Seiza Problems

[tallgeese]

Of course, you could take up a grappling art so you sprawl around on the mat between sets .

[Shinta]

I believe you should just remember you are practicing a martial art and, therefore, face seiza like a part of it. Don't start saying "it hurts" because it just makes you a quiter...

As for correctness of posture, just imagine something pulling you up from the region of your skull directly above your spinal cord...

Hope it helps

[tallgeese]

There are lots of things that I would agree with you on in regards to the above statement. The day to day minor knocks of training, some joint pain from locking work, things like that. It's a combative process after all.

However, I don't get too stressed about stuff like seiza. In my mind, it's not a core part of the arts at this time. We, in the west, don't utilize that position for sitting and are therefore unlikley to ever actually need to do anything from there. It's also not part of our cultural perspective.

However, if it's ettiquete at your school, getting used to it will almost be mandantory.

[bushido_man96]

However, I don't get too stressed about stuff like seiza. In my mind, it's not a core part of the arts at this time. We, in the west, don't utilize that position for sitting and are therefore unlikley to ever actually need to do anything from there. It's also not part of our cultural perspective.

I agree. I have been fortunate enough to participate in schools that don't use seiza or any meditation practices.

We do have an Aikido club at our college, but they do about an hour's worth of breathing and the like of sitting in seiza prior to their workouts. This just doesn't interest me, so I haven't gone to check it out yet.

[Shinta]

To me seiza is probably the most important stance in Karate.

It's the one we use to show the most respect towards something, for example, when doing the full rei; while chanting the dojo-kun; when you harm someone during training or competition, you wait in seiza for the other to recover and it is even used to punish people who don't behave.

And it's the perfect position to meditate! Just get used to it, the only problem you have is that you'll become more flexible However, make sure you do it correctly or you might injury yourself.

I know seiza is mainly japanese and that other ma tend to leave it aside but if you practice karate, you really should be confortable with it...

[tallgeese]

I think it's probibly just a matter of perspective and what you're in the arts for.

If you want to learn the philosophical and cultural nuances that make things like karate a uniquely oriental activity then it is probibly very important.

If you are on the mat for purely combative reasons, then things like seiza are probibly less likely to be a concern for you.

I'm certainly not suggesting that the two are mutually exclusive. Nor will I go so far to say that you must have one to have the other.

[Shinta]

In terms of combative purposes, seiza means nothing to was. At least directly.

However, in the past in Japan, it was the starting position for many fights as it was present as a daily life position. For that reason, in my dojo, we still train on and from that position. Obviously just for traditional purposes

I like it, others don't. People have different views on karate. Even if they are affiliated to a style, they still practice theirs karate as they feel is correct.

Good training and sorry for any spelling mistakes, I'm not a native speaker and I live in a country with a very different language

[bushido_man96]

However, in the past in Japan, it was the starting position for many fights as it was present as a daily life position.

Perhaps for duels and the like, it was a starting position. I doubt that it had much use on the battlefield.

[tallgeese]

On the battlefield, no. But, according to Ratti and Westbrook in Secrets of the Samurai, since this was a common sitting posture back in the old days one had to be proficient from defending from here.

You could be eating away at a state function and some pesky assassin would try and off you right over your rice. Since it was used in all sorts of formal and informal settings, it made sense to do iai forms from there ans such.

[Zanshin]

In terms of combative purposes, seiza means nothing to was. At least directly.

However, in the past in Japan, it was the starting position for many fights as it was present as a daily life position. For that reason, in my dojo, we still train on and from that position. Obviously just for traditional purposes

I like it, others don't. People have different views on karate. Even if they are affiliated to a style, they still practice theirs karate as they feel is correct.

Good training and sorry for any spelling mistakes, I'm not a native speaker and I live in a country with a very different language

Hi Shinta,

I couldn't agree more. Wise words.

From a Budo perspective the Japanese would not practice anything that does not have a purpose.

The practice of seiza is not only a good way to prepare the mind for training and show respect, it also engenders correct posture and is great training for moving promptly from a difficult position.

From a training perspective, this is why most traditional Japanese MA like Aikido / Jujutsu still incorporate "Idori" into their syllabus.

Unfortunately it is another example of a seemingly "insignificant" practice that is often overlooked in most modern dojo.

By the sounds of it you are lucky enough to train with a good instructor who knows how to perform Seiza-rei.

Z