Functional Karate: 05/01/2005

11 May 2005

Sweden checkpoints

Sanchin dachi Ido Kihon
1) Kentsui - arm slightly higher to defend face
2) Shuto uchi - hand straight, not bend back like Sepai
3) Checkpoint kakete hand position (hand vertical)
4) Urai uchi - Arms to side then strike central
5) Tzuki age chudan - arm horizontal then raise by one fist thickness
6) Shotei uke - More like turning pages- elbows inside
7) Uchi uke - keep shoulders level
8) Finish each technique with weight down - hips "joined"

Jitte Checkpoints
1) Shikodachi turning on centre of foot
2) Lower and longer stance when moving R Foot across - will assist in embusen finishing on start point.

Bassai Dai Checkpoints
1) Kosa dachi left foot 45 degrees (behind right)
2) Open hand LH assase uke - slip forward to trigger motion
3) Turning 180 degrees to LH yoko uke. L arm yoko uke - elbow finishes pointing inward (to belt knot)
4) RH yoko uke (kihon dachi) as 3
5) Smaller foot movement (bring R foot in only halfway) remember heel turn on L foot
6) Keep R arm inside line of body when catching kick, do not bring back behind line of body when following through. Finish soto hachiji dachi
7) Nekoashi dachi soto uke - move r arm and right leg before twisting L foot - promotes hips ensure R arm does not flex
8) Soto hachiji dachi kensui -> zenkutsu dachi jodan tzuki LA: Two moves R foot, 1 move L foot
9) Returning to sotohachiji dachi: Bend R Leg to spring up - no footwork for this move
10) Move across to RL Nekoashi dachi Gedan shuto: Ensure R foot does not move too far left
11) Arm Break: RH more away from body - on opponent's elbow
12) Turning Kihon Dachi -> Nekoashi Dachi chudan shuto: Bend RL for weight transfer. Use hip rotation - keep upper body in same vertical line. Heel turn still important. RH is performing empi uchi to rearward opponent. Hips basically perform two actions
13) Zenkutsu dachi double hikite (hands with backs uppermost) then shuffle to shiko dachi chudan tzuki
14) Heisuko dachi -> Shiko dachi kage tzuki. Use last part of footwork to promote hips, not first part. Kihon/Zenkutsu as midpoint before shiko dachi
15) Hand over hand: both feet shift within stance in order to promote hips.
16) Yama tzuki - get fist positioning more accurate
17) Gedan barai/flip down is two techniques. Block of kick then strike to groin.

About Mike

Though he studied Judo for five years as a junior, it was not until 2001 that Mike began training in Kusano-ha-Shitoryu Karate with Paul Ferris (at that time 5th Dan and Chief Instructor of Kenshikan England).

Mike was awarded his 1st Dan in 2004. and the rank of Shidoin-Ho in 2005. He taught classes in traditional Karate weekly during 2006-2008 and is still in contact with some of his students and fellow training partners from Kusano-ha.

Mike trains regularly with other martial artists and focusses on the practical applications of Karate for self defence purposes.

Introduction to Functional Karate

Developed from Chinese boxing and Okinawan wrestling systems, Karate was originally called just "Te", meaning hand. It is likely that Karate's original pioneers were well educated and respected people such as law-enforcers and the bodyguards of dignitaries.

The meaning of the term "Kara-te" was changed from "Chinese hand" to "Empty hand" in the early 1900s and, in a modified form, the art was introduced to the Japanese school system as a way of developing fit and healthy, disciplined students. It was this transition from the backyards of Okinawa to the schools and dojo of Japan - and ultimately the western world - which ensured Karate's survival as an art, but relegated many of its most effective techniques and training methods to obscurity.

Modern trends for reality-based martial arts are now helping to boost the profiles of those karate practitioners who look closely at their own art, are not afraid to question tradition and who have discovered the brutal effectiveness held within.

In this blog I put into words some of my training notes and also I include links to other karate-ka who are helping to bring functional Karate back into the world, albeit with modern training methods.