Backward thinking

[muttley]

Ok, so I went training last night at my dojo, arrived expecting a good session and was right up for it.

After the warm up, Sensei came out and delivered what turned out to be a fantastic lesson that really got the "old grey matter" working.

With a class of brown and black belts, Sensei started off on combination techniques...with a difference, everything was reversed! So instead of upper block, reverse punch, lower block. It was lower block, reverse punch, upper block and so on through all the "normal" combinations. This was quite a challenge, as my Sensei said "We come every week and do the same techniques in the same manner...we become something of a Karate Automaton" he raised some very good points about what if we are faced with a kick first?

After this, we did some kata starting with Kihon. Something of a shock to the system, do Kihon slowly to get us thinking, we get to the last move and get told to do the kata backward to his count. I don't know if anyone has ever done this before, but doing even such a basic kata as Kihon in reverse is really quite a test. Amazingly after having done it backward, thinking about every move to ensure it is correct, doing it again "normally" makes you realise where your problems are! Thinking Kihon was difficult, Heian Shodan is far worse! ave you ever tried the 4th move backwards?

Anyway, that was the end of the reverse things, but not the end of the grey matter work out! Next was one step sparring, first done "normally" then done on opposite hands, then done without being able to move backwards or by using a standard upper block, outside block or lower block, and then finally done with one hand tied behind your back.

These little things which you wouldn't normally do, really get you thinking about your technique and range of movement it was quite an amazing and tiring lesson.

If you have never tried before, give it a go, it is well worth it.

[blacknebula]

My Sensei makes us do kata backwards quite regularly. I can do up to Heian Yondan backwards. Tried Godan, but the jump is a bit of a trick. LOL

I know what you mean though. Last night Sensei had us doing a combination that included the sweeping block and nukite strike from Heian Nidan, but on the opposite side. I could not figure it out until about the 10th try!

It is defintely good for the brain though.

[mal103]

Repetition is probably one of the worst things and best things in Karate, so many people give up due to getting bored and so many others go on to be very good due to constantly training hard.

I found when I first started instructing that my lessons were very much Kihon/Kata/Kumite and some of the kids would tell you what their next combination was. I then went out of my way to make it varied and different but the standard started to drop and those that didn't want to have to think whilst training found it frustrating.

I have since struck a balance and they look forwards to the last third of the lesson which normally has some form of grappling, SD, pad work, weapons, etc.

Chucking in anything like you mention above is also fun to stretch the mind, or working on new combinations that are gradually learnt and then trained hard and fast. All good stuff!

[Wastelander]

Changing things up like that is good for the mind, both from an understanding standpoint and from a morale standpoint. As OP mentioned, doing things like this can really make you think about your martial art differently, and critical thinking is good! As mal103 mentioned, many people get bored of the repetition required for karate, so changing it up helps make it a little more fun and interesting.

I like to have students occasionally run through kata as if they were in a mirror (if they normally start on the right side, they start on the left, etc.) and that tends to be both fun and interesting. We will also sometimes run through kata with tension (like Sanchin), totally relaxed (like Tai Chi), or as fast as we can.

[xo-karate]

There is a reason for repetition. It's automation and it's not a bad thing. Idea is that in conflict we don't have the mental calmness to think so reaction is what we can do. Also there is the time factor.

So breaking the repetition? What is the reason for it? I think it could be to enhance repetition - to make it fresh again. It's not so much about breaking the routine, but when you come back to your previous compination, you might be able to find some thing new in it.

[bushido_man96]

Its nice to get things changed up from time to time. Our one-steps are pre-arranged, but we never do them backwards, although I think it would be very beneficial.

[cheesefrysamurai]

Thats really out of the box thinking. One day when I will incorporate that into my training. I can see it making movement more fluid

[muttley]

It certainly got me thinking about my movement, different ways to defend against a head/chest punch, front kick, thrust kick etc (ever tried walking into someone about to release a Jodan Mawashi-geri?)

I found different things that worked really well (it was probably the first time I have carried out the double lower block against a "live" kick!), walking into a chudan punch and putting the punching arm into a joint lock, that's quite fun too!

[sensei8]

Forward is bad enough, but backwards is nearly, at first, a nightmare, but quite invaluable to a karateka because it ensures that the karateka KNOWS the kata inside and outside, and that alone is a great teaching tool.

I love it!! When I do it for the students right from their first glance at said kata, they're thinking..."OMG...I've got to do that?" Well...Yes you do, and you'll love it too.