Killer Miller

Makoto, always think of "knee to the target." Whether if be low or high, the knee always points to your target. As far as knee soreness, you adjust to that in time. You are probably using muscles you haven't used before, and also if you are kicking wrong it will get sore as well. Don't let the foot snap out to the point where it disconnects from the knee eigther. This is another reason why you snap back so the muscles will contract and prevent the knee from disconnecting - so-to-speak. - Killer -

It's a side snap kick. Makoto, with side snap, it's not about power, but speed to apply shock to the target. Critical factors are using hips, like a pendulum action, relaxing your leg below the knee (as in getting ready to snap a towel), the knee is up and moves with the hip, let the foot go out naturally with the leg, and don't think about how fast or hard the foot goes out, but how fast you can bring the foot back to the relaxed coiled position that you started from when the foot reaches the target or focal point. It's exactly like snapping a towel with your hands - no different. - Killer -

AnonymousOne, I studied and trained with the best in the world, and I'm from the Western world. Our standards are of the absolute highest - you will find none better. I've trained youths for many years and they are well capable, with the proper training, attention, and their dedication to achieve the high standards necessary for Black Belt and related techniques and katas. To say that they don't have the muscle mass is rediculous because then you discount and totally misrepresent what karate is all about. Karate is not, and has never been, about muscle mass. It's about technique, breathing timing, stategies, muscle memmory, and above all using your entire body as one - which is far stronger than any single or group of muscles carrying out an action. Furthermore, there are many small and scrawny karate-ka that are very effective and dangerous. - Killer -

I think you have the wrong person... I was on your side. AnonymousOne is the person stating "seventh dan," not I...

AnonymousOne, Bassai Dai is a Brown Belt kata in JKA - even at 13 yrs old. He's fine learning Bassai Dai... In fact, I've personally taught that kata to 13 yr old kids, and they have performed that kata as good, in some cases better, than many adults. JKA harps on perfection of technique early on, so when they reach Brown Belt, they do quite well with these types of katas - even at 13. - Killer -

jka_guyana, from what you are describing, your stances are definately too long. This is always a typical and big error with Bassai Dai. Go slow and generate a stance no longer than two shoulder widths long. With heals flat, your front knee should extend to, but not past the front toe. Do it slow a couple of times, just the phrase you are having trouble with, then do it as fast as you practically can with the only focus mentally being correct stance - forget about everything else for the moment. Do this until it is programmed into muscle memmory. Then do the entire kata. slow and then fast. When you hit another difficult point, break it down and do the same slow/fast process until you get down the entire kata. Note: The easiest way to find your trouble points is to do the kata as fast as you can. Your weak points of your kata will stand out every time when you do your kata at this speed. Then you start with the first weak point, do the slow/fast routine for muscle memmory, move on to the next weak point until the slow and fast tempos of the kata look "exactly" the same with the exception of the speed. The timing of a kata never changes regardless of the speed its done at, just the tempo changes and everything should still look the same! Carefully watch the Kanazawa kata videos and you will see this technique is also well demonstrated. - Killer -

A quick story years ago I forgot about that pertains to this topic. Years ago, when I was a mechanic, there was this cocky, 5'11", 248 lb kid that worked in parts. He caught me in the wrong mood one morning and was always saying stuff like "you think you know karate... you think you're so tough... karate isn't practical..." etc. One morning he came up to me when I just got our of my car and started making karate grunts and rotten knife hands and fake kiais saying Hah, hah. What's your karate going to do against that. With his hands up in knife hads towards me, I lightly nailed him in the solarplexus. He then walked like a penguin going eak... eak... gasping for air. I told him to exhale from his lower diaphragm or it was just goign to get worse. Hi squeaked out, "I can't." I told him if he didn't exhale I was going to nail him in the stomache and make him exhale. Of course he didn't want that and immediately exhaled! Then he was OK. Time went on (which nobody ever messed with me after that...) and we actually became friends. He always talked about wanting to take Karate. I told him to come on down to the dojo. He always said he would, but never showed up. One day, he wanted me to install an axle truss on his 4x4 and wanted to know how much I would charge him. I told him, "If you sign up at the dojo for One Month, and show up for the entire Month, then I would install the axle truss for Free. Now, to make a long story even longer, he actually showed up and signed up at the dojo. I installed his axle truss for him. He actually trained for the full month. After that, he stuck with JKA for many years, achieved his black belt, lost a lot of weight (from 240 lbs to the 178 lbs range), met lots of really great people, learned how to party, became a ladies man (so-to-speak), and best of all he bacame an alternate on the US team. He was a new person and was very grateful of his new life. Years later, he thanked me for turning around his life and remembered the day I nailed him in the solarplexus and forced him to start training in return for installing his axle truss on his truck. My methods are a bit old school, a bit rough and direct at times, but I always mean well with the method to my madness. What does this have to do with this post, this was one of those Buddha Bellies that totally turned their lives around... - Killer -

Instead of asking on tips of how to do it, how about questions as to what parts of the kata you are having trouble with. Then we can correct from there with tips on individual critical points of the kata. We, online, can't give you help if we don't know specifically what parts you are having difficulty with. - Killer -

I had a friend that a budda belly that was a Nidan. He was a very good Nidan and not someone you want to mistake that percetion of. Additionally, my Aikido friend has a budda belly. What's my point, many of these types of persons have generally already had weight problems. By taking martial arts, they lost considerable weight and are in better condition they have ever been in. Once they stop training, they revert back to their old self. So may feel, when they see them that way, that they went on an eating binge when in reality that they really just returned to their own physical state. This may not always be the case, but I've known a few really good MAs where their weight really wasn't a significant factor. They well had my respect... Moral or the story? Don't judge a "budda belly" by it's cover. - Killer -

If you visualize the kata to your vision of realistic application in a fight, then you will know the answer to your question and the true speed... - Killer -

Well said alsey - my point exactly... - Killer -

Misusing the "Yell" as you put it, is not necessary. However, the "yell" (as it is stated) can also be: 1. Showing strong sprit - a good thing. 2. Executing a killing blow with Kiai - a good thing. 3. Giving what the judges are looking for - many times a good thing, but not always if mis-used. - Killer -

Is your TKD taught or originated in Japanese, Korean, etc? Then that is the universal language of the art. If your art, which is think not, originated in English, then English would be the universal language. When we had International camps and and various international training, none of us could understand each other in conversation. However, we all understood and communicated on the dojo floor using the Universal language of the art, which in our case is in Japanese. Wakarimasuka? - Killer - I don't understand what you are saying here. Is my TKD not traditional? Are we not allowed to collaborate together and discuss ideas and concepts?

I still don't agree. When "worlds" get together, the language of the traditional art "is" the commong language... - Killer -

In your world maybe? In our JKA world, it would never be an issue. - Killer -

- Gankaku - Empi - Nijushiho - Unsu No particular order either... - Killer -

Jiffy, I love FPS. Everyone has an area where they just never grow up! - Killer -

Shotokan-kez, There's a few ground surprises (not our focus though), but first you would have to get us on the ground - not as easy as it sounds. Also, I'm sure, again, that lower levels would be the Shotokan practioners that would not do well in that arena. Example: I took Aikido with a close friend - he is a Sandan and is a very good Aikido veteran (good Aikido example). If my Karate guard is down the slightest, he could put me down in a flash...! However, the Nidan's and below (not a good Aikido example) could not budge me to save their lives... They did not know my training background in karate and would even try to bully me just a tad. I knew every body movement they were going to make, even if I knew nothing about Aikido, way, way before they moved. An Aikido-ka comming at a veteran karate-ka with an Oitsuki??! Please... I had them on the ground before they had a clue what hit them. Of course, after a while of torture, they would ask me "do you train another art?" I'd say to them "Um, Kinda..." Also, you would not see advanced, experienced Shotokan practioners in the combat or tourney arena you are referring to. We are just not going to bother with it. However, you do see an occasional lower Shotokan Karate-ka participate and many times gets their tail wipped and gives the art a bad name... They hear about it plenty when they return. - Killer -

Good point CheekyMusician. - Killer -

There are three sides to this perception by others. 1. Most view basic levels of the art as "being the art." Basic levels practice the basic concepts of the art. There's is a lot to learn prior to learning advanced concepts - and there are many advanced concepts to learn past basics (mean black belt and beyond). 2. There is a magic bubble (so-to-speak) you develop in higher levels that is taught. You maintain a general distance that is outside the attacking range so that you can see what they are going to do and have time to appropriately react to it. This is one of the reasons that Shotokan is "perceived" as being linear. However, once moving inside this magic bubble, you ATTACK with all your knowledge. 3. Past basics and at higher levels, many close quarter techniques are learned. Don't be fooled by us in this arena.

I grew up with archery, PAA and other indoor/outdoor formats, and I always wanted to take kyudo just to see what it's all about... It didn't seem that accurate from what little I've seen. - Killer -

Nishiyama use to say, "you learn a Japanese art, you learn it in Japanese." This sounds reasonable to me. Additionally, I really enjoyed being exposed to the Japanese culture - then it became part of me. Also, it wasn't an issue of being forced to learn Japanese, but becoming Japanese in your training. This allowed you to understand the true tone and essence of Karate. Many of you may say, "but its not a Japanese art." I belonged to the JKA (Japan Karate Association), therefore a Japanese art... The Americanization of Karate has done some great things in terms of promoting the art of Karate. But, it has also destroyed the true essence of Karate - what it is, why it is, and how it became Karate. The true essence of Karate is a "way of life," not a sport. To truly understand this, you must become Karate - so-to-speak. This means, train in Japanese, follow the Japanese traditions, and understand how Karate, traditionally (like sumo), is part of the Japanese culture and soul. It's not about whom is better than whom, how many people you can Kill, whom can inflict the most damage. It's Karate, "A Way Of Life." Learn, enjoy, and embrace that alone. Then you will truly learn and understand Karate! - Killer -

I trained years ago with some of Mas Oyama's groups and wasn't that impressed. Not saying that the're not some good ones out there, but looking at the groups overall, and comparing with JKA overall, I would have still gone with JKA. A little slow, tail bones sticking out on technique, focus weak, etc... I even had them gang up on me one night when an assistant instructor was teaching the class...and they were sorry they did so. A few techniques they wern't expecting to see. I'm sure the organization is a great one as a whole. But when I see comparisons as them being the best, I personally haven't seen that demonstrated as being the best and most brutal. - Killer -

I guess I have a different point of view. Each person, especially at high level, performs the kata with a different vision and interpretation. Even if it's the same kata and exact same moves... I don't know your level of expertise, but lower levels may not recognize the different interpretations when the same kata is performed by two different Karate-ka. So every time I see someone perform a kata, like Tanaka, Nakayama, Oishi, Enoeda, Nishiyama, etc., I see a completely different interpretation of the same kata. I look forward to seeing each interpretatiion, each move, each visual of their performance. - Killer -

Heck, I drive two hours to work everyday. What's one hours for good training??? I use to drive 1.5 hours to Central for training. Well worth the drive! - Killer -