Not close enough to work

[Spartacus Maximus]

In a fairly recent moment of karate enlightenment, it became obvious that there is one very important, yet subtle fundamental point about kata application that is often overlooked. That is the role of distancing and range or how close one must be to the attacker to effectively apply a given technique.

Every single technique in kata has an optimum range and if it is too far, even by a few centimeters it will not work as intended. Only after practising application drills did it become clear. Whenever something did not work as intended or felt off, moving closer into the attacker made a very significant difference.

[JR 137]

I find range is the second most important thing, after when to use the technique. This isn't just for stuff like joint locks and throws.

For example, why are the high spinning kicks such low percentage and high risk techniques? They're being used wrong. Most people assume long range for them. I'll only throw a back spin kick (360 degree spin while throwing a hook kick) at very close range. Here's what I mean...

I'll get in very close, to the point where my opponent is almost leaning on me. I'll knock their lead hand down (regardless of if they're punching, reaching for a grab, grabbing, or even just have their hands up), and when they move in closer, I'll spin out, so to speak, while throwing the kick to the back of their head. Depending on how the opponent is moving, I'll either spin or throw a non-spinning hook kick to the back of the head. Either way, I'm pretty much shoulder to shoulder with the opponent. It only works if it's a fluid motion with no hesitation anywhere along the way.

I land that kick with very high frequency under those circumstances. There's two guys in the dojo who've told me they've been looking for it whenever I get close, but it still gets them every time. If I try to throw either of those two kicks under different conditions, it's more luck than anything else.

When I was wrestling, I found out the hard way that everything has its proper distance/range, and proper time to execute it. You can't force a technique or even plan on using one. You only really use something when the opportunity presents itself. Setting things up helps a bit. I've carried that over into karate, and life in general.

[hammer]

For example, why are the high spinning kicks such low percentage and high risk techniques? They're being used wrong. Most people assume long range for them. I'll only throw a back spin kick (360 degree spin while throwing a hook kick) at very close range. Here's what I mean...

I'll get in very close, to the point where my opponent is almost leaning on me. I'll knock their lead hand down (regardless of if they're punching, reaching for a grab, grabbing, or even just have their hands up), and when they move in closer, I'll spin out, so to speak, while throwing the kick to the back of their head. Depending on how the opponent is moving, I'll either spin or throw a non-spinning hook kick to the back of the head. Either way, I'm pretty much shoulder to shoulder with the opponent. It only works if it's a fluid motion with no hesitation anywhere along the way.

I land that kick with very high frequency under those circumstances. There's two guys in the dojo who've told me they've been looking for it whenever I get close, but it still gets them every time. If I try to throw either of those two kicks under different conditions, it's more luck than anything else.

I wonder if those kicks are used at long range because it takes a lot of proficiency and flexibility to kick high and with fluidity at close range. I'm not sure I will ever develop that level of flexibility, not that I don't try.

Evading the spinning hook kick at close range is really tough. Sometimes one can see the shoulder move and try to move in the direction of the turn, but that reaction needs to be trained so that it's automatic (along with getting the hands up).

One other thing that I believe causes issues with range is the overemphasis on non-contact to light contact point sparring. People used to sparring in this manner learn to execute techniques at ranges well outside where they would be effective. I'm not saying that everyone needs to take up full contact sparring, but if that is not part of the sparring done at a school, then drills at close range should be done so that the practitioner can learn how close in he/she really needs to be for a technique to work.

[DaveB]

I mentioned a similar issue in a post earlier today. Understanding or lack thereof, of what is appropriate in various ranges is key to understanding much technique.

Back when I could kick I was a big fan of axe kicks in close or shifting suddenly to long range and throwing a long technique at an opponent who was blocking everything up close. The sudden change in frame of reference let the blow land every time, sometimes with devastating effect.

I trained with a lot of close quarter kung fu guys then, and they all thought long techniques and high kicks useless.

[sensei8]

Range, is of course, an important aspect of MA training. As with anything, it'll take time to understand its every nuances. Think of this, if only for a quick second, having improper range is akin to driving on the freeway going the wrong way; hectic as all get out!!

Imho, there's no such thing as any MA aspect being more important or being most important than another; they're all equal, and that means that they're equally vital to any MA practitioner.

How many parts are in a car? How ever many parts there are in a car, they're all equally important, and if they weren't, they'd not be part of the car, no matter how one might believe.

Is redundancy in the MA wrong? A 747 has so much dependency to their redundancy, and because there are so many in a 747, are you the passenger glad that they're all there. All equally doing their job, but only when it's required, and no sooner.

To close...to far...these two things must be eliminated from your training at all costs. Otherwise, there's no since in going outside; become that shut-in, afraid of their own shadows.

I'm a firm believer that the only way to understand range is through Kumite...and that means only one thing...DO IT A LOT...just as much as you breath, if not more.

At first, range is that mysterious and illusive monster, and it's roaring about like it wants to kill you. And that's pretty accurate! How do you kill the monster? Show it that you're not afraid of it, and the way to no longer fear it, is to engage with it over and over and over and so on and so forth.

At first, that monster will dodge and dart here and there; attacking you at will, and some of the monsters attack happened because of you. It's your fault...for the moment!!

However, the more that you stare that monster directly in its face, the more that monster will lose its glare. Then, in time, and that time is up to you, that monster will lose its bite...its roar...its intimidation...its motivation.

Your allied force will be your AHA moment. At that time, you'll wonder just what in the world was you thinking...or not thinking all of the time?! While that monster at first seemed so overwhelmingly large, it began to slowly shrink when you started doing Kumite much more often than anything else in the dojo. I'm not saying that Kumite should be more present than Kihon and Kate, and I do believe that the three K's should be equally trained...by all means. What I'm saying is that, if you don't Kumite A LOT, you'll never understand range...not now...not ever!!

Rant over! I now return you to whatever it was that you were doing a moment or two ago.

[JR 137]

For example, why are the high spinning kicks such low percentage and high risk techniques? They're being used wrong. Most people assume long range for them. I'll only throw a back spin kick (360 degree spin while throwing a hook kick) at very close range. Here's what I mean...

I'll get in very close, to the point where my opponent is almost leaning on me. I'll knock their lead hand down (regardless of if they're punching, reaching for a grab, grabbing, or even just have their hands up), and when they move in closer, I'll spin out, so to speak, while throwing the kick to the back of their head. Depending on how the opponent is moving, I'll either spin or throw a non-spinning hook kick to the back of the head. Either way, I'm pretty much shoulder to shoulder with the opponent. It only works if it's a fluid motion with no hesitation anywhere along the way.

I land that kick with very high frequency under those circumstances. There's two guys in the dojo who've told me they've been looking for it whenever I get close, but it still gets them every time. If I try to throw either of those two kicks under different conditions, it's more luck than anything else.

I wonder if those kicks are used at long range because it takes a lot of proficiency and flexibility to kick high and with fluidity at close range. I'm not sure I will ever develop that level of flexibility, not that I don't try.

Evading the spinning hook kick at close range is really tough. Sometimes one can see the shoulder move and try to move in the direction of the turn, but that reaction needs to be trained so that it's automatic (along with getting the hands up).

One other thing that I believe causes issues with range is the overemphasis on non-contact to light contact point sparring. People used to sparring in this manner learn to execute techniques at ranges well outside where they would be effective. I'm not saying that everyone needs to take up full contact sparring, but if that is not part of the sparring done at a school, then drills at close range should be done so that the practitioner can learn how close in he/she really needs to be for a technique to work.

My flexibility is horrible. I struggle to get roundhouse and side kicks to ribs level. Somehow, I can hook kick the back of the head of an opponent my height. The spinning hook kick is a bit trickier, but I can get that one up there too. For both of them, I've got to be pretty close; shoulder to shoulder, otherwise it doesn't work. Any further, and I'm hook kicking the ribs. No idea why or how; it just is. I hit a heavy bag 3 times a week, and I can't get anywhere near as high on it.

[Spartacus Maximus]

This realization came up after hearing the instructor reminded everyone to move into the attack, stay close and move the feet into one another making the stance narower. After all this time, the meaning of this suddenly started to make perfect logical sense. Understanding this principle improved every application learned so far. It still requires much more work, but at last how it works is clearer.

[GojuRyu Bahrain]

In a fairly recent moment of karate enlightenment, it became obvious that there is one very important, yet subtle fundamental point about kata application that is often overlooked. That is the role of distancing and range or how close one must be to the attacker to effectively apply a given technique.

Every single technique in kata has an optimum range and if it is too far, even by a few centimeters it will not work as intended. Only after practising application drills did it become clear. Whenever something did not work as intended or felt off, moving closer into the attacker made a very significant difference.

Excellent discovery! Distance is the most overlooked key to realistic Karate applications. Throws, chokes, strikes... I remember that our Karate (in my home-Dojo) improved dramatically at the time we discovered this truth. That was back around 1996ish...

Since then the maxim has been: step in, close the distance, stay there: Muchimi! Stick to the opponent like glue.

[sensei8]

In a fairly recent moment of karate enlightenment, it became obvious that there is one very important, yet subtle fundamental point about kata application that is often overlooked. That is the role of distancing and range or how close one must be to the attacker to effectively apply a given technique.

Every single technique in kata has an optimum range and if it is too far, even by a few centimeters it will not work as intended. Only after practising application drills did it become clear. Whenever something did not work as intended or felt off, moving closer into the attacker made a very significant difference.

Excellent discovery! Distance is the most overlooked key to realistic Karate applications. Throws, chokes, strikes... I remember that our Karate (in my home-Dojo) improved dramatically at the time we discovered this truth. That was back around 1996ish...

Since then the maxim has been: step in, close the distance, stay there: Muchimi! Stick to the opponent like glue.

To the bold type above...

Yeah...now we're talking!! A maxim after my own heart!!