Karate The Art of "Empty-Hand" Fighting. Hidetaka Nishiyama
concentration of strength
To perform any kind of heavy physical work, concentration of strength is necessary. Even a great amount of strength will accomplish little if it is dispersed. By the same token a small amount of strength, properly concentrated, can be quite powerful. It is no exaggeration to say that the practice of most karate techniques is the practice of concentration of strength at the proper time and at the proper place. The following principles are basic:
a. Other things being equal, the shorter the time a striking force is applied, the more effective it is. This element of concentration in terms of time is very important in karate, for it enables one to move immediately into the next technique.
b. The greater the number of muscles brought into play in performing a given movement, the greater the concentration of strength. The force which can be exerted by the hands or feet acting alone is relatively small; therefore, the muscular power of the whole body should be exerted in such a way that this strength is concentrated at the point of impact.
c. Maximum concentration of body strength depends on effective utilization of the resultant of forces produced by exertion of the various muscles. When the muscles are properly coordinated, the resultant force is greater; when they act in opposite directions, it is lessened.
d. Concentration of strength depends not on simultaneous exertion of all the body muscles, but on their exertion in the proper order. The muscles of the abdominal and pelvic region are powerful but slow, whereas those of the extremities are fast but weak. In order to concentrate the force of both sets of muscles, those of the abdomen and hips must be brought into play first, and this force transferred to the point of impact, either in the hands or feet. This accounts for the common saying in karate to move the hips first and the hands and feet last.
utilizing reaction-force
This refers to the well-known principle of physics that to every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. This principle finds wide use in karate; for example, in punching out with one hand, the other hand is simultaneously withdrawn to the hip, adding reaction-force to the punching hand. Running or jumping is made possible by pressing downward with the opposite foot. This is an important feature in karate where, for example, in punching, the rear leg is pressed hard against the floor, and the resulting reaction-force is passed through the body and arm to the striking hand, adding force to the punch. In even more complex fashion, when the hand actually strikes the target, the shock of the blow is passed through the body to the legs and floor and then is reversed back to the punching hand, adding further force to the blow.
use of breath control
It is well-known that exhaling aids in contracting the muscles, while inhaling tends to relax the muscles. This finds direct application in karate, where the breath is sharply exhaled during the execution of techniques and inhaled after their completion.
Since karate involves direct contact between two or more human beings, psychological factors play an important role. In many cases the psychologically stronger party wins even when he is out-matched physically. Although this psychological conditioning comes about naturally—until it is almost second nature—in the course of karate training, the examples given below, which embody ancient concepts handed down from the past, offer valuable avenues of approach.
mizu no kokoro (a mind like water)
This term, along with the one in the following section, was emphasized in the teachings of the ancient karate masters. Both refer to the mental attitude required while facing an actual opponent. Mizu no kokoro refers to the need to make the mind calm, like the surface of undisturbed water. To carry the symbolism farther, smooth water reflects accurately the image of all objects within its range, and if the mind is kept in this state, apprehension of the opponent's movements, both psychological and physical, will be both immediate and accurate, and one's responses, both defensive and offensive, will be appropriate and adequate. On the other hand, if the surface of the water is disturbed, the images it reflects will be distorted, or by analogy, if the mind is preoccupied with thoughts of attack or defense, it will not apprehend the opponent's intentions, creating an opportunity for the opponent to attack.
tsuki no kokoro (a mind like the moon)
This concept refers to the need to be constantly aware of the totality of the opponent and his movements, just as moonlight shines equally on everything within its range. With the thorough development of this attitude, the consciousness will be immediately aware of any opening in the opponent's defenses. Clouds blocking the light of the moon are likened to nervousness or distractions which interfere with correct apprehension of the opponent's movements and make it impossible to find an opening and to apply the proper techniques.
unity of mind and will
To use a modern analogy, if the mind is compared to the speaker of a telephone, the will is like the electric current. No matter how sensitive the speaker is, if there is no electric current, no communication takes place. Similarly, even if you correctly apprehend the movements of your opponent and are conscious of an opening, if the will to act on this knowledge is lacking, no effective technique will be forthcoming. The mind may find an opening, but the will must be activated in order to execute the technique called for.
focus (kime)
Briefly,"focus" in karate refers to the concentration of all the energy of the body in an instant on a specific target. This involves not only concentration of physical strength but also the type of mental concentration described above. There is no such thing as a focus lasting for any measurable length of time. Since successful karate depends entirely on effective concentration of body strength, focus is extremely important, and without it karate would become nothing more than a form of dancing. This principle will appear frequently in the following pages, so a clear understanding of it at this point is desirable. To further analyze the concept of focus, take the technique of punching as an example. In reverse punching, the fist is thrust straight out from the body and simultaneously the hips are twisted in the direction of the punch so as to transmit the strength of the hips and trunk to the face of the fist, augmenting its speed and power. Of course, speed and power must be carefully balanced, i.e., sacrificing speed by exerting too much power into the arm or body must be avoided. Also, the breath control principle explained above plays an important part in focusing, i.e., the breath should be sharply exhaled at the moment of impact. And, of course, there must be an accompanying mental attitude reflecting this total concentration of the body's strength. As the fist nears the target its speed is increased to its maximum point, and at the moment of impact the muscles of the entire body are tensed. The effect of this is that speed is transformed into power, and the strength of the entire body is concentrated for an instant at the fist. This, in essence, is what "focus" in karate means.
It should not be forgotten that this maximum exertion of energy is instantaneous and in the next instant is withdrawn in preparation for the next movement, i.e., the muscles are relaxed, the breath inhaled, and a position appropriate for the next technique assumed. A karate technique which is not focused is ineffective and so much wasted effort.
responsing (hen-ō)
This karate concept refers to the correct apprehension of the opponent's movements and the conscious adoption of the proper techniques in accordance with them. Both parts of this process are performed as a single momentary act and appear to an onlooker almost as a reflex action. It is this character of karate that creates self-confidence in its practitioner, i.e., he knows that his mind-directed reflexes don't have to "think" what to do.
4 organization of karate techniques