Power

[Wa-No-Michi]

They have always been there in traditional karate, but in my opinion they are not stressed as they are in some other arts.

What I am saying is that from my own personal experience over many years of practice in lessons, seminars etc with some of the world renowned great masters I have seen very little emphasis of these points until I began following the teachings of one particular master.

Hhmmm! do I have to get my newspaper out again.

I am sure your advice has been well received, but personally I think it sounds like you have trained with the wrong guys.

[moriniuk]

I apologise to Protagonist as it appears that your thread has now been officially hijacked.

Anyway, aside from these discussions. Try some of the tips that have been mentioned, if you're not already doing so. However good or bad your instructor may be something may just work for you.

If you get the chance, compare some good karate books to good books on Wing Chun, Bagua and Xingyi. I think that the contents will reflect what I have experienced in classes.

I've got one more tip, really subtle, but probably too controversial to reveal here. It would rock the traditional karate world.

[joesteph]

I've got one more tip, really subtle, but probably too controversial to reveal here. It would rock the traditional karate world.

Moriniuk! You can't leave us hanging like this! Subtle and yet "it would rock the traditional karate world" is something you have to share.

[Wa-No-Michi]

I've got one more tip, really subtle, but probably too controversial to reveal here. It would rock the traditional karate world.

Moriniuk! You can't leave us hanging like this! Subtle and yet "it would rock the traditional karate world" is something you have to share.

Yeah, we're all ears!

[moriniuk]

Ask your instructors first. I'm not asking mine as they were all rubbish and most are now longer with us. I'm sure some of you are probably practicing this way already and will have been doing so for years.

It will improve impact power, we're not punching thin air, and speed of movement. It's about weight distribution in front stance.

At the moment when you step forward in front stance or punch from a static front stance what is your weight distribution on each leg?

Try experimenting with this.

[joesteph]

At the moment when you step forward in front stance or punch from a static front stance what is your weight distribution on each leg? (emphasis added)

The moment, even the second, you step forward, your weight is shifting onto one leg, the supporting leg within the movement, until you reach 100%; while you're continuing the step, the weight is shifting into equal distribution; if you're going into another front stance, it will finalize with 60-40%.

When I did Taiji, I found a heavy emphasis on balance/distribution of weight.

[moriniuk]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I wasn't talking about the actual stepping forward, that's another matter. What I really meant is the point when you actually land in the stance and finish the punch or you release a punch from a static front stance or immovable stance (fudo dachi).

Yes it's 60/40 or 70/30 ish, but with the greater weight on which leg?

Try pushing open a heavy fire door in something resembling a front stance. Try it first with more weight on the front leg and then with more weight on the rear leg and see which way is easier.

[Wa-No-Michi]

In Japanese Jujutsu / Karate you will hear the expression Hara or Tanden.

This represents the center of mass of your body or your core (its where your Ki emanates from etc).

All good karate-ka will move from the Hara, not from the ground up. Its the best way to transmit kinetic energy.

If you have a chance get hold of Shingo Ohgami's book "Introduction to Karate". It has an excellent section about the development of power.

As well as being a JKF (Japan Karate-do Federation) 7th Dan, he holds senior dan grade ranks in Iaido. Additionally he practices Aikido, Tai-chi and Ton LoonChuan (Chinese Praying Mantis).

Most importantly though, before retiring to teach martial arts full time, he was a doctor of physics, and therefore he has a very clear Scientific explanation on what makes things work - No eastern Mumbo Jumbo as it were.

I have trained with him on several occasion, and he is an incredibly talented and humble man.

moriniuk, I think you will find his work covers many of the points you have raised plus many more that may interest you.

[joesteph]

What I really meant is the point when you actually land in the stance and finish the punch or you release a punch from a static front stance . . .

Yes it's 60/40 or 70/30 ish, but with the greater weight on which leg?

Try pushing open a heavy fire door in something resembling a front stance. Try it first with more weight on the front leg and then with more weight on the rear leg and see which way is easier.

In Japanese Jujutsu / Karate you will hear the expression Hara or Tanden.

This represents the center of mass of your body or your core (its where your Ki emanates from etc).

All good karate-ka will move from the Hara, not from the ground up. Its the best way to transmit kinetic energy.

My instructor has begun (since starting me on a new hyung) emphasizing that, when performing combination moves (block, then strike), the first part of the move be in what she calls a sparring stance, meaning the stance is not a full front stance, but "almost" one by leg position (50-50 in weight distribution), then when the strike--say a middle punch to the solar plexus--occurs, the body moves into the front stance--and, yes, you can feel the power coming from the rear leg but through the rotating hip.

The weight distribution you're referring to, Moriniuk, seems to be a shift by way of power coming from the rear to the front; it ends with the weight in the front, the body having shifted, if starting in front stance, perhaps from front to rear to front again, or if from the sparring stance, directly from rear to front. There's an internal movement; I would think 60-40 to 40-60 to 60-40 again. (I don't know if I'd go as far as using 70-30 to 30-70 to 70-30, but it's tempting.)

But this power, and the weight shift you emphasize, seems to be greater when going by what Wa-No-Michi points out--the core. In Soo Bahk Do, the waist (but told it's the hip by instructors) is where power comes from; in the Sip Sam Seh, the second and tenth lines both refer to the waist as the center of action. When I see "waist," I think "core," for where power, or energy as power, emanates from.

Your reference to the heavy door, Moriniuk, was an excellent off-the-dojang floor example. Wa-No-Michi, your post containing "center" with "core" agrees with certain Sip Sam Seh content that Grandmaster Hwang Kee's Soo Bahk Do emphasizes. I think that Wa-No-Michi's "center" and "core" fit within Moriniuk's weight distribution, which I interpret as a shift, or flow, like water (energy, power) flowing from front to rear to front again.

[moriniuk]

Wa-No-Michi. I'm aware of Shingo Ohgami and I have a couple of his books, "introduction" and "katas". I can't find the section on developing power unless it's within "hand techniques".

This power can be quite easily demonstrated and the difference in the type of power developed using the different approaches is considerable and can certainly be felt by the recipeint. It's the type of power that doesn't push you back, but drops you on the spot like a sack of potatoes. To be fully appreciated it really needs to be felt.

As well as the fundamental ideas I've already mentioned there are many others like having heavy hands and how to impact your energy into the ground whilst moving, responding to visual responses instead of audible, forward feeling, only moving forwards in front stance and backwards in back stance, the list goes on.....

A lot of these ideas are not new and are practiced in other disciplines, but as I stated earlier, I think that many have unfortunately been lost in modern karate for some reason. Dare I mention competition karate?

The problem is trying to explain these ideas, especially on a forum. They are better observed and felt. The other problem with trying to explain these ideas on forums is that there are so many closed minded people who are far too quick to tell you that you are wrong before they have experienced something.

If you live anywhere near a KDS Shotokai club I would urge you to sample a few classes or better still a weekend course. It needs to be in Sensei Harada's KDS group though and preferably with a high ranking instructor.

I'm not trying to convert anybody here, but I think that it would be time well spent for any traditional karateka to at least sample some of Sensei Harada's teachings.

Although I don't practice with the group very often now due to work and my own teaching commitments, coming into contact with this group has been the most influential experience in all my 35 years of various martial arts practice.

Have a look at the website and look at some of the videos. There is also a Facebook site. But don't mistake the Shotokai practiced by other groups with KDS Shotokai.

A very good book is "Voice of the Mountain Dragon".