Kempo Principle: Breaking Balance

[Red J]

Good MA transcends stylistic differences.

 

Well said.

 

So from our thread, how many of you are breaking balance in your first move in your defensive sets? Is it something that is stressed at first or saved for advanced students?

 

In my dojo this concept is constantly evolving with refinements of technique coming at each new level. Just when you think you know something, my sensei will add that little bit to make it better.

In regards to oour self defense sets and the issue of breaking balance, I'd have to say that for the most part it comes as the second move, as well as the subsequent follow-up strikes. The first obviously is redirecting the initial attack.

 

I have found that many times in the redirecting the opponent is put off balance as well.

[delta1]

I have found that many times in the redirecting the opponent is put off balance as well.

 

Same here. A block, parry, or even a well timedmove out of the way can be done so as to effect his ballance- even if only a little. Same if you have to reestablish your base and/or ballance. It can be done as a leg buckle or hard leg check, or moving your body into his space. Counter striking with proper foot and leg work. All can put him off his center. I even met one japanese stylist who could (and did) put people down just by cutting their center- he never touched them! And these were senior martial artists in different systems, most of whom I knew.

 

I'm betting that this kind of thing is in all systems, but is probably part of the deeper bunkai. Might be interesting if some of us got ahold of our seniors and asked about this, then get back. I'll think of a couple of easy to communicate techniques try to give some examples from AK.

[delta1]

Dance of Death- You are standing naturally, your opponent is in front of you at an angle, his left foot forward. He suddenly pivots (does not step) and throws a right straight punch,or a cross, to your face.

 

*Step forward with your left to 10:30 (slightly off line of attack) into a left neutral bow (fighting stance) as you thrust a left inward block just above his right elbow.

 

**If you adjust the angle of this block so it goes in and slightly down toward his upper chest, you'll push his arm back to his chest, interrupting hispath and redirecting his momentum, introducing torque and backward motion on his left side. This will momentarily unballance him, rocking him back on his heels, and sets him up for your next strike.

 

*Immediately pivot your stance forward into a left forward bow or a left close kneel (keep your left foot in place and rotate your stance on the ball of your right foot so that you are facing him squarely with your torsoe). Maintain a left bracing angle check to his right with your left (keep his right pinned to his body) as you deliver a right underhand reverse hammerfist (basically thrust your right forearm straight in, fist down and closed) to his groin.

 

**This goes straigt in and moves him back. The groin strike will also cause his butt to drop and probably his knees to buckle slightly. He's now in a very unballanced posture.

 

*Right foot steps through to a right neutral bow as your left hand contours down his right back ide of his body and cranes the back of his knee, pulling it toward you so that it concludes as a grab at his right ankle, pinning it to your left hip. Simultaneously execute a right inward elbow strike to his lower ribs, timed to settle into your stance as it completes.

 

**This will drive him over backwards. Also, that step is between his legs, invading and occupying his space, itself an unballancing move. And the elbow strike does not chamber first- it just rolls up and in from point of origin at the forearm/hammerfist strike.

 

There's a lot more to this technique, but we'll stop here. You can see how this works his ballance at every step of the way. That is the main theme of this technique, what it works and teaches. Any single move of this can be inserted or used to modify other techniques to destroy ballance, and in a real fight any part can be used when you have position recognition in a situation.

 

Ballance is key to effectiveness. Without it, a fighter cannot effectively launch a counter attack, nor can he successfully defend your attack. His first priotity has to be to regain ballance, which buys you a little time to launch your next move.

[Red J]

To further illustrate this concept, I was teaching a technique to two fairly new students which involved blocking a front punch.

 

The technique involved using an "L" step. (From a horse your left foot moves to your right and your right moves forward so that you are now facing 9:00 and you are right of center). As you turn and plant your right foot you execute a right forearm block to your opponent's arm. You can block towards the wrist, below the bicep, on the bicep, or in the shoulder socket. As you move up the arm you start to jam the punch more and can really affect balance. The bicep and shoulder variation are my favorites as it stops the attack in its tracks and moves the person back. From here you can do a variety of moves. I believe we were blocking, hitting with a left willow palm to the chest and a right back punch. The point being that the preferred block takes away the person's balance and makes the rest of your job a lot easier.

[ovine king]

do you address/affect balance at the point which you make contact or do you prefer to take balance from his centre?

 

i mean, do you intercept arm in a way to take balance or lead arm away to help take his centre?

 

dang... i'm confusing myself there.

 

example time.

 

let's say you have a simple straight punch coming in.

 

do you prefer to intercept that arm with the intent to uproot him by using angles/structure against the arm

 

or

 

do you deal with arm in a way that exposes his centre for you to uproot?

 

hmm, this is going to be pretty much depending on the situation and intent, isn't it....?

[Red J]

do you address/affect balance at the point which you make contact or do you prefer to take balance from his centre?

 

i mean, do you intercept arm in a way to take balance or lead arm away to help take his centre?

 

dang... i'm confusing myself there.

 

example time.

 

let's say you have a simple straight punch coming in.

 

do you prefer to intercept that arm with the intent to uproot him by using angles/structure against the arm

 

or

 

do you deal with arm in a way that exposes his centre for you to uproot?

 

hmm, this is going to be pretty much depending on the situation and intent, isn't it....?

 

OK, the example at the top of page three is the intercepting and redirecting to affect balance while the technique on page four is a hard block designed to stop or uproot at the point of contact (bicep or shoulder). Either way you are affecting balance and ultimately taking away any ability for your opponent to move their center as you are controlling it. The first example you are moving it down, past their feet and across while in the second you are uprooting moving it backward, left and up. I hope this helps.

[ovine king]

i get ya.....

 

so what is the extent to which this is taught?

 

is it something that is stressed right away or something that you introduce later as the student gains familiarity with the things he is doing?

 

i was taught first and foremost how to hit (being verrry simplistic here).

 

the whole angles, structure, balance thing was shown as a way to improve the ways i can hit.

 

whereas in my tai chi class, balance and the taking of was shown before striking was taught/shown.

[Red J]

It gets woven in with the advanced material. Your mind gets "blown away" as you re-learn new applications to your existing material. You have the right idea.

[MASIsshinryu]

The concept of Kuzushi, breaking the opponents balance, can be woven into almost anything. Even when the hand/arm/leg/foot techniques are not utilized to achieve this, the movement of the body often can. By driving one's own center of gravity into conflict with anothers, using an advantageous position and ideally lower center of gravity, one can upset your opponent while working against their techniques with your limbs.

 

Often, this is a mid- to advanced-rank skill, as it absolutely relies on ones own refined balance, timing and control of fighting range. Once those are failrly well developed, initial training in achieving kuzushi will immediately point out any existing weaknesses in those areas.

[Red J]

How about a little bump on this thread.

I have been thinking about this concept a lot. The other day I taught a lesson on this. The concepts were all about balance. The angle was you can take it (Tiger) or you can let your opponent give it to you (Crane). Just a different spin as I find many students want to knock someone around. Well sometimes it is easier to let the attacker commit and leave himself vulnerable and then you can just expose it by going with it letting his momentum get the best of him.

Hmmm.