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Taking this into account, and applying this to karate technical training as the Japanese do, and it is easy to see that most Western karate schools fall far short of these repetitions. In most
traditional dojo in Japan, the start of the class typically features 50-100 stationary chudan gyaku zuki or jodan kizami-zuki kara chudan gyaku-zuki, followed by the 30-50 stationary mae-geri each leg. I think that alone answers the 'magic question' (within many karate circles), “Why is the average Japanese karateka typically better?” It is certainly not because of their nationality, physique etc.., and this is proven by the many talented non-Japanese karateka all over the world. It is ‘how they train’, and this has three core dimensions: (1) The quality of training they receive (easier access to high class/gifted coaches) and greater larger pools of high quality training partners; (2) the cultural aspect of `just doing, not questioning’, whilst coming up through the grades (right up to and including the middle dan ranks). This is what I call the “Just shut up and train mentality”; and last, but certainly not least (3) "Mou ikkai"... The repetitions! Imagine the average `recreational’ Japanese karateka doing their 60 gyaku zuki per night (training say, a modest four nights a week). That’s 240 a week… 960 per month! This point cannot be overlooked.
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If a technique, kata or application is giving you trouble, just train until you get it right. Keep practicing and the answer will come, and if not, during your recovery times, seek advice and study. However, drop the `Western mindset' that study and mental understanding is training, because IT ISN'T. Everything understood by the mind most be done repetitively by the body. That is, to be effective, the motivation of the study/advice seeking must originate from physical training. Once mentally
© André Bertel. New Zealand, 2010.
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