, but it was subsequently made clear that this was not possible. Again, to be deemed self-defence, once an attacker is completely stopped, no further attacks are permissible.

To be deemed self-defence, it does not mean the attacker must throw the first punch, but it obviously helps. If the martial artist has shown by their words and actions they have no intention to fight and are still provoked, providing the attacker is showing an aggressive nature and within your personal space, so much so that you felt endangered, then to throw a decisive strike is reasonable.

Self-defence and the law with weapons

Any martial artist who carries a martial arts weapon will be charged, even if they have used it only for the means of self-defence. Weapons are illegal, therefore it will be judged purely on the basis of you carrying and using an illegal weapon. If however, you were to use a weapon found in your current environment (e.g. belt, bin, broom etc.) then the same basic laws of reasonable force apply.

Self-defence and the law with kicks

It is considered that a martial artist is aware that their kicks are more powerful than their punches. Therefore, in cases of self-defence where kicks are used, it can potentially work against the martial artist. In a fight against one attacker, a kick to the groin, shin, or stomach may be deemed entirely reasonable. However, a kick to the ribs or face may be deemed excessive due to your knowledge of its danger. You would be required to show you felt endangered had you not thrown that kick.

Involvement with the police

When you are involved in a conflict to which the police are called, the following advice should be adhered to:

• Stay calm;
• Do not get dragged into an argument;
• Think about what you say, and say very little;
• Treat the police with respect and cooperate with everything they say;
• Take into account that police too are human. Sometimes the situation may initially place you in a bad light, particularly if you use an object to defend yourself. If they make an error in judgment, co-operate until you have opportunity to explain yourself.

The best self-defence within the law

Although a martial artist learns to block, punch and kick, the ultimate self-defence techniques they acquire are confidence and awareness. 

Whether self-defence is required in the form of a fight at a crowded venue, or being singled out and targeted for robbery or sexual assault, confidence and awareness are your best tools. This is because any person who wishes to cause harm to another, will look for ‘an easy victim’. 

A karateka who portrays a sense of confidence, i.e. head up and good eye contact will less likely be attacked. Furthermore, having an awareness of your environment means you are more able to sense danger and avoid the situation.

Further reading

• Real Life Confrontation: Self-Defence Beyond Technique
• Self-Defence in Australia
• Self-Defence in English Law
• The Law Relating to Self-Defence in New Zealand
• Self-Defence – Deciding in Advance

The post Self Defence Within the Law appeared first on GKR Karate.

Kata tells you “NO” all day long. It mocks you over and over, telling you “you’re an idiot”. It seems simple; “straighten the back leg as you land in stance”, “keep the hips square, the wrist straight, just move that little faster, stay the same height, elbow stays in…” and so on.

As elementary as it sounds, arduous is the task of having the body carry out these specific actions. We may make the same errors repeatedly or never be quite happy with our speed, snap, fluidity or flexibility. Finding ourselves being mocked by our kata time and time again can be frustrating. Beyond this, we practice hard, becoming accustomed to burning legs and rips in our feet. Does this stop us? No. We persist and soon our feet have rips within rips.

All this work and what is our reward? Our Kata continues to mock us, our instructors harbour a myriad of constructive criticisms, and after giving our all in tournaments, the judge’s score says, “You’ve got a long way to go”.

Is it not surprising that some karate-ka take a disliking to kata, heavily favouring kumite? Kumite, by comparison, does not mock. By-and-large, a block is a block and a punch is a punch. Upon scoring on our opponent, our stance may be slightly off or technique slightly flawed; yet we still feel vindication due to our technique getting in. Some might argue, is this not what matters most?

If kata mocks us all, beginner and master alike, why then do some adore it while others fear it? The answer lies in the way we perceive its mockery; the way in which we perceive our journey of karate.

A Path To Follow 

For practically every technique in kata, we are provided with clear explanation and detail: The position and angle of our feet, legs, knees, hips, shoulders, arms, hands etc. Within a brief period, we become aware of the perfect execution and upon establishing this picture in our mind’s eye, we set about turning our perfect mental picture into a physical reality. From here, whether we become a kata lover or loather largely depends on our perception.

Perfection Is Impossible

The goal of kata is perfection and while we see this in our mind, the downside is that perfection is impossible. We can always be better technically – faster, stronger, more fluent – making perfection a pipedream.

Let’s examine the first side-kick technique in kata, Kanku-dai.

Demonstration of the side kick in Kanku-Dai

• The foot must come up to knee then extend out (not below the knee, not above).
• Next it must travel in a straight line (not curve up) to the point of contact where the foot must be shaped correctly (big toe up, blade pointing out).
• Meanwhile, the returning hand must pull tightly back on the floating ribs (not too high or low) and the other arm parallel to the kicking leg.
• After kicking, the foot must come back into a straight line (not collapse down) before moving into a back leaning stance (weight two thirds back, feet perpendicular, knees bent, hands)…

One could write an essay on this one count alone; this is a highly summarised version. And I was only covering one count in the Kata.

Any deviation from this (in any of the areas) and we have made a mistake. In a tournament, a judge might take off 0.1. Now try doing that at explosive speed, where you are pushing your limits. And then the fact you may have to do it in a tournament, in front of everyone, or a grading where your performance is determining whether you grade or not. Ouch!

For Some, Frustration Builds

Are we sadists? What person aims for perfection knowing it to be impossible? What person starts on a journey that can never be finished?

Despite perfection being a pipedream, our instructors still push us toward it and we are always judged in comparison to it. So as years pass and we progress consistently, each session we are still told, “No”. This constant reminder that we are not perfect, and constant focus on kata’s mockery leads to frustration and is the underlying factor behind kata loathers.

In addition, this mockery can cause havoc on the self-esteem with many regularly talking their ability down, “I’m no good at kata”, “I will never be good at kata”.

Perception Is Reality 

Cue the kata lover. Still far from perfect, still constantly mocked, still pursuing a pipedream, yet sporting a different perspective. These are people who embrace that perfection is unattainable, and find joy and satisfaction by chipping away at their flaws and improving inch by inch.

There is an old adage, ‘Our perception creates our reality’. Take two students who are both told that five or six things need work. One student focuses on the fact that they are still flawed, which leads to frustration and a ‘why bother’ attitude. The other finds joy in making a small number of errors. Think back to school, many of us were delighted to achieve 80% in an exam. Similarly, 5-6 errors in a kata with over 35 moves means about 80% was good. But we don’t focus on this; we focus on the parts we got wrong.

You might argue this is because it is the same test every time. True but it’s a test where 100% is impossible – especially when you’re pushing your limits. This second student also finds the 5-6 points as constructive feedback – even if they have heard it before – in their quest for improvement.

The keyword here is ‘improvement’. Kata lovers focus on this word while those who become frustrated focus on unattainable perfection.

Perfection Is Nothing More Than Enticement 

So while kata mocks without prejudice, those who focus on this and take it personally, those who become increasingly frustrated with their inability to make a physical reality of their mental picture will be those who are worn down by kata. Alternatively, those who perceive kata to be a journey, a destination that cannot be reached but one that simply exists to entice you to continuously work on your technique and make small incremental improvements will be those who enjoy it and flourish.

So don’t be bogged down by an impossible mission of perfection. Why would you even want to be perfect, what then would you have to work on?

By Sensei Nik Jones

Further Reading:

• Expert Tips for Perseverance 
• 10 Signs You May be a Perfectionist
• What is Perfection

The post Kata: Our Perception Of Perfection appeared first on GKR Karate.

Have you heard the expression, “dance like no one is watching”? The idea behind this phrase is to express yourself without fear of opinion or judgement, to live with a true sense of freedom.

I’ve often thought of karate in a similar sense, whether it is performing kata, trying out new things in kumite, or even competing in a tournament. Many students avoid things they don’t feel they’re good at through fear of judgement. There is also the flip side to this argument, to ‘train like everyone is watching’, with a sense of being watched or evaluated, where the objective is to either impress or improve.

Both these concepts serve a purpose in every student’s training. For example, everybody has their ‘favourite’ spot to stand in class. Many students shy away from the front lines, preferring the back line so they can feel comfortable, hidden away.

Karate is a tough thing to do. It’s an arena of constant assessments and things to improve. The lists are never-ending and the pursuit for perfection infinite. We all work hard for that one little improvement that allows the next grade, making something a little easier to do, one section of a kata to feel smoother, to be that microsecond quicker in kumite etc. It’s a crazy, yet insanely rewarding path we walk.

It is with this in mind I say, “train like everyone is watching.” Let’s face it, no one wants to look silly doing anything in life, and karate can definitely make us all seem very ‘human’ at times. However, embracing that fear can actually allow us to shine.

Training on autopilot

You see, people are so very talented when it comes to operating on autopilot. We can cook, clean, train, read, talk, even drive a car with our mind elsewhere. And as talented as our autopilot is, it also holds us back from progress because it divides our focus.

Most people would agree to have trained on autopilot. But let me ask you, does your mind wander as often during a grading? Unlikely! This is because you know people are watching, that your actions are being assessed, so you force your mind to stay in the game to avoid silly errors. This ongoing focus keeps us mistake free and we pass our grading (touch wood).

Very often, however, a student spends an extra few months on their current grade all because of a few poor habits. And the question begs, what brought about these poor habits? Training on autopilot! We all know the value of focus yet struggle to keep it during class because we’re so akin to using our autopilot. But when we’re being watched, it becomes natural to keep our mind on the job, so why not use this to your advantage?

All eyes on me

If you line up at your next class with the attitude of “I’m constantly being watched”, it will help keep the ‘autopilot’ off and maintain your focus in the moment. Training like this will force you to do your best all the time. And let’s be honest, isn’t that what we truly seek, to be the best WE can be?

An unexpected benefit of this this is that other students will notice and lift their intensity and focus. Beyond this, your Instructors will also start noticing all the great things you do in class.

It’s a fearless way of training that always brings out your best. Our best is what we want. Let’s face it if you had a blank cheque, then walked into the car dealer and they gave you the option, standard model, or top of the range model, which would you take? The top of the range of course! The best you is the fearless you, the one that says “look at me, I want to get better.” To find this person, train like everyone is watching.

Related articles:

• Performing Your Best Kata When it Counts
• Expert Tips for Perseverance
• Your autopilot mode is real at New Scientist

The post Train Like Everyone is Watching appeared first on GKR Karate.

When people think of karate’s weapons, three things usually come to mind; punches, blocks, and kicks. One thing that rarely comes to mind on the topic of weapons is ‘stances’. Stances are something every student learns in their first class, and continues to practise in every class thereafter. But why are stances important, and what relevance do they have to our karate journey?

Why Stances Are So Important 

Stances are the support system for karate’s entire combat repertoire. Whether we are blocking, striking, kicking or grappling, any technique will suffer without a co-existing quality stance.

When a large attacker is trying to grab, push or pull us around, a quality stance will provide balance and support, enabling us to strike our way to freedom, while a poor stance will see us overwhelmed. When a large attacker is intending on striking us, a quality stance will enable us to move and evade, or block and counter-strike, while a poor stance will again see us overwhelmed.

Or in those moments where you have an opportunity to launch a pre-emptive strike, a quality stance will add balance, power and reach whereas a poor stance will find our techniques largely ineffective.

The Stance Test 

Think of stances like the foundations of a building. Any building is only as strong as the foundations it’s built on. If the foundations are weak, it will fall down, no matter how strong the building is. Karate techniques work exactly the same, as any upper body technique will only be as strong as the stance that supports it.

Try the following quick exercise. Stand in front of a wall at a distance of slightly less than one arm’s length. With both feet in a ready stance, push against the wall. You’ll find yourself propelled backward and will have to step back to prevent stumbling backward. Now try the same exercise in a Zenkutsu-Dachi (long forward stance). What is the result now? You’re able to keep your balance and now be able to push back against the wall. You have now discovered the strength in stance-work.

Stances Are Not Just About The Legs 

The most common misconception people have with stances is they believe them to be all about waist-to-toe. Stances are in fact a head-to-toe process.

Take a long forward stance for example; if you just tense up the legs without tensing the body, and someone pushed on your shoulders, you would still fall over. To create a rock solid platform, at the moment the stance lands, the entire body must be in the correct position and tense up. The hips and shoulders must remain upright not only as you stand still but also when you move forward and back. Don’t allow your body to lean forward, backward or side to side as it not only adjusts your balance and weakens your stances, but also prevents the legs from working properly.

Treat stances like any other technique and only tense at the end to lock them into place – then relax immediately.

The Five Areas Of Stances 

There are five areas we need to focus on when working with stances: feet, length, width, depth, and posture.

Feet: Check your feet. Are they turned into the correct positions? And are they entirely flat on the ground creating as much surface area as possible?
Length: Check the length. Is it the required distance? Sometimes taller people must go slightly longer (for example, along forwarding stance 2.5 shoulder widths long instead of 2).
Width: Check the width. Are your feet the correct distance apart for the stance?
Depth: Check the depth. Are the knees and legs in the right positions, and is your body at the correct height?
Posture: Check your posture. Is your back straight, pushing through the hips?

Our stances also offer hidden secrets. Take Sumo stance for example, this is designed for close quarter grappling in self-defence. But there are also many other benefits. It reminds us of the importance of getting low (the lower your centre of gravity the more stable you are), serves to strengthen our legs for other stances and for kicks and builds stamina in the leg muscles. You also gain flexibility as you work to perfect this stance.

Having a good understanding and appreciation for stances will enhance our overall karate. Whether you want to have strong basics, strong kata or strong kumite, it won’t happen unless you have strong stance-work because stances are the foundation for our fundamentals.

Related articles:

• Kumite: More than Sport
• Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai
• Training for World Class Kata

The post Stances: The Fundamental Foundation appeared first on GKR Karate.

Real Life Confrontation: Self Defence Beyond Technique

While we train in karate for a number of reasons, for most people who start in karate, self-defense ranks high on the priority list. It is no secret that the world is becoming a more violent place and there is an increasing need for people of all ages to start some sort of martial art. Statistics show that the circumstances people get into that require their karate skills can commonly vary quite dramatically between the sexes. The following are some pointers in relation to self-defense for both men and women and those statistically common scenarios.

Attacks On Women 

The primary reasons for attacks on women are robbery or intent to commit sexual assault.

Let us look at a couple of case scenarios…..

The Surprise Robbery

In the case of robbery, some women have their bag or purse snatched by an attacker coming from behind. The goal is to make a quick snatch and run, but often, should the attacker not get a free release of the bag, a punch will be thrown to stop the victim resisting. This is very dangerous for a woman as all of her focus will usually be on the ‘holding on’ of her bag, so a punch will catch her completely by surprise.

A woman trained in karate should hopefully have the awareness to strike first in this situation. Should she find herself in a tug-of-war for her bag, her first instinct may be to resist him snatching the bag away; her second, instantaneous instinct should be to stop him pulling by a quick kick to the groin or shins.

The Confronted Robbery

The second most common robbery consists of the attacker trying to quietly and conspicuously face his victim and threatening her with something like “hand over the bag or else”. In this situation, the attacker is most likely afraid himself and does not desire to hurt her. However, a woman should not lower her defenses.

The best defense is to scream out the words “fire” or “No” very loudly and be ready to throw a quick low-level kick should he come closer.

Sexual Assault

The most common attacks on women are various grabs from behind. This allows the attacker to come in with the element of surprise and to drag his potential victim away. Amazingly, when it comes to rape, teenagers are at the most risk, with 61% of all rape victims under 18 years old. The most common profile of an abductee is approximately an 11 year old girl, who is described as a “low risk”, “normal kid” from a middle-class neighborhood with a stable family.  So it is never too young an age to educate girls on the need for self-defense.

As women are most often attacked from behind with grabs, the self-defense techniques women should aim at becoming most competent with are backward attacks. A back kick to the shin, knee, legs or groin. A backward hammer fist or knife hand strike backward to the groin. A backward elbow strike to the stomach. While a back kick is not the fastest scoring technique in sparring (eg a spinning or stepping back kick), it is good practice for women to be using these techniques in sparring for the purpose of self-defense.

The best self-defense for any woman is the following philosophy “Prevention is better than cure”.

In a survey of real-life criminals who attacked or robbed women, the following points were discovered.

1. Criminals are afraid and have their heart pounding before an attack. Primarily this is through fear of being caught.
2. Criminals assess potential victims, always looking for a ‘safe victim’. This is one who will remain quiet and non – confronting. Their primary goal is to win through intimidation. In looking out for safe victims, they prefer women who: Are alone, are walking slowly (the slower the walk the easier the target), who appear to be day-dreaming (hence the element of surprise and shock which causes them to freeze and stay quiet), are wearing headphones, show a poor grip on their bags,  appear tired or who walk with their head down.

The study also found that criminals will tend to avoid a woman purely because she appears to be confident or aware of her surroundings.

The other self-defense tool every woman should know is her voice box. As all criminals look for ‘safe victims’ through fear of being caught, any loud noise may send them running. Practising a Kiai when training in karate is terrific for this, but it is not just to scare away a potential attacker. The Kiai (or any yell) has two other important functions.

1. It breaks you free of any hesitation or shock you might be feeling and turns you into an instant state of awareness and readiness. Not to mention it gets the adrenaline pumping.
2. It brings you back into your karate state of mind. When you yell and jump into a fighting stance, your mind will become instantly clear as to what it must now do.

When it comes to yelling, the two best things to yell are

1. “Fire”. This has two functions. Firstly, and sadly, it has been proven that the word “Help” has little effect. ‘Help’ has many possibilities and out of fear of being involved in something out of their depth, people hesitate when they hear the word.

However, “Fire”, everyone knows how to handle a fire, people instantly come running. Finally, the word “Fire” may confuse an attacker because he may think, “What fire?” 

2. “No”. The benefits of this are twofold. Firstly, it tells a fearful attacker that you are not an easy victim. It puts the word ‘no’ in their mind and may help them weigh up the decision whether to continue or not. Secondly, “No’ is an affirmation, it says to yourself that you will not be a victim, that you will not freeze, that you will not be taken lightly.

Attacks On Men  

Men are occasionally attacked by surprise. However, due to their strength and size, it is most often preceded with a strike as opposed to a grab.

Again, unfortunately, due to their strength, it may often be with an object such as a bottle or bat. For this reason, it is vitally important that men out be constantly aware of their surroundings. Walking while daydreaming or appearing as an easy victim can potentially be very dangerous.  Most frequently, however, men are faced with a violent situation in the form of a “Fight”.

The reason is that men who attack women do so primarily to either carry out robbery or sexual assault. While in the case of a man attacking another man, it could be for robbery (most often the victims are teenage boys robbed by other teenage boys), but primarily it is over pride (ego), vanity or momentary loss of control (especially when alcohol is involved).  Many men (or boys) actively seek to provoke another man into a fight so that they may beat them to either build their lack of self-esteem or impress others with low self-esteem.

Due to this, the most common way that a man is attacked is by a hook punch or straight punch. Male victims often have one advantage over their female counterparts in that they have an opportunity to talk to their attacker beforehand. Yet too often, due to poor communication or a lack of control over their emotions, the result ends in a fight.

In a survey of bouncers, prison guards and police officers on the topic of ‘how should one handle the possibility of a violent situation’ the point was made that there is no way to actually win a fight. The three most logical outcomes will either be:

1. You go to the emergency room or worse.
2. You end up spending the night with the police explaining why you beat up on somebody. To which you can guarantee the other will give a complete opposite account of events.
3. Legal fees and court appearances.

Despite the fact that most people will be aware of this, most men who are confronted by an attacker (with a low self-esteem) will end up engaging in a fight because they found their own ego was challenged.

Karate-ka have an advantage in this situation as they are more likely to feel secure within themselves and therefore feel they have nothing to prove. Their lack of ego will see them through. So the best and only way to win a fight is to avoid one.

Here is how to best avoid a fight:

Rule # 1 Do not show fear or denial of the potential attacker’s intent.  

As most men fight to build their low self – esteem, they look for safe victims (people who they feel they can easily beat). A display of fear or denial on your behalf is a cue for the aggressor to continue because he will feel you are a safe victim.

Rule # 2 Never insult or challenge the potential attacker. 

His challenges are a clear display of his potential intent. However, his intent has not yet moved into action because he is still uncertain that you are a safe enough victim. Yet if you feel your ego take control and start to insult or challenge back, they will feel it necessary to attack you even if they feel you are an unsafe victim because you have damaged their pride. Furthermore, if you insult them back; for example, “Ok tough guy, bring it on” your legal case for self-defense has just been totally dissolved.

If instead, you hold up your hands and shout “I don’t want to fight” you avoiding insulting him and also, should he attack, establishing that he is the aggressor.

Rule # 3 Give the potential attacker an honourable exit if possible. 

Remember a potential attacker’s goal is to build their self-esteem by beating up on a safe victim. By not showing fear or denial you are showing them that you are not a safe victim. By refraining from insulting or challenging him back, you are protecting his self-image thus giving him no reason to fight.

The final step, if you can, is to give them a chance to exit having already won without throwing a punch. Do this and they will most likely take the opportunity to exit as they will have achieved their goal of ‘machoism’.  This at times may be hard to do, but simply by saying “I have no intention of fighting you, so you win” just may be enough.

The post Real Life Confrontation: Self Defence Beyond Technique appeared first on GKR Karate.

Kumite: More than Sport

I hope this article speaks volumes to you and succeeds in opening your mind to something bigger than the dojo or tournaments. Regardless of our prowess in kumite, always keep in mind the first aim and purpose of karate is self-defence. This is an important mindset to adopt in your karate.

So for the moment, discard your concept of sparring and draw your attention to a hypothetical real-life confrontation. In most cases, it is the attacker who will initiate the first strike. With this in mind, it is the karate-ka who has taken the time to develop a sound defensive ability that would most likely walk away unharmed. They may not rule their dojo and may lack the prestigious tournament accolades, yet they succeeded when it mattered most.

Please do not mistake my intentions here. I am taking nothing away from those people who have worked hard and won tournaments. Nor am I suggesting that people should spend all their kumite time working on defence. You will have no argument from me that attacking is vital and getting in first is often a wise move – especially in situations involving multiple attackers. Ultimately that is a judgment call based on the situation at hand.

I deeply care about the well-being of all students and hope that all can grasp the concept that sparring is more than a sport. While it is to be enjoyed, it is imperative that sparring has a sense of realness behind it and that we aim to develop a balanced ability in attack and defence. However, this article was conceived through the observation that most students are far more apt in their attacking. I believe one reason for this is that people tend to gravitate towards those things they are good at and avoid those areas where they struggle. To start with, there is no substitute for practice. You may not be proficient in your defence but as long as you appreciate its relevance, you will commit to its practice.

By sharing some important points on defence, I hope to speed up your process of turning a weak defence into success. For many students, during kumite, their primary objective is to attack and get in first. This results in the development of solid, fluent attacking combinations. Perhaps they have the strongest kumite in their dojo or even go on to win a number of tournaments – fantastic! And, while their blocking and counter-striking abilities are often quite limited, they often disregard this weakness in their sparring…after-all, they are dominating in the dojo and in tournaments anyway. To add to this, there is that old cliché “The best defence is a strong offense”.

Stance Counts

Have you ever forbade yourself from moving backward and insisted to yourself that you will stand your ground and block – only to find yourself retreating each time?

Where this could be a number of reasons, it is often a symptom of a sparring stance too short and too high. Many people have a sparring stance that barely extends one shoulder width and virtually no bend in their knees. This results in a high center of gravity, a widely exposed target area and equally important, has absolutely no strength.

Your subconscious will be aware of this and in the face of an attack, will start to retreat backwards – despite your insistence to stand your ground.

Most good counter-attackers will hold a stance at least one shoulder-width long (or one and a half for taller people who have a higher center of gravity) and have their knees well bent. This creates strength and minimizes your opponent’s target area. You should feel quite strong and stable in your stance. You should feel you can move fast, but equally can be steadfast.

A way to practice this and develop confidence is to stand in sparring stance and have someone try to push you backward. You will, over time, develop the body balance and strength to hold your ground.

Angle Counts 

Another reason people struggle with defence is that they stand too square (front-on) as opposed to standing on a 45 degree angle. This bad habit, often spawned by desire to facilitate an attacking reverse punch, requires correcting for two reasons. Firstly, while the attacking reverse punch may come out more easily, it will have less power than if it were to come from a 45 degree angle as the hips are not contributing to the punch’s power. However, for this topic, let us look at its adverse effects on our defence – both mentally and physically.

Most of the vital areas of the body are found down its middle (from the eyes, nose, jaw, throat, solar plexus, stomach and groin). It is inherent to human nature to be aware of these areas, and when faced with danger, our natural reaction in to turn away or go into a fetal position – two traits that detract from karate spirit and ability.

Physically it is far more difficult to protect an open (square) body than it is to protect one turned off. When our stance is on a 45 degree angle, there is less surface area to cover.

Guard Counts

Every person’s guard during kumite communicates. It either says, “stay away, there is no room for your techniques here” or it says “come on in because I won’t stop you”.  What does your guard communicate?

When an opponent sees targets everywhere, they will have more confidence to attack – and with confidence comes competence. When an opponent cannot seem to find any holes or easily see any targets in your guard they will hesitate and attack with less conviction. Your guard is like your fortress and like any good fortress, it best keeps away attackers by its discouraging appearance.

• Stand on a 45 degree angle.
• Hold your front hand higher (around throat height) making it easier to protect your head or attack with a lunge punch.
• Hold your back hand lower (around solar plexus height) making it easier to both protect your body and launch a reverse punch.
• Keep your hands out from your body. This gives you more time to block, enables you to meet an attacking limb further out from your body (where it has less power) and gives your opponent less visible targets.

Reading Your Opponent

Another reason many have a lack lustre defence is due to the old adage that ‘action is faster than reaction’. Because this is very true, and most realize it in sparring, they opt to attack whenever possible. When it comes to sparring, the fatal flaw to this theory is that to the careful observer, the first action is rarely an attack. Actually, most people’s first action is to move into an attacking position before launching their onslaught. For example, a split second before punching they might bring their hand in towards their body, or lower their stance, or suck in a deep breath etc. This split second is the time required for you to react to their attack.

When sparring, become a careful observer to those you are sparring. Try to read their body language and look for signals that they are about to pounce.

The Open Fortress 

Most people believe in sparring that the attacker has the advantage. Perhaps it stems from the previous point. However, once you have developed good reflexes and fluent blocks, it is actually the opposite. Think about it…there you both stand with a good guard, poised and ready to throw a powerful punch from your strong stance. Like a game of chess, you both analyse the situation and look for openings. Patience is paramount. One suddenly launches into a lunge punch. Now let’s freeze it there. Here we find one person waiting patiently with their guard (fortress) still in with its walls secure. Front hand ready to block and reverse hand ready to land a powerful blow. Now let’s examine our attacker mid- flight. To attack they must risk opening up their fortress. Their front hand is out (with a punch) but leaving the soft lower ribs vulnerable. What happens next? To the well-practiced defender, it presents an opportunity to deliver a punch to an open fortress. Their front hand defends the oncoming attack and they make the most of the opportunity presented.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

Related Articles

Preparing For A Major Tournament
Returning To Karate Training After A Break

The post Kumite: More than Sport appeared first on GKR Karate.

Improving your Style of Kumite

GKR practitioner’s come in many shapes and sizes. Some pick up sparring like a duck to water while to many others it is something that starts out feeling very unnatural. Learning techniques is one thing, but successfully putting them into practice in a semi-realistic situation or developing a successful strategy to do so is another.

Because of this, many people may feel lost when it comes to sparring; even more so when their role models may be much bigger and stronger than they are making it almost impossible to emulate them. You may ask questions such as, “Is there a correct approach or method of sparring that we all should use?” “Do we try to emulate our instructor? Or Kancho Sullivan?”

The answer to these questions are ‘yes’ and ‘no’. I do believe that on many levels we should model the style of kumite that we see our instructors perform. I also believe that there are basic kumite philosophies that Go-Kan-Ryu and many other traditional styles promote that should be taken on board by a student who is trying to develop their kumite. It is, for this reason, we are taught similar techniques in class – similar attacks, counter-attacks, footwork drills etc.

In the end, however, there is no correct approach or method of sparring that a practitioner should adopt. The reality is that kumite is a form of self-expression. One key reason that there is no one style of kumite is that there is no one style of the practitioner. Some are tall, others are small, some are flexible, and others are not. Some people are physically strong and heavy while others may lack real strength and are light by comparison. Because of this, what may work for one person may be ineffective for another.

Becoming Multi-styled 

A philosophy many martial artists take on board is that not only are there different styles of kumite for different people, but there should also be different styles for one person.

It has been said many times in martial art circles that ‘a light wind can push grass around, but against an oak tree it has no effect at all. The oak stands strong and proud. Yet a strong wind can uproot the oak tree, but even the strongest winds cannot uproot the grass which just moves to and fro in its force’. The key is that a karate-ka at times must be like grass and other times like the oak. Too often, however, a karate-ka takes on board one style of kumite and refuses to adopt new styles. Bruce Lee spoke of the dangers of this when he said, “When a person is bound by a set pattern of ideas or way of doing something, they stop growing”.  Kancho Sullivan shares this philosophy. and states “We as people never stagnate, we are always going forwards or backward. Even if we think we are stagnating, the fact that others around us are moving forward has the same effect, we end up behind”.

First Things First 

While it is important to adopt a number of styles for our own kumite, it is essential that one first adopts their own ‘one’ style. Only after a person has a style they feel comfortable with, can they become confident in kumite and then start to expand their horizons.

Now when it’s said that you must adapt your own style, it does not mean you need to invent techniques or new and interesting stances. It just means you need to adapt your strategies for kumite. It also means you need to look at yourself and find your strengths and bring them into the forefront of your Kumite while understanding your weaknesses and keeping these to the back. This is why we said earlier that first establish one style to gain confidence, then you can expand your horizons. An example of this can be found one of our students many years ago. Her name was Cindy and she was 17 years old. Constantly taking on grown men in the class (who often were twice her weight) it was understandable she was always uncomfortable sparring and often asked them to go very easy on her. We established she was very good with her right hand, when it came to both blocking and punching, but her left hand was light years behind. Cindy began to work sparring with her right foot forward so her right hand could be at the front to block. We had her work on blocking only to develop confidence in her defences. Then later we added counter-attacking, but with the same arm. She became very proficient in blocking and countering with her right arm only. She was light and quick and could get in and out before the bigger men could reply to her counter. This style of kumite limited her as a martial artist but built her confidence to get in a spar freely. Once she became confident with this we started adding a left counter punch and attacking more. In the end she became confident and could spar with either foot forward, and freely attack or counter attack. Because of her small size however, regardless of which style she adopted at the time, she was always like grass, constantly moving around and using her speed to get in and out.

‘Kantan Na Mono Yoku Sho O Seisu’  

Where we have said that people’s approach to kumite may, and should, differ, the techniques people use should basically be the same. That is, a punch or kick has good form and comes from a good stance. A karate-ka spends many hours going over the basic techniques so that they become embedded in the subconscious. When this happens, during kumite a person can concentrate on what they will do and the how takes care of itself.

This does not mean that a person should use all the techniques they practice; it just means that what they use should follow that which they are taught. When one is looking for their strengths and weaknesses, it is here that they can decipher which techniques they will mostly use. There is a Japanese karate saying which is ‘Kantan na mono yoku sho o seisu’ which means “the difference between victory and defeat hangs on simple matters”. This tells us that in a real life situation, or in kumite is not how many techniques we know that will see us through, but developing excellent timing, distance and focus in the few techniques we do perform.

Bruce Lee once wrote on such a topic; “A few simple techniques, well presented, with an aim clearly seen, are better than a tangled maze of data whirling in disorganized educational chaos”. “It is not a matter of daily increase, but daily decrease. Hack away the unessential”. “To get better don’t complicate things, improvement is often as simple as to simplify”.

So we understand that there is no real style or method of kumite that a person who practises Go-Kan-Ryu should follow. All are free to develop what works best for them. Some will be strong attackers, while others may counter or pick their opponents off. Some will use many punches, others many kicks, while others will use just one single, powerful punch. Some will stand strong, others will move and be light-footed. Whatever style one chooses, there are basic philosophies towards kumite that anyone can benefit from.

The post Improving your Style of Kumite appeared first on GKR Karate.

Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai

While kata is regarded as the ‘art form’ of karate, the original premise behind all kata is self-defense. Behind each technique lies multiple hidden self-defense application/s. The application of the techniques within kata is known as ‘Bunkai’.

Often, when studying or practicing Bunkai, students try to emulate or resemble the kata as close as possible. In other words, they try to achieve the means without compromising the kata – maintaining formal stances, perfect posture etc. The reason many emulate kata to this degree of detail when practising Bunkai, is due to the way they see the development of Kata. A case of the chicken before the egg; students often see the Kata being the original concept (the egg). They see a kata first being developed and only later, after studying the Kata in detail, could a self-defence meaning be unearthed. While this is true in some sense, people who see the Kata as the egg will tend to show the Kata clearly in Bunkai.

“Kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form. And while it is two things, they do not have to resemble one another.”

This is not how bunkai is intended to be. One must note that kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form, and while it is two things they do not have to resemble one another. The actuality is this; the self-defence technique was the egg. The karate forefathers had been training in karate for years before introducing their own kata. Over the years they learnt many self-defence techniques, and in that time developed techniques they swore by and may have even used in self-defence. As the years passed they would formulate a kata based on capturing their fighting philosophies. This is why kata can be seen as a study of history and people.

Lets take a few case studies. Sokon ‘Bushi’ Matsumura is regarded as the first person in Okinawa to teach kata Bassai-Dai. He was the Chief bodyguard to the King and responsible for training the King’s guards. Spending time in Royal grounds, the most likely time he or his men would ever need self-defense was when the town’s people would riot. Now let us examine the techniques of Bassai-dai. It involves fast techniques with quick changes in direction (as if negotiating a rioting crowd). The kata, therefore, illustrates his fighting philosophies. To study a kata developed by Chojun Miyagi (founder of Goju Ryu), one can get a look into this famous master’s fighting style and favoured techniques. Even to study Kancho Sullivan’s two original kata, you can clearly see Kancho’s fighting style come out, in other words, the techniques he would be most confident with in self-defence.

Meeting Kata Criteria

The question many ask is, did these masters intend the bunkai to look exactly like the kata? The answer is no. Remember, the kata is not the egg, the technique is. So if a self-defence technique was to be put into kata it had to meet the criteria for a kata. Kata has formalised stances, formalised hand positioning, perfect posture and clean angles (0, 45, 90 degrees etc). So the techniques had to be modified to fit. What’s more, kata is ultimately an art form, so techniques were changed again in their timing. This tells us by the time a self-defence technique made its way into a kata it no longer resembled its original shape.

“Bunkai takes from kata but need not be kata.”

So why would they do this? Why would they not simply stick to teaching self-defence techniques as they were? In many cases self-defence techniques are taught separately – as they can be done. But when it comes to those in kata, there are numerous reasons.

Firstly, the self-defence applications in kata were made abstract purposefully to hide their true meanings. It was unacceptable to teach a novice lethal techniques before they had revealed pure motives for learning. While they learned basic fighting skills in ‘basic training’, the more lethal techniques hidden in kata were only revealed as they developed their true understanding of karate.

Secondly, one aim of karate was self- mastery. With no formalised structure (eg the front knee placed directly over the foot in long forward stance) there would be no way of charting ones progress. By having formalised kata, it was easy to gauge how successfully a practitioner was mastering control over their body.

Thirdly, many of the postures (such as deep stances) in kata were designed for physical conditioning. To be capable of defending one’s self, knowledge only goes so far as the body itself had to be forged into a weapon. It is interesting to note when studying the Japanese symbol for Kata, that the upper part of the symbol ‘Kei’ means punishment. This symbol sits over another symbol, ‘Doh’ meaning earth or soil. Combined, it roughly translates to strictly imposed, physical punishment taking place outside on the ground.

All this backs up the earlier statement, that while kata is both a method of self-defence AND an art form, these two things do not have to resemble one another. Understanding that kata is the end-result of a self-defence technique, we come to realise the kata can and should be compromised to make Bunkai more effective. Just as self-defence is not so apparent in a kata, kata should not be so apparent in a Bunkai application.

Bunkai Training Involves Compromise 

The conditions go unchanged in kata, yet in real life, very few opponents will stand in their forward stance with their arm outstretched awaiting your next move. This implies compromise has to be made.

Be Distance Adaptable 

Many times you’ll discover in your Bunkai training that you are too far away or too close to execute a fully effective technique. Distance is one of the most important factors in self- defence, thus where distance is out, you should always be willing and ready to correct it. When too far, take an extra step in, add a kick on the way in or even try pulling your opponent inwards. When you are too close for your desired technique to be effective, you may have to change a hand strike to an elbow technique, push them back to create the room or even shove them with your body if very close.

Be Target Adaptable

A kata might depict a body level punch, but you may find in class that your bunkai partner’s arm is in the way of your target. Adaptability is also a key factor in self-defense and where a target is covered; always be willing and ready to change techniques. In such an instance you might deliver your punch to the face or opt for a knife hand strike to the temple.

Be Ready To Add Techniques

A kata may depict a single hand or foot technique. Likely, the kata suggests that you put 100% commitment behind that technique to completely disable your opponent. In life however, there’s always something that may go wrong. You may hit the stomach instead of the solar plexus, the forehead instead of the nose; you may have poor distance rendering the technique weaker etc. Another key factor of self-defence is what the Japanese call ‘Zanshin’ (a continued state of awareness). The aim of bunkai training is self-defence effectiveness, so any time you feel your technique may not have met success, be ready to add techniques. Always be sure you and your partner are careful and aware that extra techniques may come if completely necessary.

Forget The Rules Of Kumite 

When people practise bunkai, they often subconsciously lean their techniques towards the rules of kumite. Don’t be afraid to make a front kick to the stomach a groin kick, or a body punch a throat punch. In any such instance BE VERY CAREFUL, you do not wish to injure your training partner.

Forget Formalised Stances 

While the Kata may involve ‘Sanchin’ or ‘Zenkutsu’ stances, the Bunkai being self-defense orientated need not have perfect stances. In Bunkai training, your stance guide should generally be your distance. If you are close, a shorter fighting stance is ideal, if you are further away, pressing in with a regular fighting stance is ideal. Where you are side on, a relaxed horse or sumo stance can be applied. Whatever the case, the focus is on effectiveness, not Kata. But remember, while your stances need not be formal, a deep- grounded stance is the base of a powerful strike.

Forget Formalised Posture And Hands

During kata, our posture is always straight. In part because good posture is in alignment with good health, and the better the posture the more powerful the technique. That said, there may be times in bunkai training where it is necessary to lean forward in a punch to gain more reach or duck a potential oncoming attack. Furthermore, where kata sees our returning hand come back to the hip, you may feel more secure keeping your returning hand in front of your body or jaw as protection.

The final note is that bunkai takes from kata but need not be kata. Your focus in bunkai should be different to kata. A kata focus is on successfully mastering your body – hence the need to strictly adhere to the formal path laid out. Bunkai’s focus, on the other hand, is on successfully mastering your opponent – hence the need to be adaptable to the path laid out.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

The post Understanding Kata And Its Relationship To Bunkai appeared first on GKR Karate.

Why Kata is an Integral Part of Karate

There are numerous reasons why kata is such an integral part of karate, Shihan Anthony Ryan explains them below:

1. Kata Is the Art Form of Karate 

Without kata, most styles would be virtually the same – a series of punching and kicking techniques. Kata represents the ‘art’ or ‘culture’ of a style providing a direct link to the past by studying the techniques and principles practiced by karate’s forefathers. By observing a style’s Kata, one can also gain insight into some of a style’s philosophies and, as a student practicing kata, become a moving breathing example of the art itself. In this way, kata almost becomes the signature of an art.

Perhaps the reason kata is associated with karate’s art form is because it is a work of art. While there is no clay to mold, the practitioner is the clay, and their endeavor is to master their body and mold themselves into an incredibly moving sculpture. This may sound over the top but is not far from the truth. Kata is an art that when mastered can appear deadly, yet beautiful. It can appear powerful, yet soft; explosive, yet flowing. When Kata is not mastered, it appears nothing like art and no more than a sequence of abstract fighting techniques or calisthenic exercises.

When Kata is performed properly, like any piece of art, you can see the heart of the person performing it. Like any piece of art, you can see the emotion yet equally, self-control over this emotion. When it is not performed properly it appears empty or over-emotional. When Kata is performed properly, the practitioner appears to be fighting an imaginary opponent. It appears powerful but effortless. When it is not, the practitioner appears to be fighting their own body, their own energies.

This is made apparent when a person is completely worn out after performing just one kata with intensity.

Many warriors throughout the history of the world fascinated themselves with art. For example, it was expected that the great warriors in Spain would also be expert dancers (ballroom dancers). This showed they were masters of their craft, men with culture and finesse, not just ‘men who bore arms’. Many tribal warriors throughout the world not only engaged in dances the evening before the battle, but painted beautiful works of art on their skin beforehand. And most notably, the famous Samurai warriors of Japan often practiced calligraphy for hours on end trying to perfect their technique.

Having art is integral to any martial art for it acts to restore balance. Training in a fighting art generates aggressive qualities (essential for self-defence). However, developing these qualities without balance leads to an aggressive nature.

When we again look back into history, the warriors of Spain and Japan were also famous for being loving fathers and husbands. The art and culture that was endorsed to them helped them to keep balance. While their fighting art trained them to be fierce warriors, the arts helped them maintain self-control and inner harmony. This meant they were also cunning and emotion-controlled warriors, but away from a battle, could be highly respected and noble citizens.

The warriors of other countries who often painted their faces and bodies and danced before battle were also noted as having loving qualities. In many respects, the face painting was about creating a mask and symbolised an alter ego being created solely for battle. This way they could be two people, a warrior and a citizen, but both were different people so one did not disrupt the life of the other.

In comparison, countries throughout history whose warriors trained in fighting arts without any promotion of art or culture often struggled to keep balance, unable to separate the warrior from the man. Away from battle, warriors would often take women against their will, were rude and obnoxious and often misused their skills. They also failed to fit into society, something many war veterans feel from the more modern wars.

2. Kata Teaches Self-Defence

As well as an art form, Kata is also a form of self-defence training. Commonly described as a fight scene against imaginary attackers, each technique or combination of techniques within a kata has a Bunkai (application) based on a self-defence scenario. At times the self-defence applications are easily recognised, while some require slight explanation before becoming apparent.

What has frustrated those unappreciative of kata and led to their labeling it as no more than an art form and an ineffective means of self-defence, is the fact that many kata applications are very abstract, while others required ‘added’ techniques (like a jigsaw) before the technique becomes ‘effective’ and apparent. There are three major influences behind kata having a sense of ‘mystery that needs to be unlocked’.

Firstly, and perhaps the most understandable, is that karate’s forefathers originally created kata with deliberate intention to conceal their self-defence application. This served to prevent casual observers or those who were not serious about learning all things involved with karate (such as the time it takes to develop humility etc) from learning potentially deadly techniques.

The second major influence came in 1901 when Master Yasutsune Itosu introduced karate into the Japanese school system. He believed that kata was too dangerous to be taught to young children so he set about disguising many of the techniques inside.

The third major influence came due to the fact that kata mostly dealt with defence from being grappled and as such, contained numerous highly effective techniques such as eye-gouging, throat grabbing, groin squeezing etc. These techniques were known as entrance techniques. However when karate arrived from Okinawa, the Japanese believed it to be ‘too violent’, therefore resulting in a number of these entrance techniques being removed. Understanding that kata had a number of these entrance techniques removed helps to illuminate the real potential of kata. For example: When studying bunkai, a person will discover that almost all kata have a number of defences against a ‘wrist grab’. Again, some kata critics make a point that it is extremely rare for an attacker to start by grabbing their victim’s wrist.

What must be understood however, is that if our first reaction were an entrance technique (such as the seizing the attacker’s eyes, throat or groin), their likely reaction would be to try and remove your grip (hence grabbing your wrist). From this position it suddenly becomes apparent the advantage of knowing a number of ways to either remove or reverse a wrist grab. Equally, by understanding that the attacker has not just grabbed your wrist for no reason, and that the philosophy is for you to have control, or part control of one of their vital areas, the attacker will have less strength in their arm, making it believable that a weaker person could execute the technique effectively.

By understanding, and even visualizing the Bunkai (application) of the techniques while performing kata, practitioners equip themselves for a self-defence situation by:

• They gain insight into various defenses against numerous situations (defence against both striking and grappling attacks).
• They gain muscle memory of how to move when fighting numerous attackers (such as changing between stances to remain balanced and strong and changing angles).
• It trains a person to execute their techniques with full spirit and Kime. To land their techniques perfectly without fear of hurting their opponent (sparring often fails to endorse this).

Some practitioners proclaim that sparring is modern karate’s best training for self-defence. While it is absolute that sparring is important for self-defence training by developing timing, distance and a familiarity with the mental and physical ramifications of being attacked, all practitioners are limited without kata training. This is because sparring follows a set of rules, a designated distance and rarely involves being grappled or surprised.

3. Kata Promotes Self-mastery 

Is kata entirely essential? A tool for developing self-defence skills and ideologies? Karate’s art, and an historical link to its past? It could be proposed that each of these could be developed by numerous means. Students can, and do learn self-defence during basics, sparring and specific self- defence drills. And the history of karate can be preserved through studying its history. So perhaps the most potent tool that kata equips a student with, is the pursuit of self- mastery. Great emphasis is placed upon the perfection of every aspect of kata, including correct form, breathing, focus, balance and they are designed to perfect the grace, consciousness, and power of the physical self and spirit.

All karate-ka would agree that irrespective of their development, there is always something they need to improve upon, even if only to fine tune every kata they practice. And it is this attitude of self- mastery that is most essential, for without it, all else suffers.

In terms of kata as an art form, any fine artwork is flawless. Consider again that a kata practitioner is like a piece of clay and must mould their kata into an incredible moving sculpture. A practitioner who has no focus towards perfection will never develop a great kata. In terms of self- defence, considering that a self-defence situation can be unpredictable and emotion driven, coming up with highly effective techniques under stress will be difficult for the practitioner who has not developed a focus towards perfection.

Before any technique can be mastered, one must master themselves. Knowing exactly ‘how’ a technique or combination of techniques must be performed can be very different to actually ‘doing’ it. To develop a powerful, well-balanced strike, block or throw, the entire body must work in unison. By practicing kata with the pursuit of perfection, we develop our mind and body connection. Developing this connection is more difficult during basic training as techniques are more often practiced individually while kata involves a series of techniques bound together in a sequential timing.

Getting every movement correct in both timing and technique requires mastery over our entire body, but one cannot master their physical selves until they have mastered their thoughts. Completing an entire kata ‘properly’ so that it is not only representative of the art of Go-Kan-Ryu but also viable as a means of self-defence, requires one to have mastered their thoughts.

A few examples highlighting a lack of self-mastery of the mind are:

Distraction: Being unable to perform a kata beginning to end without being distracted sounds easy but can prove difficult. It often arises when a mistake in technique occurs and the practitioner remains focused on the error rather than mentally moving on.

Nerves: Especially when performing solo, being unable to control one’s nerves causes a person to rush and make vital errors.

Over-effort: Again, especially when performing solo in their attempt to be powerful, a practitioner may put too much effort into techniques. This actually detracts from their power output, slows them down and produces telegraphed movements. It is essential that a student allow the proper technique to provide their power.

Each of the above is not only essential in the unlikely event of a self-defence situation, but in our everyday lives. There will be many times in our lives that the ability to control these emotions and others can pay massive dividends. When we can master our minds, we can master our bodies and our entire world.

Why The Same Kata Can Appear Different?

While most traditional karate styles study a similar kata curriculum, each style will have small differences, its own unique interpretation or method of delivering a technique. Some argue this should never occur and endeavor to find the ‘purest’ form of the Kata so it may be practiced the way it was first intended.

While this would be ideal, original teachings in Okinawa were never written down and many records died with their creators. Furthermore, when some of the top students of the original masters ventured out and taught for themselves – while maintaining the core of the Kata – they made slight adjustments based on their own personal philosophy and educated opinion of a technique.

In the same manner, when their students moved on and taught the same happened again. Even if you visit the top masters in Japan today you will notice that their students will practice kata differently, or associate a different Bunkai (application) to the techniques. Were you to visit Okinawa (the birthplace of karate), you will find the differences even more prevalent.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

The post Why Kata is an Integral Part of Karate appeared first on GKR Karate.

From the title of this article, you may be wondering who or what I am referring to when discussing your ‘greatest teacher’. Whilst I am confident that your personal sensei is someone who you can look up to and learn from, I believe that your greatest teacher is in fact – YOU!

Irrespective of your grade level, there is always much to learn and only a fool could ever claim to have ‘arrived’ at the finish line of karate learning or prowess. Your instructor can give you detailed feedback and regular technical corrections, but it is ultimately YOU who has to embrace and adopt these changes. In effect, your sensei can only give you knowledge – either by telling you or showing you how to perform a technique or kata in a more advanced way. The rest is up to you!

What I am saying is that you have more to do with your karate growth in the future than your sensei does. As an instructor myself, I have had the chance to train many people over the years. The students have pretty much all received the same insights and coaching, but not all have made it to black belt or beyond. Some progress more quickly than others. Some master difficult techniques or applications that others are still struggling with long after.

The politically correct reasoning behind this is that all people are ‘different’. They learn at different speeds and in different ways. This theory may have some truth, but I’m not sure that any of us who aspire to a high karate standard are helped by this built-in justification for slow progress. We all have physical characteristics that could be viewed as a retardant (eg: too short, too stocky, too thin, too old etc), but by far the most debilitating physical/mental characteristics are as follows:

1) Assumed limitations 

Those who say they CAN and those who say they CAN’T are both right! Take note that other people can try and build ceilings over your head but only you can approve the construction! Become a no limits person – but be smart about it, ie: if you’ve started karate later in life, then look after your body before trying to copy the 21-year-old next to you. You have a greater awareness of your body than a younger person. Provided you look after it – it will serve you better than you think.

Question: Are you being held back by any pre-conceived limitations?

2.) Training without purpose – (just going through the motions) 

Practice doesn’t make perfect – perfect practice makes perfect. Train in each class with mind and body. Push yourself physically. Feel your energy dropping, and then feel it returning. Be aware of how the techniques you’re performing could be used in real self-defence. Let your physical exertion empower you mentally. This will give you deeper reserves for life’s challenges.

Question: Are you training with a purpose or just going through the motions, then wondering why you aren’t progressing?

3) Lack of discipline 

Contrary to conventional thinking, discipline usually precedes motivation. Put simply, if you live a disciplined life, you will be extremely motivated and self-empowered. Motivation alone can give you a buzz every now and then, and may even conjure up some positive activity, but without the discipline to back it up, it is never around long enough to give us sustained growth. Nowhere does this principle apply more than to our karate training. Whilst you may enjoy training in karate, there will be times when you just don’t feel like it. Some people wrongly hope that motivation will come and strike them into action. Instead, their ‘Do It Anyway’ reflex (ie: their self-discipline) needs to kick into gear and get them started. As Kancho would say, “The magic is in the first few punches,” meaning, once you get started, the blood flows, endorphins gush around your body, the sweat pours off you and you are in a peak physical state – and motivated to keep going! Self- discipline is the ‘starter-motor’ that generates all of your positive momenta.

Question: Are you living with self – discipline or wrongly waiting for motivation?

4) Lack of training goals

What are you working on right now? Is it your side-kick, your back leaning stance, your Sepai? If you’re not very specific about your training goals (eg: I just want to improve my karate… fluff, fluff, fluff… etc.), then you will not be giving yourself a goal to achieve. After all – how will you know if you’re improving if you have no system for measuring growth?

Question: What goals are you working towards right now? 

These four training ‘hand-brakes’ can afflict any body type or shape, age or gender. As teachers ourselves, we need to embrace these principles in our own training so that we will always have the motivation towards our karate growth.

By Shihan Gavin Samin

The post Your Greatest Teacher – by Shihan Gavin Samin appeared first on GKR Karate.