'Moving From Zero To Maximum' SKM Editor, John Cheetham 5th Dan stresses the importance, especially for older karateka, of maintaining speed, impact-power and target accuracy moving from A to B with a lunging or stepping action. Here are 3 examples, all Jodan: Shuto uchi – Gyaku zuki and using the footwork step back and forward (kirikaeshi) for Oie zuki. #shotokan #karate #martialarts
We had a tremendous response to the last video featuring Shotokan Kata Sochin with & without a Bo, so here is another ‘informal' exercise of Shotokan Kata Meikyo with and without a Bo or Jo. This time with SKM Editor John Cheetham and SKM Secretary & Administrator Clare Worth, filmed recently in our own dojo. Many Shotokan Kata lend themselves to practise with the Bo or Jo. It’s a method of using the body action principles of the Kata with a stick in your hand. It’s simply a dojo training Kata – to the count. It’s nothing to do with formal Okinawan Bo work, we have no formal Bo training whatsoever. We are not experts, we just enjoy this training method with a variety of different Shotokan Kata. I asked my friend and long-time student, SKM’s Graphic Designer and Webmaster, Graeme Armitage.... “What do you personally get from practising the Bo version of the various Kata?” He said…
“It helps put my focus into the body movements and not my arms. For many of us the arms are like the conductor, they lead the Kata. The Bo takes away the ability of the arms to lead, which has the added benefit of relaxing the arms and shoulders where all this tension is. Ultimately using the bo allows you to feel how you should be doing the kata without the bo.”
That’s an interesting analysis and the key words for me are.. “relaxing the arms and shoulders where all this tension is’’... Ask any Pro Boxer, they'll offer the same advice. Good Health, Good Training. SKM Editor.
Many Shotokan Kata movements lend themselves very naturally to using the Bo or Jo. Here is an example of SOCHIN Kata with and without a Bo or Jo during a practice session filmed in 2017.
Left to right as you look at the screen, one of our dojo members and long-time student Kevin Medcalf, SKM Secretary Clare Worth (centre) and SKM webmaster & Graphic Designer, Graeme Armitage.
Practising Kata with the Bo or Jo gives a different perspective and is good coordination practice. Also, it gives the feeling that the body action generates the power with less emphasis on
too much muscle tension in the arms, shoulders, chest and neck etc, which is very common with many Shotokan students.
I think it’s good practice for making students relax more in their techniques and movements, because that’s how you make more power, not through tension.
Ask people who ‘really’ know about power transmission, e.g. someone like Peter Consterdine!
SKM Editor.
https://bit.ly/3gsPrTr
