Spartacus Maximus

Sanchin is supposed to be one of the oldest kata in karate with direct links to existing Chinese systems. Several chuan fa(Kung fu) styles include it in one version or another. Especially the crane styles from Taiwan and the coastal region which had a long history of cultural and political relations with the Ryukyu kingdom. Although sanchin is mostly associated with karate lineages of Naha-te, it is possible that the kata may have been included in Shuri-te or influenced the shorin ryu styles. Naihanchi or at least its predecessor is considered the basis of all shorin ryu styles. These are at least as old as Sanchin and are considered as fundamental in shorin ryu as sanchin is in Naha te styles.

Self-expression in karate is usually not expected or encouraged for until after a student has thoroughly learned the basic movements and principles contained in the kata. second and fifth dan, it is usually expected that one has the depth of understanding of basic principles required to expand on these and develop a wider range of techniques than the first application originally learned.

The development and maintenance of flexibility is one of the most important things required for all physical training, but specifically for martial arts practise. It is undeniable that stretches are beneficial, yet few martial artists and athletes know exactly what type of stretching are best, nor when they should be done for maximum benefit. Static stretching, for instance is what is required for holding a position at the maximum range of movement. Doing side or front splits is one example. Dynamic stretching, like swinging the legs up and down with control or slowly kicking as high as possible is one way commonly used. This is the kind of stretching required to develop the necessary flexibility for optimal range of movement in action. Regularly doing these is what allows kicks at one’s own head height or higher without causing damage or injury. How is stretching done where you train? What kind and when do you do them? Can anyone suggest any reference on the subject such as books or DVD/ videos?

Push-ups are everywhere and are part of every training programme for fitness. They are a staple of every fitness and strength building workout and are one of the most common exercises around. Lately there seems to be a renewed interest in the push-up. There are several trends online consisting of doing only push-ups for a maximum number of reps and sets every day for varying lengths of time. 50 or 100 push-ups/day for one month seems the most common. Has anybody ever tried any of these push-up challenges? What has been your experience with them?

For outdoor training one ought to consider three features above all else: the shoes must be comfortable! If they are not, it may cause cumulative injuries to the feet, ankles and legs when training intensively. Second, the footwear must be flexible enough to allow every natural movement of the entire foot/ankle as to not restrict the usual range of motion. Third, whatever shoes you choose should be light and not too heavy as to distort balance, movement or range for when you move, shift weight or kick. There are specific shoes designed for martial arts, but any shoe that fits the criteria can be used. Sometimes the specifically designed “martial arts shoes” don’t fit personally, it really depends what the intended use is. The last thing to consider is the training place: in or outdoors? Smooth(asphalt, paved) ground or terrain such as a turfed backyard, or varied and natural like in a park or clearing in a wooded area? Buy the shoes that fit the ground/place as well as what you expect to train.

The student mentioned in the first post has been completely inactive for nearly a year. He has been mostly shut in as a result of severe mental breakdown from stress, anxiety and depression. Returning to training was actually a recommendation from his doctors, but given his fragile mental and physical condition, there isn’t much to be done. He lost nearly all his flexibility and strength due to being bedridden or sedated under the effects of meds. As far as technical knowledge, he remembers but the biggest hurdle is getting over his problems with stamina. Despite wanting to train again and being willing to make every effort, his present condition get the better of him and he tires very quickly. It’s obvious that it frustrates him a lot as this is someone who used to train between 6 and 10 hours a week excluding two hours at the dojo every two weeks. That’s with a full time physical job and daily home/family commitments.

What advice could you give to an experienced student(second dan) who has been inactive for nearly a year? How should this student approach returning to regular training? Many who are thinking seriously about resuming their training often forget that it isn’t just a matter of picking up where they left off, especially if it has been a while since any kind of physical activity was done. One just cannot expect to be exactly where they were before, even if they still remember in their minds. The body probably will not and cannot perform what it used to do before the practitioner stopped being active. It’s easy to get discouraged if we forget that the body takes much more time to “remember” and perform as before the break than the mind might.i

Starting at the beginning should be expected if one is taking up a new martial art. It isn’t unheard of, but this might apply when changing instructor within the same style. To the new instructor, the student is unknown and time must be allowed for the instructor to observe and evaluate, regardless of previous experience said student may have. It is best for the student to approach it as a true beginner and set aside previous experience if the student is truly committed to training the new system under the new instructor.

For whoever has gone back after a long time, did you start a different martial art or do try to pick up where you left off?

Here is a question for anyone who has returned to martial arts after a long time for whatever reason: What made you decide to go back to martial arts? What motivated you?

It’s a perfectly good answer and sometimes it is the only answer an instructor can give. However, good instructor will not simply let a question go unanswered. Honestly admitting to not having an explanation or answers doesn’t mean the instructor is somehow incompetent. Good instructors are the ones who go out and try to find the answers. They also should have the resources, knowledge and references available so that they might guide their students towards an answer. Someone somewhere always knows more. Instructors must use this to their advantage and that of everyone they teach. After all, who says a 10th dan has all the answers? What’s wrong with this instructor exchanging with peers, reading past master’s writings or researching? Every other professional does it, so why should it be difficult or different for martial arts instructors? Maybe instead of ´I don’t know ´ a better answer should be ´I don’t know or I’m not sure about that, but let me get back to you’. Or : ´I don’t know, but I’ll ask so-and-so, he/she might have an idea’. Nothing wrong with that.

Martial arts is just like any other skill and takes time to develop. When starting out everybody has either asked their instructor or wondered how long it would take to be able to do xyz or reach a level of ability. The answer of course is that it depends on the person and a whole lot of other variables. A better question people ought to ask themselves is how much time can they actually afford to spend training including on their own when the school is not open or the instructor not available. Unless one is a professional who trains or teaches for a living, the time one hopes to train or spend practising is very different than what is actually manageable without causing conflict in other parts of daily living. Time management skills and dedication are probably the best qualities for a newcomer to have for martial arts. Especially for adult students whose time is spent on either education, work, family or all of those! What time is left for practising martial arts? If you are in this situation what is the difference between the time you aim to spend doing martial arts and what is actually manageable and realistic?

Okinawan styles in general tend to have a very informal dojo atmosphere, especially if the head instructor is Okinawan. Even when the dojo is run a instructor of a different background. The rest is left up to the personal vision of whoever is in charge. Personally, the simpler the better. Sensei is called sensei and everyone else whatever they are most comfortable with.

Alll thins panicking and fearmongering seems incredibly stupid. Since when is training and practising at home and outside the dojo a novel idea? Anyone who is serious about staying fit and maintaining their level of proficiency regardless of whether or not the dojo/school is operating ought to be doing something, a anything on their own time. Come Hell or highwater. Virus or no virus. No matter how bad it gets, no crisis lasts forever. The more one does to maintain thier level of health, wellbeing and skill, there easier it will be when things eventually get back to normal. And they WILL.

Only the instructor knows for sure and it wouldn’t be wrong to ask him what is expected to be gained from practising that kata, especially since it comes from another system’s curriculum. Every kata has its own main points, intent and even philosophy. Knowing what these are is the beginning of understanding their purpose and a good instructor will be able to explain it thoroughly. This would be a good discussion to have with the instructor or seniors when the time is right. Aside from this, seisan is practised in Naha-te in much the same way the naihanchi kata are in Shuri-te. One of the main purposes is to develop stability and power generation from the lower half of the body so that it can be used in short striking and blocking techniques.

The most compelling evidence against the idea that martial arts on Okinawa originated with commoners is the social origin of the notable experts from the earliest records up to the early 20th century. All of them without exception were either nobles or warrior class of varying degrees. All people who had access to instruction through their connections and with their family’s reputation and wealth.

It can mean slightly different things depending on the context and the person using the words. Generally it refers more to certain training and teaching methods that were common before karate became commercialized and widespread as a competitive sport. The words are also used to describe karate taught exclusively for self-defense and in a way which endeavours to be as close as possible to what was originally done in Okinawa and Japan. In fact, ´old-school’ is a term often used when referring to Okinawan systems versus those that developed after karate was introduced to Japan in the early 1900’s by the likes of Funakoshi and Motobu.

Indeed, for a few years the type of conditioning has been mostly associated with Uechi ryu. In the not so distant past, it was a staple of karate practised everywhere. Goju-ryu and Shorin-ryu included it, and Shotokan certainly had it some point in time because the instep and the big toe as impact points are both described in detail in reference materials of the style. Now it depends on the instructor. Outside of Okinawa and Japan there are very few who may have experience or knowledge about these kicking techniques, and fewer still who teach them. From experience, Uechi-ryu is the exception as conditioning all striking areas are still emphasized. It would not be too far fetched to expect such training is mostly, if not exclusively taught in Okinawan systems, in a dojo where the instructor is either Okinawan/Japanese, or trained by one. The vast majority of karate dojo and especially those specifically sport/competition oriented will have the same general approach seen everywhere.

Pressure points are not some kind of mystical phenomenon despite what some have made them out to be. They are merely the result of detailed knowledge of the human body. Such knowledge is accessible to anyone who has studied anatomy to any degree. Basically, they are areas of nerve concentrations on the bodies that can be exploited in fighting/defense. Techniques aimed at these areas are common in every martial arts system.

The part of the foot used to strike in karate will vary depending on where the target is on the opponent’s body. Also take into consideration that some parts of the foot/leg require significant conditioning to be effectively used without causing very painful injuries to the kicker. Traditional(not sport/competition) karate uses the point of the big toe for sharp kicks aimed at soft areas and the heel or instep(near the ankle) to strike harder areas or bones such as the jaw/neck or the leg bones below the knees.

Size and weight only matter in the context of sport competition. Weight-classes were decided for the purpose of the contest to be as fair as possible. On the other hand, notions of “fairness” and “clean vs dirty” do not apply if the context is personal self-defense. The purpose of martial arts aimed at self-defense is to allow a person to become able to effectively defend themselves to their maximum potential against a bigger or stronger attacker. This is why it takes training and practise. People are many times more likely to be attacked by someone who is bigger, not the other way around. The only exception to this is if there are weapons involved and with groups.

The stick/staff is one of the oldest and most common weapon. There are hundreds of codified systems from cultures everywhere in the world. If the OP wishes to learn one of these, the decision should first consider what is available nearby. As far as online resources or media such as DVD’s, East Asian(China, Korea and Okinawa) styles are probably the most common, but with a little searching it is possible to find learning materials from all sorts of sources on the use of the staff/stick.

Different systems, approaches, purposes and methods rarely if ever “translate” from one to another. That is also the case for those that are very similar or even related. The important thing to keep in mind is that once the decision is made to switch, it ought to be done with a clear and open mind ready to start at the bottom to learn something new. Take whatever time necessary to learn and physically adapt to the new training. Most importantly is to be modest enough to set aside whatever previous experience one may have in any other martial art or school, to convince oneself that it has nothing to do with the new style/teacher/method.

The OP’s intended discussion is a little unclear, but it could be a comparison between those who keep to training/teaching a single system of a particular tradition and lineage as they have been taught; and others who draw from experience in two or more systems. Neither is better and there are highly skilled, capable people of each type. In the end it is just a matter of personal choice.

Maybe the terms used for the intended discussion are not mutually exclusive. “Purist” does not necessarily mean that one lacks a realistic approach to how and what one practises or teaches.