Back to the Basics

[gheinisch]

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community.

 

All forms of martial arts require a great deal of skill and precision. This takes a lifetime of difficult training and dedication for the art that we love. Through these years of training, a Karateka will learn many different techniques from the simple to the very complex. When all is said and done, none will be as important to the Karateka as the basics taught and learned in the early years of training. Kihon (basics) is the foundation on which we build upon and without a good strong foundation, the practitioner may find that he/she may be lacking in their journey to become a martial artist. It is my belief that a true Karateka's ability will always be measured by the quality of his or her basics. This is why we place or should place such great importance on the practice and the quest for perfection of Kihon - "The Basics".

 

I ask myself the question as we all should, do I put the right amount of importance and dedication into my basic stances, blocks, strikes and kicks? Some people may start their training in the martial arts under the impression that they will soon be doing spinning back kicks and learning kill techniques in their first two weeks of class. Those who believe this soon become bored with the constant drilling of the basics and leave to look elsewhere. As students they hopefully are told by their Sensei and come to realize that martial arts is a way of life and not something learned in a short few months. I think that we all have gone through lulls in our training from time to time. This is when we must tell ourselves that there is a lifetime of knowledge out there just waiting to be absorbed by the willing Karateka. I have read other articles about training that takes place in Japan. Such importance is put on basics there that many classes not only begin with the basics but end with them as well. Even the instructor classes would begin with basics, the more advanced the class became the more basic it also became. In today's society, I feel many schools compromise their art form for the "got to make a buck" mentality. Is it also true that some may feel the pressure from students or more likely parents of students who may be under the misconception that they are buying the color of belt that their son or daughter is wearing around their waist. I believe it's also a true statement to say that some schools feel to keep their students interest one must continually teach something new every week to maintain a minimal dropout rate. Do not get the wrong impression about what I am saying here, nothing is wrong with learning new techniques but nothing is wrong with reviewing what we already know either. After all, if the basics are weak so will be everything that is learned after it, no matter how advanced you think you are. What good does it do to practice techniques that were built on a weak foundation? We have a saying in our dojo, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect".

 

Martial Arts consist of techniques, in much the same way that the alphabet is made up of letters. These letters are arranged to form words, words form sentences, sentences form paragraphs the paragraphs make chapters and finally the chapters are put together to make a novel. If the novel is to make sense, the component parts need to be right first. By constructing martial arts from the base components up, the Karateka not only builds a sound foundation for the future, but also learns patience and diligence. It can be said that all things proven strong and enduring will have a sturdy unwavering foundation. Let us build a strong foundation before we build that house that we call the martial arts.

 

In the end let me say that if you are looking for more power, speed and accuracy in your techniques do not look for some new revelation, look "Back to the Basics".

Edited April 15, 2004 by gheinisch

[Patrick]

Thank you for the submission.

[ramymensa]

Good indeed.

 

And you are right about the basics. We all want to do all kinds of fancy stuff. Doing this without proper training leads to nowhere. For instance I thought Ura Mawashi Geri was impossible to do. I tried it and couldn't even get close to that. After doing some time in Kihon I suddenly realised I can do it. Now it comes naturally because my body got use with the dynamic of the movement, I have better ballance and I understand how it's done.

 

So KIHON rules ...

[MawashiGeri60]

Very intresting topic . karatekas lack kihon or basics . because after a while it can get boring . just like i did . i myselve was lacking kihon and my goju ryu sensei showed me why it is good to practice it contantly and not show off with fancy kicks and spinning 360's or whatever some dojos want to show kids now a days . which can be fun for the kids because they think its all fun and games at this point and age . but im here to agree with gheinisch . :)so thanks for an intresting reading . osu

[G95champ]

Agreed 100%

 

A few months ago I went back to taking class instead of teaching class. Man had I missed working basics. After a month or so now I feel so much faster, strong, better at my karate than I do before. I have no picked up any new moves in fact Ive gotten rid of a few because they were "fancy" ineffective.

 

We often look for new ideas when we must realize there prob is not any new ideas left. Basics stink to do but they make you better no question.

[Fish]

I agree entirely. A good house must be built on a strong foundation. I'm just a beginner - but I believe it's important to keep practising the basics until they are right, and then to go on practising them to keep them right. Even the most advanced musicians practice the C major scale - for the same sort of reasons.

[italian_guy]

Yes, good article, I would like to add my 2 eurocents in saying that

 

basics should be practiced constantly and somehow

 

even if it is hard to realize but after a certain time you do the same basic move you suddently feel that you have progrees a lot and made a step to perfection.

 

It is not easy to explain but I think that the learing process is not always gradual there are jumps in the comprehention of a technique but those jumps comes by constant practice.

 

So in conclution the practice must be contant but the results pop-up suddently.

[gheinisch]

Thanks for your comments everyone! I think I understand what you're saying Italian. Our Hanshi always tells us that it takes time for your body to get accustomed to doing things that it normally would not do. A lot of techniques can go against the natural motion of the body. And as soon as you think that you'll never get it, something clicks and you wonder why it took you so long to perfect that technique. He always says to keep practicing and one day the light will come on and it will be like you've been doing it all your life. Hope I didn't put words in your mouth. Just trying to see if we're thinking about similar things.

 

[Red Triangle student]

This article is brilliant and really helps you remember that every Martial art would be useless absolutely useless without its basics. The way the other techniques are performed rely on your basics. The fundamentals of a stance a punch zanchin leg strength i could go on for hours...

[Jiyn]

yes i agree that the article is exellent and tells you that no martial art would be a martial art without basics