Killer Miller

Actually, the standard is "5-way" kicking, left and right sides. 1. Mae geri 2. yoko geri keage 3. yoko geri kekomi 4. mawashi geri 5. ushiro geri Slow tension, then full speed - 5 each both sides. Important to keep supporting leg bent when doing. - Killer Miller -

ESA, The interesting thing about Bunkai is that many think that there is only "one" application to a Kata movement/technique. This is typically, and not always, the truth... Kata application is sole to the interpretation of the performer of the Kata - vision of Kata application. When an instructor teaches Bunkai, it is his/her intrepretation of the Kata. It is also great training for you to explore all of the other applications of a kata movement or technique(s). This is critical to the Kata "performer." - Killer Miller -

I didn't realize you were that old ESA? You must have been really lucky to have trained with Funakoshi, Nakayama, and the others! Let's get a little real here now... I think you are definately twisting things a bit now. Most of whom you refer to taught the same thing - in general. Although, I don't know "any" two instructors that taught exactly the same either - except for when everyone mentioned trained directly under Funakoshi and was not teaching at the time. Any person that teaches has a different focus as to what aspects should be taught at lower and higher levels. But when everyone trains long enough, what you learn is primarily the "same" in the end. Unfortunately, less experienced people that didn't stay for the long haul, quit early before learning everything, thus they form opinions and in many cases start putting arts/persons down. This is not fair and shallow minded at the leat - lacking the big picture... - Killer Miller -

Yeah, Wear it, train in it, until it turns white... Now, that's something to brag and be proud about!!! Don't wash, don't wear out pre-maturely... Congrats on the Shodan. Now you will start learning... - Killer Miller -

Natural, If you don't know it by now, you won't learn it by tournament time... A tournament is not about status, trophies, and how it reflects on your school or instructor, it's about testing yourself as to what you have learned, how hard you've trained, how well your instructor has taught you. When you lose in a tournament, it's not that you've been beaten or lost unjustly, it's that someone has trained harder/better than you did. You should respect your opponent for that and congratulate him/her for their fine competitive edge or performance. It's sounds like you have a lot to learn about what the true meaning of a tournament is. In the old days, a tounament was LIFE or DEATH. Food for thought. - Killer -

I don't get all of the bad mouthing thing. For years and years other groups/styles bad mouth the JKA. We politely invite these people to come and train with us - they rarely do so. When they do, with the exception of a couple, they go home huffin & puffin, sore/bruised, and above all very quiet, head/shoulders down with a lot more respect than when they came in. Usually, no more bad mouthing afterwards. Although, we would typically mend relations with a Beer afterwards and * about MA in general - just to show we're not the jerks everyone thinks we are. - Killer -

I think you are confusing Tournament JKA training instead of true application training. The quick in-an-out is taught by many instructors to the Judges can clearly see that you made a point. Alomg with this concept is a big pull back with the arm, looks more dramatic with the judges. However, with true sparring/defense application and training, the big tournament actions are not necessary - because both are just as effective. With this training, instructors teach more of going THROUGH......your opponent - big tournament actions are not necessary. I don't know if you are Dan ranked yet, but you will get more into higher level concepts when you do. Prior Dan ranks have a tendancy to think that they've seen all there is to see in the art. In reality, you are just starting to learn in Dan ranks and have only learned the basic necessary to truly learn the art. It's a good thing to work and wait for - trust me. - Killer -

Perhaps you should heed your own advice?? Especially when using words like "you" and "completely useless" in responding to my post - which most certainly has the insulting tone that "I" don't have a clue what I'm talking about here. Secondly, as a matter of fact, and if you read the post a little better, I stated "Karate-ka (or equivelent MA)" when referring to whom has this ability. Wouldn't you think that an "equivelent MA" (MA = Martial Artist) would also include other practioners other than just Karate-ka?? Last, I'm curious if you have actually tried this to determine if this training concept is truly as simple as you think it is? I know that the board thing is not much of an achievement - speaking from personal experience of playing around with the concept with my brother (whom takes arts that break boards). Take board in one hand, punch with the other hand, and wa-la, two board pieces are left - not much effort exerted either. I just don't get it... - Killer Miller - Not only is that skill completely useless compared to other training devices(bags etc.), but I find it odd that you imply that only a good karate-ka will be able to do it. I'm sure that anyone can do it given a month or so to practice it. P.S. - Did traditional karateka of old break boards? Just wondering... Insults? I'm not even going to sink to that level. I don't come to this board to have people tell me how shallow my knowledge is. Also, I said "Not only is that skill completely useless compared to other training devices(bags etc.), but I find it odd that you imply that only a good karate-ka will be able to do it. I'm sure that anyone can do it given a month or so to practice it. " but your reply doesn't seem to have much to do with what you are replying to.

Your response would only show your shallowness to the concept. I suggest this for more reasons that what you see in writing here. And yes, it's more difficult than breaking boards. Although, board breaking, IMHO, does not have a lot of value. However, both activities require speed and Kime. If you're developed in these areas, then no need to do either. If you're not, the paper concept is definately more beneficial than breaking boards... - Killer - Not only is that skill completely useless compared to other training devices(bags etc.), but I find it odd that you imply that only a good karate-ka will be able to do it. I'm sure that anyone can do it given a month or so to practice it. P.S. - Did traditional karateka of old break boards? Just wondering...

Instead of breaking boards/things, I prefer other more difficult things to do for development. Try this: 1. Get a piece of thread/string and tie it to a cloths pin. 2. Hang this from the ceiling or doorway with a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper clipped in the cloths pin. 3. Using good speed and kime, reverse punch style, poke a hole through the paper with your index finger - going straigt in that is. Sound easy? To a good Karate-ka (or equivelent MA) using good speed and Kime - no problem. The rest of you, probably never... You can do this, you can most certainly break any board or bone with no problem... - Killer Miller -

Osu is also used as a military style of acknowlegement - as in Yes Sir!!! So in Traditional Japanese Karate training (JKA styles), Osu is used quite frequently instead of Hai... - Killer Miller -

Osu should only be used with Karate buddies and friends. It's primarily used as a Karate thing - in this context. Most respectable Japanese will not admit to knowing what the word is - they prefer it not to be used. Outside of Karate, it should only be used with good friends - American or Japanese... This use would primarily be used for saying good morning as a contraction amongst friends in an informal invironment. I use to work for many years for an extremely large international Japanese company. I have learned many lessons about improper useage of Japanese words. The only thing that saved me was that they were trying to learn English too. So we would all help, scold, and laugh and each others' poor useage of languages... For example, Japanese mis-useage/mis understanding of words: 1. I ask a Japanese where he played golf at over the weekend. He answered "San Saw F###ing" very loudly in front of a busy national headquarters entrance. He was trying to say "San Jaquin." 2. A high ranked Japanese coordinator comes to me upset and says that one of the high rank managers always says to him "You Bad!" After understanding the context of the conversation, I realize that the Japanese coordinator asked to borrow the company vehicle from the American manager. The American manager was actually replying "You Bet..." I could go on with many more language barrier examples - many very funny. But you get the idea. - Killer -

Ushido-geri is effective if you pivot first, then quickly do a 360 with your eye sight back to your opponent, then spin for the kick. Anything else is worthless because you will loose sight of your opponent - their advantage if they are on the ball... Ushido-geri is also effective when opponent is charging in, then pivot and back kick (no spinning) to stop/shock the opponent, then retaliate with a Uriken Jodan, sweep and counter. - Killer -

Sweep, then counter punch...! Works great with tall people. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I love it!!!

It's a "free style" draw arm. The elbow locks to the side of your body and not the fist. In basics, then the draw arm fist comes all the way back to the side of your body. Both are just as effective, except less distance required - allows quicker recovery from techniques. It also minimizes exposure to your mid section when sparring. - Killer Miller -

First, you shouldn't be using a kick that you're not proficient in. A proper round house will not be caught with a proper stance and good crisp snap back... Solution: Since your foot is already pivoted from the round house, quickly shift to a back kick to get out of this situation. - Killer Miller -

Just for clarification that I'm responding to his question and quote - just as I'm doing to you now. Kind-of-a forums standard... - Killer Miller -

Which and whom's quote are you referring to?

Sorry, but very wrong... For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If all muscles are tensed/contracted at the time of impact, the opposite reaction force is directed back through your body, to the floor, back through your body, then force applied to your target. Now, if you tense only your arm, and lets say that you do not contract or tense your leg muscles, when the reaction force is encountered through you body, and your legs are weak (or not tensed), then that connection to the floor is lost at the weakest point of your body - your legs... That reaction force is now "not" returned through your body, nor back to your target, and thus a weak punch without force. So if you were to punch a brick wall (not that anybody would want to do so), or a 4x4, your body would be pushed backwards at the time of impact - or broken bones somewhere. This is the importance of Kime at the time of impact. All muscles tensed or contracted applies the force/speed generated into pure force and energy. If any part of your body is weak, or not tensed/contracted, at the time of impact, the weakest part of your body will give away and absorb "all" of the reaction force generated by your punch or kick. Those are the facts regardless of whether you want to believe that or not. - Killer Miller -

Well, I guess if moving one inch is moving, then I guess you're correct. But in the general sense, no I wasn't moving. And no, you don't have a clue what you are talking about. Karate is all about developing Kime. Kime doesn't require movement with the exception of the amount necessary for total muscle contraction/relaxation. Now, if you need to move to cover distance, that's a whole nother story in terms of breathing, breathing timing, contraction, etc... No, it was not a joke - no trick. I didn't tell the story to try and impress anyone, but to demonstrate the fact that body movement is not necessary to achieve Kime. If you have to cover distance, then fine cover some distance... But the action of Kime is totally different than moving for distance, or another technique that requires distance to be effective. Learn the true meaning of Kime, then perhaps you might have a slight clue about what we are talking about... - Killer Miller -

This is a totally false statement. I demonstrated this to someone at a party once whom asked the exact same question. I put my fist just touching his arm. I told him that I would not bring my fist away from his arm and only punch in about one inch (1"). He said "GO FOR IT!" I quickly contracted/decontracted my "all" muscles, with pressure going to the ground at a split nano-second, and relaxing afterwards. I used "Kime, with my focal point being "one" inch in from my contact point. Afterwards the person, a big framed "cocky" Marine, said "you swore you wouldn't bring your fist away from my arm!" as he was holding his arm in pain. I said "I didn't!" Two others watching said "HE DIDN"T!" Thus, not needing distance to carry out an action. Just Kime... His arm hurt for two days afterwards. He never questioned the concept again. - Killer Miller -

I with you all the way here ESA. Except that Kime is executed at a given "focal point." The relaxation is necessary in order to initiate another technique in the same process for the next Kime focal point... - Killer Miller -

The Japanese refer to Kime as being Focus BTW - Nishiyama, Oishi, Shirai, etc.. The difference in terms is totally interpretation by others.

Without question, "ashi-bari followed either by gyakuzuki " is my absolute favorite...! However, I might modify that from time-to-time with Ashi-bari, Uraken Uchi, Gyakusuki... That will catch them off guard at times is I have to shift in for Gyakuzuki - the Uraken Uchi Jodan blocks their view and aids them loosing their balance while I come in for the kill of the Gyakuzuki. - Killer Miller -

Yes, I actually do mean that... When all muscles relax/contract properly, in unison, in the proper timing, the outside movements come together naturally with little explanation. This is accomplished through proper breathing and "breathing timing." And no, I do not necessarily mean to always Kiai either. But then again, what is Kiai? Rapid exhalation of air from the lower diagphram, and then quickly stopping the exhalation - thus the Kiai sound... Rapid or slow breathing provides the same body actions except a faster or slower action. Better get back to work... Talk to ya later for now. - Killer Miller -