押忍
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| Kumite with my student Lyall Stone. Lyall was in the group of my first students to achieve Shodan. |
基本 (KIHON)
Tachikata practice… “Fronting up with the front stance”…
1.
Zenkutsu-dachi
with various unsoku: forward, rearward, leftward and rightward, diagonally
forward and backward, and with all the variations of tenshin.
In particular, I’m really focusing on projecting my ‘front stance’
forward during
all footwork; furthermore, during the various transitions
into shomen/zenmi,
hanmi and gyaku-hanmi.
Foundational tsukiwaza and enpiuchi no waza:
2.
Chudan choku-zuki (Shizentai).
3.
Chudan oi-zuki (From zenkutsu-dachi,
gedan-barai).
4.
Jodan kizami-zuki (Stationary
zenkutsu-dachi).
5.
Chudan gyaku-zuki (Stationary
zenkutsu-dachi).
6.
Jodan kizami-zuki kara chudan
gyaku-zuki (Stationary zenkutsu-dachi).
7.
Asai Sensei enpi-uchi combination
no. 1
8.
Asai Sensei enpi-uchi combination
no. 2
My main objective at present is to move as naturally as possible:
SHIZEN-KARATE (I will upload an article about this soon). In particular, with relaxation of muscles, full use of shime on
the joints, and speed with precision.
Freestyle kihon:
From jiyu-dachi with a freestyle kamae transiting through
zenkutsu-dachi (Keriwaza kara tsukiwaza).
9.
Chudan mae-geri keage kara chudan
oi-zuki.
10. Chudan mawashi-geri kara jodan gyaku-zuki.
11. Chudan ushiro-geri kekomi kara chudan gyaku-zuki.
To sum up my ‘main focus’ with these three renzokuwaza, which I am currently working on is as follows: (a) A high and tight knee chambering; (b) Relaxed ‘whip action of each
keriwaza; (c) Trajectory in combination with tai no shinshuku—not strictly classical
but practical hip ‘extension’ whilst still ‘getting the weight into each keriwaza’;
and (d) The descension/compression and expansion for the follow up tsukiwaza…
There is much more to this last point as it also entails a high level of
situational awareness which, needless to say, I’m always constantly working on.
組手 (KUMITE)
Application
of the aforementioned ‘legs followed by hands’ in the context of DEAI;
furthermore, the extension of training via the switching of legs and setting of
the hips to control maai. Overall, the waza must have destructive power (in
reality), which is consistently reliable. In this regard, the use of energy and
fluidity/adaptability is of special importance in this training. In sum,
techniques will be combatively unreliable if they can only be used in a
specific context with maximum impact power. This is my current focus in my
kumite training.
型 (KATA)
Today my kata training consisted of Heian Shodan, Heian Nidan, Bassai Dai and Raiko. However, I’ve also been covering all of the other kata in my general training.
More than
‘what kata I am doing each day’, my use of energy has been my major focus. I’m
sure that you have already recognized that this is perfectly in harmony with my
current kihon and kumite training: of course, that is not coincidental. My target
is always ‘gaining results based on evidence as opposed to feeling(s). This is
why, as a coach, the demand for my teaching is high. The fact is that high
level training combined with evidence-based analysis not only gets results—it keeps getting increasingly the individuals skill-level. I am not bragging about this but, rather,
stressing the need for karateka to also follow this methodology for themselves (if
they don’t already). Any other way is literally like taking a long and complex journey
without a map or means of accurate navigation. I will say it again, training
and teaching must be scientific. YES to the knowledge of the past: TRADITION. But also YES to CONTEMPORARY KNOWLEDGE. People ask why I always improve and this is
the answer. Don’t get fooled by talk and gimmicks. Many people now have all
sorts of ideas and articulate them well. As Mike Tyson says: “Everyone has a
plan until they get punched in the face”. I'll leave that there…
I’d
like to make one more comment, in regards to optimal kata training. Everyone is
limited with kata including myself (that is, no one can master all of the kata,
if we are talking about ‘karate as bujutsu’/’kata to enhance one’s combative ability’);
therefore, “…specialization in one to three kata (which is the ‘traditional way’)
is optimal. That being said, ‘training generally’ is also a good practice, and
is particularly essential for lower dan practitioners and instructors”. Let me reiterate… Kata
training for instructors and lower level yudansha is twofold: (1) Tokui-gata—specialized kata practice
(including complete oyo/bunkai); and (2) Broad practice.
What’s
interesting about the broad training—besides maintaining general knowledge (which
is obviously important when coaching others and ‘adding some spice to daily
practice’)—is that “…every so often it results in karateka 'bringing in a new
kata' into their tokui group.” This happens for several reasons, the most obvious
being: (a) an increase in technical maturity/skill/knowledge; (b) aging;
(c) injury/illness; (d) a recognition that another kata is better suited or
more useful for their ‘jissen-kumite development’, and so forth. For example, I can name many senpai here in Japan
whose tokui-gata were Unsu, Sochin or Gojushiho Sho in their youth, but now
their ‘tokui’ are kata such as Meikyo, Jiin, Chinte, Hangetsu and so on.
One
might say this is because of ‘competition’ which certainly has some merit;
however, from my own training and discussion with these seniors, the main
reason is ‘fighting style’/practical application of their kata (via their self-training
and corresponding research). Certainly, age and injuries come into play; however,
as also said above, technical maturity is also a major factor. This highlights
an important saying in Shotokan: “The depth of one’s karate is found in the
most simple waza and kata”. As I’ve stated in the past, “An Olympic gymnast within
a few seconds of observation can make an Unsu jump better than any karateka;
yet, to make a good oi-zuki will take them years of training”.
I hope from what I’ve outlined today—via providing you with my current self-training regime—shows a seamless line connecting Kihon, Kumite and Kata; moreover, that you can see a tangible formula for literally improving your karate prowess irrespective of where you are presently.
Greetings from Oita City, Kyushu,
Japan.
アンドㇾ バーテル
© André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2021).
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