Karate-Do Practice
Following are a selection of the main concepts and/or areas of practice when training with the ESKK®. some of these are traditional concepts derived from many generations of knowledge and experience. All should be considered not just via a literal understanding, but also by how they can be exploited in training or during combat:
Kata - The ‘Heart of Karate'
Kata means ‘form' and describes the various classical solo patterns conducted by the karate-ka (karate practitioner). These forms have been devised and developed by numerous masters of the past and their importance cannot be overstated. It is vital that each karate-ka looks deep into his/her kata to unlock the many secrets that they hold. The ESKK™ places great emphasis on the correct study of kata, with all techniques on the syllabus being derived from them. There are fifteen traditional forms practiced currently by the ESKK® and all are worthy of serious study.
‘Karate ni sente nashi'
‘Karate ni sente nashi' means that the Karate-ka should never attack first. Although at first this may contradict many of the methods learned in the ESKK®, many years of disciplined training are needed to fully understand this traditional concept. It is important, as a responsible Karate-ka, to maintain outstanding character and good will as a result of learning the many methods in the ESKK®. You are respected in the organisation as a responsible individual. It is essential that you too, fully respect this fact
‘Shin-gi-tai' - Shin (mind), Gi (technique) and Tai (body)
This is the ideal training precept for the martial artist. It means to train the mind, technique and body together as one. The ESKK® strives to transmit a ‘complete' art to all its dedicated students. By learning this way, you will work towards the necessary physical skills, good health and a strong mind – all of which are fully attainable.
Dojo
‘Dojo' means the ‘place where one studies the way'. Although the training in the ESKK® is very serious by nature, the atmosphere in the dojo should be fundamentally friendly and peaceful. There is no competitive structure within the dojo since each and every student trains to improve oneself, rather than to impress one another. There must be no malice or negative/aggressive energy in the dojo. Everyone is there to progress and to help others progress. Ultimately, the more experienced you are in Karate-Do, the calmer and humble you should become.
Sempai (Senior) and Kohai (Junior)
The spirit of sempai and kohai has nothing to do with age or grade, but more to do with experience. Every student will have his/her sempai (seniors) and kohai (juniors) and at the same time act as a sempai and kohai to others. It is the responsibility for each sempai to help those of lesser experience to move on and improve as both a Karate-ka and as a genuine person. In contrast, the kohai has the responsibility to listen with full intent, train hard and have a deep respect for his/her sempai as someone who is openly willing to help them grow as an individual.
On-Ko-Chi-Shin (Respect the past; create the new)
This is an old Japanese proverb that explains we should all aim to examine and take lessons from those masters who have gone before us, and then use our individual experience as a basis to create new knowledge and opinions thereafter. This maxim is summed up using the four kanji of On (温), Ko (故), Chi (知) and Shin (新) to remind us of the importance of not only respecting our past, but also of realising our own unique potential to expand and develop positively towards future growth.
Shu-Ha-Ri
Shu (守) Ha (破) Ri (離) is another term used in Japanese martial arts that represents the path taken by a student (with respect to his/her teacher) towards the lifelong individual mastery of an art. Each of the three characters define a particular stage of training that a student undergoes along with the teacher/student relationship that accompanies each part. All stages are mutually dependent on each other and therefore, no part is achievable without either the past experience or future aspiration of the others.
‘Shu’, means ‘to protect or obey’ and represents the initial/basic training for the karate-ka. During this process the student will attempt to copy the teacher just as a small child would copy their parent. Although their individual physical make-up may differ slightly, a large emphasis on correct or unwavering kihon is still encouraged in order for the student to develop ‘strong roots’ and a solid foundation.
‘Ha’ means ‘to detach or digress’ and describes the phase of training after a strong foundation is built and the student begins to break free from the binds of the fundamentals in order to apply the principles learned in ways more akin to their individual interpretation or aspirations. Here, the student starts to become more malleable and uses a questioning attitude to uncover answers that may have been previously ‘unclear’.
‘Ri’ represents the last part of training and means to ‘leave or separate’. This stage is widely misinterpreted to mean that the student becomes the expert and therefore no longer requires the teacher. In actual fact it’s not that the teacher becomes useless, it’s the role of the teacher that changes to more like that of a council or ‘detached observer’. The student has managed to absorb everything from the teacher and may even have surpassed him/her in both skill and knowledge. This is a very positive occurrence for both parties because it will mean that the art can constantly strive and flourish in a positive way. Without any students attaining this level, stagnancy of the art will surely set in. At this point in time, the student will most likely be a high ranking teacher in his/her own right and with their experience able to visualise a clear progression for the art that both the student and teacher have made a lifetime commitment to.
Osu
This is the audible sound (pronounced ‘oss’) to which students can be heard positively stating on entering the dojo and in response to a correction or request from their sensei.
Osu is a general term that can mean patience, respect and appreciation. It signifies perseverance towards challenge and the human will to never give up. When you pronounce the word osu, you are pledging to your teacher, your colleagues, your dojo and yourself that you will do whatever it takes to improve both physically and mentally during your journey in karate.
Nagasu, Inasu & Noru
These are three traditional strategies derived from Wado Ryu Karate and describe the most effective ways in which to respond and intercept attacks. These methods are great examples of how it becomes possible through proper training for a physically smaller person to overcome a much larger adversary by using their own force against them.
Nagasu represents the efficient body evasion through flowing movement. As the names suggests, the technique of nagashizuki employs this strategy in action.
Inasu describes the principle of interception. It could mean counter attacking simultaneously or even attacking as your opponent starts his attack. Inasu uses the opponent's movement and body weight in order to break balance and by combining this with ‘nagasu’ can build very effective response tactics.
Noru emphasises the fact that it’s best not to resist your opponents attack, but to bend with it and use your own bodyweight for maximum effect in order to control or unbalance your attacker’s posture. A good analogy of noru can be obtained by considering the action of bamboo in a storm. The stalk will bend as the wind provides resistance, but will spring back with force as soon as an ‘opening’ occurs.
Zanshin (Remaining mind/spirit)
Zanshin means to stay alert and focused throughout training or combat and does not necessarily involve the direction in which one is looking, or simply even the condition of your mind just after an altercation. It means being aware of the possibility that an attack can occur at any time whatsoever without being ‘over paranoid’.
Seme (Pressure)
This is the mental pressure, which is used to accentuate your physical movements in karate. This is especially important to consider when retreating. Even though your physical presence may be moving away from your antagonist, your mental presence is still pushing forwards in order to cause stress. Similar to a small pit bull terrier; it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog that matters most. Seme is the controlled application of mental assertion, rather than a display of unrestrained aggression.
Shoshin (Beginner's mind)
Shoshin is an important concept to appreciate, especially as your skill and experience in karate grows. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceptions when studying a particular subject, even when studying at a more advanced level or if that subject had been studied many times in the past. Just as a beginner absorbs knowledge like a sponge, so too should those who are more experienced, accept that although strived for daily, perfection is impossible for anyone to reach. There’s always the possibility to learn more and whilst studying with others, you should try to refrain from clinging on to preconceived ideas or opinions that just end up impeding your overall absorbsion of knowledge.
Mushin (No mind)
This is a state that highly trained martial artists and able to enter during combat and is achieved when a fighter feels no anger, fear or ego during combat. There is an absence of discursive thought and therefore an ability to act freely without hesitation. It relies on not what a person thinks to be the right action, but rather what they intuitively and spontaneously feel to be correct.
Kiai (Union of energy)
Usually accompanied with a loud audible shout that eminates from the hara (belly), kiai represents an explosion of energy as all physical and mental components of a particular technique come together. Just like an explosion though, it is not the sound that causes the damage, but the energy that’s released. Therefore a noise is not always necessarily produced.
Sen (Initiative)
Sen is word that represents the ‘window of opportunity’ that the karate-ka uses to exploit an opponent’s weakness. It is used in three ways to describe the intervals of interception that are possible when faced with an antagonist and all are based on a thorough understanding of the natural rhythm that occurs when to combatants face each other.
Go no sen means to seize the initiative later by allowing your opponent the chance to attack first, thus opening up a potential target for counter-attacks. This should not be confused with submissiveness or weakness, but a strategy that mindfully draws your antagonist in and turns the tables in a blink of an eye.
Sen no sen means to seize the initiative earlier, attacking at the same time as your opponent and intercepting their force in order to maximise your own attack. Sen no sen used the principle of collision, which states that two opposing forces that collide will produce a force far greater than each could individually.
Sen sen no sen means to seize the initiative by pre-emption, before your opponent can launch a physical attack. This principle is used to great effect in self-protection and should form the bedrock of your combat strategy. It should not be confused with simply attacking someone, since you are responding to the intent of an attack. If you truly believe that your safety is at risk then using sen sen no sen is the only real option that can maximise your chances of success. All other options require your opponent to first launch a physical attack and because of this, they should be used only as ‘secondary’ or ‘support’ options.
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