Question about Sen

[Ti]

Sensei showed us these things about timing last week called.

sen no sen

go no sen

and 2 others I forgot the name to.

They were about hitting before, same time, in between and at the NEAR end of an opponents attack, so total of 4 sens.

I forgot the names of what is what.

Is anyone familiar with it?

[kivikala]

sen-no-sen (preceeding of the preceeding) is sort of being pre-emptive in your strike but not anticipating the strike (although this practice seems to degenerate to that). It is striking at the moment your opponent makes the commitment to attack. This is seen via body posture, change in breathing, narrowing of the pupils and an ever so slight forward cant of the body. It it the combination of these that is "sen". It is very hard to disquise. By slightly altering your timing, your strike reaches the target before the opponent moves, mid-strike (either same time or slighty off) or near the completion of the strike when the opponent has extended his focus and found your void. (surprise... I'm not there.)

A very nice practice, it is at the core of koryu arts. I am glad to see it used in karate.