Shoshin 初心

This article also appears in our Autumn 2018 newsletter.

I consider the topic important enough to try reaching an even larger audience.

def: SHOSHIN  初心

A word from Zen Buddhism meaning ‘beginner's mind’.  It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.

 (This article reflects a pet peeve of mine.  Many martial artists know they’re so right that they refuse to look at any other possibilities.)

I’ve met senior Black Belts who say that bunkai (analysis and breakdown of techniques) is a lot of bunk; that they would never use some of the grabs, locks, chokes, and takedowns found in kata; that their response to any attack would be a block - punch/kick counterattack.  They’re not entirely wrong.  These simple, basic responses are called kihon, which means: basics.  Kihon is so important that it’s practiced every class.  Just don’t tell me that you’re a Black Belt of only basics and can’t handle anything more complex.  Kata (forms) include advanced combinations which must be practiced to work properly.  You choose not to work it?  Fine for you, and congratulations on your limited Black Belt abilities.

I’ve had students tell me that they disagree with a series of moves in kata.  “I don’t think that would work.  I’d rather do it this way.”  Congratulations on being such an expert White Belt that you can challenge the wisdom of Karate masters passed down through the ages.  In a street attack, you can always modify a technique to fit the situation.  Generally, it’s easier to do less of a complex combination than try to add more to your limited training.  Study the syllabus as presented.  Utilize it as needed.

Have an open, eager mind, with no preconceptions when studying Karate.  Take it all in.  It’s better to handle a street attack with your vast understanding of techniques than to struggle with your limited knowledge.  For the record, there are movements in kata that I still don’t fully understand, or disagree with after more than 40 years of Shotokan training.  I still practice the moves anyway.  Perhaps I’ll understand them or make them work for me down the road.  If I abandon a move now, I’ll never get it right.   

The correct way to perform kicks

It’s not unusual for martial arts students to use incorrect technique while kicking.  You might see it in the dojo, or even online in photos and YouTube videos.

I first studied Tae Kwon Do, a style noted for high kicks.  Often, the way to kick higher was to lean further back.  The reason given made perfect sense, especially when practicing kicks slowly.  You want to lean your head, shoulders, and upper body back in order to stay in balance as your leg and lower body thrusts forward and upward.  This does a good job of keeping your body upright and balanced as you kick, but there’s one problem:  What happens to your balance when you connect with your target?  You might feel recoil from hitting something/someone which knocks you backwards and off perfect balance.  Also, you lose much forward drive/force by leaning back as you kick forward.

The problem and solution are shown in these two photos.  Side kick is demonstrated here, but the concept works for front kick, round kick, etc.: 

Photo 1 shows the kicker clearly leaning back, with his head and shoulders far behind the standing leg (dotted line), and both hands held close to the body.  You see almost a straight line from his leading side to his leg and foot.  He has a bend by his standing hip.  This posture is the reverse of what you want.  The line from his rear shoulder down to his standing foot should be as straight as possible, with a bend at his kicking hip with hands held forward (see Photo 2). 

In general, one should not feel ‘in balance’ when kicking.  You should feel as if you’ll fall forward, so your force goes

forward, into your opponent.  What stops you from falling forward?  Your pullback should be as fast, or faster, than your kick.  This regains your balance, uprights your body, prevents your leg from being grabbed, and centers you for your next technique.

Of course, the opposite is true when doing techniques like back kick.  The body should not lean forward, instead, remain upright with your head and arms facing the rear as you kick back.  Try the ideas presented in this blog entry.  See how much more power you get out of your kicks.

*Photos and editing assistance courtesy of Kyle M Rabin

Some updated details on my 'family tree'

Please note: I refer to people by name, and not title, in this blog post. No offense meant; it just saves time and effort repeatedly titling everyone ‘Sensei’, ‘Shihan’, ‘Master’, ‘Kyoshi’, etc.

June has been a fascinating month for me.  It began with a Facebook post asking for further information on my Karate ‘family tree’.  Joe Butrim (8^th Dan, trained in Kenkojuku since 1959) phoned and offered to put me in touch with Art McConnell (7^th Dan, trained in Kenkojuku since 1961). This led to a few lengthy phone calls where I heard stories about John Slocum (head of Samurai Dojo, Queens NY, in the 1960s). I also discovered that my particular lineage from Mike Hatgis and Rudy Goldmann actually stemmed from Burk Bailey, age 82, a private, retired gentleman. I sent a letter to Bailey requesting details; let’s see if he responds.

The Facebook post also brought some comments and details from Joe Turchiano, Barry Wicksman, Stu Hirschfield, Brian Fey, and Eddie Domagala. My hearty thanks to all these gentlemen for their information.

It surprised me that several times I was told not to post this information on social media. Sounds pretty cloak-and-dagger to me. Some stories did raise eyebrows, but nothing earth shattering. In a later conversation with Joe Butrim, he explained two things:

1-      Many early Kenkojuku people are private. For whatever reason they haven’t mentioned it, I have no business publicly airing their laundry.
2-      These stories are shared orally among those in the association. I can tell my students these historical tidbits, but they must not share online.

Our next quarterly Black Belt workout will be on Monday, July 23^rd, when I will share stories with our yudansha in attendance. See you there.

Shoulders' Width

One of our high Black Belts was on extended hiatus due to his work hours.  I know his nature and was not concerned - he practices diligently on his own.  He also ponders different ideas, formulates alternate bunkai, and generally keeps his mind active.  One day he returned to class with a deep revelation: We know that many stances and yoi have the feet shoulders’ width apart.  He asked if shoulders’ width is measured from instep to instep, mid-foot to mid-foot, or blade to blade.  It’s only a 2” or 4” difference on each foot, an 8” total difference at maximum, but it adds up to a dramatic difference.  He felt that proper width is most effective when the outer blades of both feet are within the shoulders’ width.  A very valid analysis which we realized long ago.

New students’ front stances are often too narrow.  They’re used to walking; a stride that is much narrower than shoulders’ width.  I would lightly sweep the outer ankle on their lead leg (deashi barai), causing them to lose balance, immediately showing where their balance is weak.  So if shoulders’ width is good, then wider must be better, right?   Too wide is just as bad.  I’d then sweep the inner ankle of their lead leg and they’d pitch forward off balance.  The best front stance and fighting stance for maximum stability and flexibility has the front foot and knee in alignment, with the blade of the foot within shoulders’ width.  The rear leg is straight or bent, depending on the stance, with the blade of that foot within shoulders’ width as well.  Another way I’ll show students proper width is to have them move forward with an oi zuki (forward punch).  I’ll go behind them and lightly push between their shoulder blades.  The body pitches forward and they involuntarily move their foot inward to regain balance.  I explain this is their proper width.  The front knee/foot acts as a ‘stopper’ so the body doesn’t pitch forward with the force of the forward moving punch.  When you punch an object, there is an opposite recoil reaction on the body.  With improper stance width the punch is weak and the student is knocked off balance.  Anyone who has fired a gun understands the idea of recoil and proper stance. 

Okinawan kobujutsu (weapons) master Toshihiro Oshiro-shihan teaches forward stance with the front and rear leg in a straight line (no width).  He says the footwork and body should be aligned with the bo, sai, eaku, or whatever weapon for maximum effectiveness.  If the opponent moves, he changes direction by swiftly moving his feet in a ‘two-step’ manner to keep his body and weapon aligned with the opponent.  With our Shotokan shoulders’ width stance, our punch can vary left or right by as much as 30 degrees and still be within alignment of our stance.  A quick shift of either our front or rear leg (or both) can easily change our body’s direction. 

In Japanese kobudo, we generally hold a bo in thirds.  I even have a 6-foot practice bo taped off at the 2-foot and 4-foot marks.  Students are taught to keep their hands within the middle two feet, with their pinkie fingers touching the tape.  They can then easily rotate the bo around their bodies with minimal arm movements.  The wider their grip on the bo the more their arms, elbows, and shoulders move, the larger the bo arcs, and the harder it is to control.  If narrow grip is good, then much narrower must be even better.  Not so.  Narrower grip does allow you to rotate the bo faster, but with far less control.  We’ve seen Sport Karate tournaments where the competitor twirls the bo, tosses it in the air, and catches it like a baton.  In traditional competition we say you released your weapon leaving you disarmed, lost control, and were killed (OK- too harsh- disqualified).  As traditional martial artists we are concerned with the functionality of the weapon, not the acrobatics.  By the way, holding a 6-foot bo within the middle thirds is approximately shoulders’ width.  Coincidence?

"Kyu" (級) and "Dan" (段) Ranks

"Kyu" (級) indicates 'class', or 'grade'. "Dan" (段) indicates 'level', or Americanized as 'degree'. The following article appeared in the Autumn 1997 edition of Dō Gakuin News:

The difference between Black Belt (Dan) ranks and underbelt (Kyu) ranks can be related to class grades in school. When a child is in first grade s/he is called a first grader. The child has not yet learned the entire first grade curriculum. On completing first grade the child becomes a second grader, even though s/he has not yet learned second grade material. Being a second grader actually means the child has completed first grade and can now work on second grade material.

Kyu (under Black Belt) ranks in Karate work much the same way. A student begins training and is given White Belt. This means the student is now working within the White Belt curriculum. On successful performance during Shinsa (rank examination), the student is awarded Yellow Belt and may now work within that curriculum.

Sho Dan-ho is the first Black Belt rank (apprentice first degree, or level). This only means the student has graduated Brown Belt and now begins working on Black Belt material. After a minimum of one year's training, the student then tests for Sho Dan (full first degree) on this Black Belt material. Unlike Kyu ranks and Sho Dan-ho, where the student now first works on material within that rank, a Sho Dan has earned the rank and is a full first degree. To simplify the difference: an underbelt wears the rank they're working on, full Black Belts wear the rank they have achieved.