Once more - with feeling
Karate is about constant learning- about yourself, about others, about your surroundings, about life in general. Far too often, students will simply go through an exercise mentally and not seek to find anything more in it than what it seems to be. If we only look at things on the physical level, we will find that our karate will not be as enjoyable and may even seem a bit tedious. Every once in a while, try throwing your mind towards something other than just a punch or a block or a kick.
How about 'feeling' through your techniques?
For the last few weeks, I have been trying to go beyond simply teaching the punchy-kicky thing as I find that even tires me after a while. I have thrown out awareness exercises for my students. My class on Saturday went one beyond that. using the technique to feel for motion in your opponent. When we were practising the renzoku kumite katas (specifically jo chu ge), I commented that one of the highest levels to work from is to be able to 'feel' you opponent moving through contact in the arm. Even the slightest motion sensed by the arm can be an indication that the opponent is shifting to attack.
Now, in terms of application, you are likely not going to stand toe to toe and cross forearms à la Enter the Dragon. However, in terms of using the extended limb as a feeling extension of yourself- do not close off the senses, the sensation within the hands, the arms, the legs, the feet. We can feel if something is hard or soft, hot or cold, dull or sharp with these 'instruments', so why not use the same 'feeling' for when you are working with a partner? Feel the angle and intensity of force from a block. feel the energy from an attack by hand or foot. get to know what that energy looks or feels like. You will come to learn how to perceive soft or hard attacks by the feeling of force, by the motion of the body. You will understand what works and what does not. you will understand the motion of techniques and feel for the subtlety of movements in such things as grabs or holds. Understanding how to read and 'feel' your opponent is of vital importance.
Here are some simple partner exercises to try to help you understand how 'feeling' not only with your hands and feet but with your whole body is useful.
1) stand in front of your partner, offer up an arm for them to grab. Now, close your eyes. Allow them to slowly move back and forth -side to side, forward and backward. Feel the difference in the sensation of that grab. Feel how the pressure changes. Have you partner switch hands and repeat. Switch roles and repeat.
2) Similar exercise to number one; close your eyes and allow your partner to grab your arm with either hand. Without looking, try to feel which hand is grabbing you left or right. Try to feel for the soft pressure spot (normally space between finger and thumb. Try to get out of the grip by moving your hand towards the soft space.
3) Have your partner stand behind you and place a hand on a shoulder. Looking straight ahead, feel the pressure of that hand on your shoulder. Close your eyes and have your partner move slowly from side to side, closer and further away. Feel how the pressure changes. Repeat the exercise using the other hand to grab, then switch shoulders. At the end, switch roles.
There are other exercises which will help you understand the basics of pressure and sensation, but these are a good start.
How did it work for you? What did you notice? How can you apply this sensation to your karate training? to your life?
Leave comment or drop me a line.
Meantime, good training to you!
How about 'feeling' through your techniques?
For the last few weeks, I have been trying to go beyond simply teaching the punchy-kicky thing as I find that even tires me after a while. I have thrown out awareness exercises for my students. My class on Saturday went one beyond that. using the technique to feel for motion in your opponent. When we were practising the renzoku kumite katas (specifically jo chu ge), I commented that one of the highest levels to work from is to be able to 'feel' you opponent moving through contact in the arm. Even the slightest motion sensed by the arm can be an indication that the opponent is shifting to attack.
Now, in terms of application, you are likely not going to stand toe to toe and cross forearms à la Enter the Dragon. However, in terms of using the extended limb as a feeling extension of yourself- do not close off the senses, the sensation within the hands, the arms, the legs, the feet. We can feel if something is hard or soft, hot or cold, dull or sharp with these 'instruments', so why not use the same 'feeling' for when you are working with a partner? Feel the angle and intensity of force from a block. feel the energy from an attack by hand or foot. get to know what that energy looks or feels like. You will come to learn how to perceive soft or hard attacks by the feeling of force, by the motion of the body. You will understand what works and what does not. you will understand the motion of techniques and feel for the subtlety of movements in such things as grabs or holds. Understanding how to read and 'feel' your opponent is of vital importance.
Here are some simple partner exercises to try to help you understand how 'feeling' not only with your hands and feet but with your whole body is useful.
1) stand in front of your partner, offer up an arm for them to grab. Now, close your eyes. Allow them to slowly move back and forth -side to side, forward and backward. Feel the difference in the sensation of that grab. Feel how the pressure changes. Have you partner switch hands and repeat. Switch roles and repeat.
2) Similar exercise to number one; close your eyes and allow your partner to grab your arm with either hand. Without looking, try to feel which hand is grabbing you left or right. Try to feel for the soft pressure spot (normally space between finger and thumb. Try to get out of the grip by moving your hand towards the soft space.
3) Have your partner stand behind you and place a hand on a shoulder. Looking straight ahead, feel the pressure of that hand on your shoulder. Close your eyes and have your partner move slowly from side to side, closer and further away. Feel how the pressure changes. Repeat the exercise using the other hand to grab, then switch shoulders. At the end, switch roles.
There are other exercises which will help you understand the basics of pressure and sensation, but these are a good start.
How did it work for you? What did you notice? How can you apply this sensation to your karate training? to your life?
Leave comment or drop me a line.
Meantime, good training to you!
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