Positive and Negative in Accord

Positive and Negative in Accord

The Use of the Entire Body in Karate

Imagine two karate-ka training kumite with each other and opponent “A” steps in with an oi-zuki (lunge punch) to the chest area of opponent “B”. What would a casual observer to this exchange answer if asked, “what did opponent “A” hit opponent “B” with?” The obvious answer would probably be “his fist”, but what about the idea that opponent “A” hit opponent “B” with his opposite hip, or perhaps his rear foot? The effectiveness of karate techniques comes not only from the part of the body that makes contact with your opponent, the “active” side, but from the effective utilization of the opposite, or “negative” side of the body.

The first introduction to this principle for the new karate-ka is the hikite, or draw hand. It is the movement of this opposite hand that increases the effectiveness of the technique being delivered, whether it’s a punch, strike, or block, by assisting in the rotation of the hips, increasing the speed and therefore the power in the technique, and providing balance and stability.

Another principle that is stressed early on is that of muscle relaxation. In Shotokan karate, we are taught that the main difference between a beginner and an advanced student is the speed at which the student can relax. Taken further, the advanced student, after many years of training and countless repetition, will develop the ability to control their muscle relaxation/tension among different muscle groups at the same time.

Combined with the principle of utilizing the “negative” side of the body that was mentioned earlier, the karate-ka is able to perform a technique and achieve the greatest effect possible with the minimum amount of effort.

Returning to the opening scenario of the oi-zuki, we can see how these concepts are brought together effectively. The power for this technique comes from the rapid and straight movement of the entire body forward. As a learning aid, we are taught to “hit with the hips” in executing an oi-zuki. To completely describe the actions of every muscle group during the execution of a proper oi-zuki would take pages of text and thousands of words, so for the sake of simplicity, we will focus on the major movements of the technique. Another important note is that the “negative” or “positive” side of a technique does not only mean left or right, but can also describe the actions of the top and bottom half of the body.

As the karate-ka face off, relaxed but alert to each other’s movements, opponent “A” sees an opportunity to deliver his oi-zuki. He is in a high front stance with his left leg forward and his right leg to the rear. In a fraction of a second, he tenses the muscles of the left leg, pulling his body forward, while simultaneously tensing the muscles of the right leg, pushing himself forward. His upper body and arms remain relaxed. The left foot will not leave the ground during the execution of this movement but after the initial thrust forward, the right foot will leave the ground and the karate-ka will relax the muscles of the right leg. As the right leg steps through, the left leg will switch from pulling to pushing and he begins the forward motion of the right hand towards his target. Up to this point the emphasis has been on the lower part of the body, which can be viewed as the “negative” side, but is providing the majority of the thrust and power for the end of the technique. Continuing with the technique, our karate-ka’s left hand begins to retract into hikite (draw hand) and his right hip is now in line with his left and will remain full face during final impact. As the right arm fully extends toward the center line of the body and the fist meets its target, the left hand is fully drawn back into hikite and this new “negative” side of the body, along with the firm planting of the left foot which provides a solid connection with the ground, allows the karate-ka to deliver the full shock and impact of the punch from the ground up and through the arm and out from the first two knuckles of the right hand.

It is important to note that any error in correct form will result in a technique that is weaker or perhaps totally ineffective. For example, tensing the upper body during forward motion may result in a decrease in speed to the target, therefore reducing power. Perhaps the left heel comes off the ground, assuming all other aspects of the technique are done properly, the punch will lack full power as the energy is reflected back into the body and out through the back heel.

Let’s examine another technique, the gyaku-zuki or reverse punch. The power behind this technique comes from the rapid rotation of the hips and torso from a half-face position, to a full face position. It is important to note that having the shoulders square to the target does not automatically translate into the hips being square to the target, so focusing on full rotation is a must. The rotation for this technique is assisted by the movement of the opposite hand into hikite position. As the hips begin to rotate forward, the right hand begins its forward motion and the left hand pulls backwards. The upper body is still fairly relaxed at this point and the both feet are firmly gripping the floor. It is likely that in a kumite situation, the right knee is slightly bent and as the right hand begins its forward movement, the muscles of the right leg tense and begin to straighten the leg, as well as propel the right hip forward. Just as in the oi-zuki, at the moment of impact there is a split second where the entire body tenses and then immediately relaxes, ready to move again.

Again, proper form is essential to the effectiveness of this technique, particularly in regards to rotation of the hips and the planting of the rear foot. Of course there must also be correct form in the hand and arm delivering the punch, but notice how much importance is placed on the proper coordination and utilization of all the other parts of the body that don’t come in direct contact with the target! A good drill for students that illustrates this point is to perform several gyaku-zukis on a makiwara without using hikite, or perhaps raising the heel of the back foot. After doing several of these and then doing them properly, the difference in power and effectiveness will be apparent. As students progress in their training, they will transition through these stages:

1. Unconscious incompetence

The student neither understands or knows how to do something, nor recognizes the deficit or has a desire to address it.

2. Conscious incompetence

Though the student does not understand or know how to do something, he or she does recognize the deficit, without yet addressing it.

3. Conscious competence

The student understands or knows how to do something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires a great deal of consciousness or concentration.

4. Unconscious competence

The student has had so much practice with a skill that it becomes "second nature" and can be performed easily (often without concentrating too deeply).

* Please read the attached addendum for additional information regarding this learning model.

As instructor trainees, it is important for us to recognize this and ensure that we share these concepts of the “negative” side of the body and relaxation with the students that we have been entrusted with. In doing so, I believe that progression will occur much faster, and produce an overall better karate-ka.

Addendum on The 4 Stage Learning Model

It is not clear who originated the very first “conscious competence” learning model. As well as various modern authors, sources as old as Confucius and Socrates are cited as possible earliest originators.

Gordon Training International is popularly considered to be the originator of the conscious competence model. The California-based Gordon Training organization, founded by Dr Thomas Gordon, states that their Learning Stages model called “The Four Stages for Learning Any New Skill”, was developed by former GTI employee, Noel Burch over 30 years ago and seems to be the most commonly referenced source in connection with the conscious competence theory.

In researching the origins of this learning model, I came across several sources of discussion on a possible 5^th stage, which I believe speaks directly to our Kenshusei training. The idea is generally stated as “Conscious competence of unconscious competence”, which describes a person's ability to recognize and develop unconscious competence in others. This ability to recognize and develop skill deficiencies in others involves a separate skill set altogether and can take as much, if not more, effort and training as becoming competent in the skill sets we have already learned and hope to teach others!

Luis Santana

Triangle’s Best Karate

January, 2008

Paper #12: Negative Portion of the Body as it Relates to Karate Techniques

In this paper the topic of how the negative portion of the body, meaning the portion of the body which is not directly connected to the arm or leg performing the technique, contributes to the overall karate movement in several different ways will be covered. The term “portion” as it relates to a section of body was chosen over “side” because the upper and lower body can also be considered “negative” when performing kicks versus punches, strikes and blocks, respectively. This paper will focus on how the negative portion of the body affects the generation of force and to body positioning.

In Shotokan karate one of the primary goals is to generate the most force with the least effort. There are many ways in which high levels of force can be achieved, with varying amounts of effort required. Some karate-ka can generate force through the application of brute strength (but with a lot of effort and slowly), and some can with blazing speed (but usually lacking power); however, these usually are not the most efficient ways to create extremely high levels of force. Speed, or acceleration, improves through relaxation and utilization of the appropriate muscle groups at the correct time, and by combining that with one’s whole body, not just the appendage performing the punch or kick, the karate-ka can maximize the force output with minimum effort.

In its simplest form force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration. Acceleration is a component of force that with diligent training and time should continue to improve, thereby contributing in a positive way to the overall force being generated. While no one can instantaneously increase his mass (weight) beyond his current value, he can utilize less than his total mass at the completion of a technique. So, at any given point in time, a karate-ka has achieved a certain level of acceleration and has a fixed upper limit to his mass. Therefore, at this given point in time, with the acceleration component a fixed value, in order to maximize force generation the maximum amount of mass has to be utilized (applied to the technique).

So what are the things a karate-ka must do to ensure they are utilizing all of his potential mass? One thing is to fully engage the negative portion of his body. Take, for example, a chudan oi mae geri over a medium range and that it is being executed by the right leg. The upper body and lower left side are the “negative” portions in this example. Without getting into the details (and the physiology) of what makes up a good mae geri, suffice it to say that in this example the right leg is moved forward (it starts out as the back leg) and is lifted (with the knee bent) prior to the lower leg being extended and contacting the target with the koshi. The left leg and upper body have a direct and dramatic impact on the overall resulting kick.

Starting with the upper body in this example, in order to not reduce the mass component of the force equation, the upper body must move in the same linear (and horizontal) direction as the right leg. By keeping the abs and torso taut, the tanden curled under and forward, and the hips and shoulders in alignment, the upper body will be effectively utilized in the kick by having its mass moving forward and being firmly connected to the lower portion of the body. This ensures that the center of gravity of the karate-ka is in front of them, moving in the direction of the kick and the target.

Figure 1: Proper Mae Geri. Note position of shoulders in relation to the hips, left leg is bent and foot is flat on the floor, right leg and koshi are extended.

However, if the karate-ka leans backward as the kick is raised and executed, then the mass of the upper body is moving in the opposite direction of the kick thereby reducing the overall mass applied to the kicking technique. As a general trait the upper body weighs at least as much as the lower body, if not more. Therefore, by leaning back, the karate-ka’s center of gravity may be moving backwards (or at best be stationary) away from the target. Not only does this reduce the total force potential, but it also has left the karate-ka with poor body position. Forgetting force for a second, by leaning backward, the karate-ka now has a harder time snapping his kick back and has to take time (and effort) to lean forward in order to correct his center of gravity (move it to his center or in front of himself) in preparation for his next movement or technique. Moreover, the tanden and torso are not effectively used and connected to the lower body. This can result in the karate-ka being pushed backward when his kick impacts the target, rendering his kick virtually ineffective.

The left leg plays a significant role also. Because it is the support leg in this example, it does not move significantly (a great distance anyway) but it does move. And as long as it is moving forward (in the same linear direction as the right leg) it is positively contributing a portion of its mass to the overall total. Assuming the left foot stays firmly and flatly on the ground, and the left knee moves forward (horizontally) slightly while maintaining the same amount of flexion, and the left hip does not fall behind the right (twisting of the hips with the right in front), then this “negative” portion of the body has also had a positive impact on the kick.

Figure 2: Improper Mae Geri. Note shoulders are behind the hips, right hip is infront of the left, the left leg is straightened and left heel is raised, koshi of right foot is not extended.

However, if, say, the left knee straightens, then direction of the force now has a vertical component as well as a horizontal, making the distance the kick travels longer and alters its direction. This results in less mass moving directly at the target (which is optimally at 90 degrees to the target’s center vertical axis), and instead moving at the some less-optimal angle. Therefore, the force and power (power = force X distance / time) outputs of the kick have been effectively diminished. Moreover, by straightening the left leg, effective body position has been reduced. By changing his vertical height during the kick, the karate-ka has increased the visibility of his movement, taken extra time and effort to move up and down, and reduced the stability of his stance.

Hip position plays a vital role in this kick as well. If you divide the body along its vertical axis into the right and left halves, then you can see that any twisting of the hips along this central axis will cause one half of the body to move forward while the other half moves backward. That being said, keeping the hips full-faced in the direction of the kick, the forward movement of the left leg means that both hips move forward the same amount. And as previously stated, if the upper body is in the correct position with the tanden and torso taut, then the upper body moves forward as well. This hip position allows the most mass to be used in the execution of the kick. If the hips are allowed to rotate, with the most likely scenario having the right hip moving forward and the left backward, this causes twisting around the vertical axis, reducing or eliminating any forward movement of the upper body. Body position, or more precisely, the path the body (the kicking leg specifically) takes when the hips are rotated during the kick will be more circular, starting right and going towards the left as the right hip goes forward. And while a somewhat circular kick may still find a target, a straight kick will get to its target faster, thereby increasing its force and reducing the chance it could be blocked.

There are many other karate techniques which have similar requirements to the oi mae geri as far as the “negative” portion of the body goes and the generation of force and body position. And its not limited to offensive techniques, it applies equally as well to blocks and to just stances (as in tai sabaki without a block or counter). Understanding the role, purpose and impact of the “negative” portions of the body will help reduce the effort and increase the power and speed of the techniques for the karate-ka, resulting in increased force and better body positioning. As an instructor or coach, demonstrating to and correcting newer karate-ka on how to fully engage the negative portion of the body is a lifelong goal or journey in Shotokan karate. Finally, as a karate-ka, engaging the negative portion of the body in every technique during kihon will lead to more powerful kata and effective kumite.

Craig Lawton
Triangle’s Best Karate
January 13, 2008

Kenshusei Training Jan 08: The use and effect of the opposite side of the body during striking.

In karate training we seek to draw maximum effectiveness and power from each technique. This is achieved by using the human body to its fullest. Through extensive study and many thousands of hours of practice and training it is possible to achieve levels of speed and power that may seem beyond the reach of “normal people.” Although we do train or bodies to be stronger and faster, the primary reason for a karate person’s ability to hit harder and faster is a function of muscle control. This is a function of contracting one and relaxing another muscle to achieve maximum speed while at the same time bringing the entire body’s weight to bear.
In each movement whether we are walking, jumping or punching there are multiple muscle groups involved. All movement requires the relaxing of one muscle or muscle group, while the other side contracts. Abductor muscles pull a body part away from the center line of the body. Adductor muscles pull toward the bodies mid line. The power that can be generated with one or the other will be greater if the opposite muscle can be fully relaxed and not pull against the movement. Additionally through the combined use of both muscle groups working in concert it is possible to generate much more power and speed than by using only one muscle group at a time.
One of the first things we learn in karate training speaks to this point, the idea of hikitte. In executing a technique with the upper body, punch, strike or block, the opposite hand is drawn back to a ready position at the hip. This movement is done vigorously and finishes at the same time as the primary technique. The goal is for both sides of the body to be contributing to the power of the technique.
There are many ways to generate power utilized by Karate-ka; changing vertical distance, rotation, vibration, contraction and expansion. Each of these is augmented by bringing the opposite side of the body into the movement.
There are people who, because of their size and strength, can strike with great effect. After learning to harness the power of the entire body focused into the same strike the effect is radically more devastating. A recent example of this was shown in a program aired on the Discovery channel called “The Human Weapon.” This is fairly anecdotal, but they tried to be as scientific as possible. Several martial arts styles were represented and each was given a variety of tasks is order to demonstrate whose style was best. Representatives from Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Boxing, Ninjutsu and others all participated. One of the few truly conclusive tests done allowed each practitioner to pick their most devastating technique in order to demonstrate the “killing blow”. A dummy was used and rigged with sensors and diagnostic equipment. From the data collected the scientists tried to show what the effect of each person’s strike would have been on the human body.
To make a long story short, the most devastating technique used was a hammer fist strike delivered to the solar plexus by the Ninjustsu practitioner. There were some striking things about this. One, he was the smallest of the group in terms of stature and weight. Two, there was no elaborate set up or grab necessary. And three, the strike was delivered from a standing position. How is it possible that this was the most devastating blow delivered from a group of self proclaimed masters? There was total body commitment and focus. No extra energy was wasted. The entire left side of his body was engaged as the right side delivered the blow.
In every technique there will be a dominant and non-dominant side. There will be muscles contracting and relaxing to complete the movement. The goal in every movement is for these opposing groups to work together to allow maximum function.
Punching: In delivering a straight punch or oi-tzuki there are several main points to keep in mind. For simplicity sake I will describe the right side oi-tzuki. As the right leg is propelled forward by the straightening of the left, the body should remain erect. As the lunch leaves the hip it should stay close to the body and only snap into fully rotated, final position as the front foot makes contact with the floor. The left side of the body must remain forward as the left hand is pulled into hikitte position. When the movement is finished, the right fist will be centered in front of the chest with the shoulders and hips square to the target.
There are many muscle groups involved in this motion. The abdominal muscles first and most importantly must keep the body upright and fully connected with the hips. The legs propel the body forward: the rear thigh and calf contract, the toes gripping the floor as the ham-string relaxes. The right arm is propelled up and forward by contracting the shoulder, tricep and pectoral muscle together. This requires relaxing the muscle of the bicep and latisimus. At the same time the opposite muscles are working on the left side to pull the left are back to the hip. The most important part of throwing the oi-tzuki and generating power is that the opposite (left) hip must remain even with the right so that the entire body weight can be propelled toward as a unit. All of the body weight is behind the blow and at the moment of impact the joints of the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hips, knee and ankle are all connected for a split second as the energy is transferred through the first two knuckles of the fist into the target. Force = Mass * Acceleration. The mass is provided by the body, the acceleration by the legs. In order for the full weight of the body to be utilized, the left side must be even with the right.
Striking with other weapons may be somewhat different but the same principals apply. Oi-tzuki is a specialized technique in Shotokan karate and we practice it continuously. There are many other weapons available to us. As an example of a different method of achieving a similar result let us look at chudan ude-uke. With the idea in mind that all blocks are also strikes and all strikes are also blocks, the fore-arm block is an excellent example of F=M*A through a round as opposed to linear movement.
The leg movements will be similar for block or punching but it is the upper body which follows a very different path. Again I will use the right side as an example. The beginning position of the arm for ude-uke has the elbow level with the shoulder, the elbow bent and fist close to the ear. The body begins square to the front/target area. As the left arm pulls back in the usual hikitte movement, the right arm is pulled around and down by the pectoral and latisimus muscles. This in turn requires that the back muscles relax to allow the arm to move quickly around into position in front of the body with the fist level with the shoulder and the elbow pointed toward the floor. The true power is generated not by the movement of the arm but by the rotation of the body. The left hip rotates sharply back while the right hip moves forward leaving the body turned 90 degrees from the target. The rotation of the entire trunk along with the movement of the arm puts the entire body’s weight behind the block. The center line of the body is the center of the rotation as well. As both sides of the body spin the total energy is transferred to the target through the contact point of the arm.
Based on these principals of contraction and relaxation coupled with rotation, the power of the human body is magnified dramatically. It is through use of the entire body as a complete system that this is possible. All blocks, strikes, kicks and punches are thrown not with the limb delivering the blow alone. The opposite side of the body has as much to do with a powerful technique.

12-08-07 Active and Supportive Karate

Instructor’s Certification Course
Dec. 8, 2007
Active and Supportive Karate

Wendy Mach


In Shotokan karate we strive to incorporate our entire body into every technique. We never punch with just the arm and we never kick with just the leg. Performing a technique in this manner might be some form of self-defense, but it definitely would not be Shotokan. To learn how to use our bodies effectively, we need to understand how our muscles work and how our joints move in order to perform the most efficient and powerful techniques for our own individual bodies. We also need to understand the biomechanics of how different areas of the body move in relation to each other and how various areas of the body can support the movement of another area. The goal is to use our bodies naturally according to the laws of anatomy and physiology without wasting any energy.

The part of the body that is actually performing the technique, is the “active” side of the body. This is what your mind is focusing on and where your intension is. “I intend to punch now.” For the purposes of this paper, the corresponding part of the body is the “supportive” side. These definitions for “active” and “supportive” will be used throughout this paper.

In order to perform a Shotokan technique correctly, the entire body must become involved in the technique. These movements are not random and they are not haphazard. Each part of the body functions in coordination using an appropriate amount of contraction, expansion, and muscular tension with the active weapon. The muscles and joints must be relaxed to generate the maximum speed and power for the technique. This is what Shotokan practitioners refer to as “Minimum effort to generate maximum effect.” Using the least amount of muscular tension necessary during the execution of a technique produces a very efficient technique that can generate the maximum amount of impact power that your body can produce. Using more muscular tension than is necessary for a technique will result in less speed and power.

Each part of the body should move so that it adds speed, body mass, power, stability, or balance to the resulting technique. All supporting parts of the body must move in precise coordination and harmony with the active part of the body that is performing the technique. This incorporates coordinating the legs, hip joints, abdominal and glute muscles, torso, shoulder joints, and arms for every technique.

The obvious example to start with is choku-zuki. One of the first things that students learn is the importance of hikite. (This was one of the examples in my Anatomy/Physiology paper.) The faster and more forcefully we retract the hikite elbow backward, directly corresponds with the speed and power of our choku-zuki punch. The choku-zuki arm is the active side of the technique, and the hikite arm is the supportive side. The hikite arm is not directly involved in the technique; however, it does support the technique by dynamically assisting it adding more speed and thus more power to the technique.

Gyaku-zuki is an explosive, attacking technique that is designed to generate devastating, destructive power. (This example was used in my Yondan candidate paper on makiwara training.) All parts of the body must be precisely coordinated so that they all reach their ending position at the same moment of impact with the target. This results in more body mass being directed through the target. The gyaku-zuki arm is the active side of the technique, and the rest of the body supports the execution of the technique.

Starting from the bottom up, the feet should be pointed forward so that the ankle joints will direct power forward into the target. The rear leg starts from a compressed position, and then explosively expands forward pushing from the rear heel into the target. This supports the active weapon by providing a solid connection from the fist to the floor thus producing “shock” in the technique instead of just a push. This movement is coordinated with the full rotation of the hip and torso from maximum hanmi to maximum front facing position, and with the extension of the fist from hikite directly into the target. The rotation of the hip and torso adds support for the technique by directing more body mass into the target. As with the above example the supportive arm that is moving into hikite position should have the same emphasis as the active arm that is punching. The muscles of the body should be relaxed throughout the execution of the technique in order to generate maximum speed and power.

The next example is a technique that is similar to the first movement in Suishu. This is a defensive technique that will neutralize an attack without causing permanent injury. First an attacker who is standing in front of you grabs your lapel with his right hand. At this point he is in control, but not for long. Your first movement is to raise your right arm up in front of you. Your right arm is your active weapon. This movement serves as a diversionary tactic. A diversion is a technique that has a specific purpose; it is not just waving your arm in front of your body. Diversions can be used to create an opening in the attacker’s defense, to redirect the attacker’s mind away from his attack, or to unbalance an attacker.

In this case your arm comes up in a fluid motion, hitting the attacker’s jaw and bending his head backward. This serves to redirect the attacker’s mind away from you and toward the pain in his jaw, and it moves his head so that he can no longer see you. At the same time the rest of your body supports this movement by lowering the tanden and engaging the abdominal muscles while keeping the back straight, grabbing the attacker’s hand with your left hand, and beginning to rotate your left hip and torso away from the attacker. Lowering your tanden slightly and engaging the abdominal muscles makes your stance more stable while still keeping mobility. Grabbing the attacker’s hand gives you control of the attacker’s weapon. He cannot use it for another technique if you have control of it. Slightly rotating the left side of your body away from the attacker moves his weapon away from his tanden, making his grasp less effective. The abdominal muscles remain engaged throughout the entire technique.

At this point the functions of your arms dynamically change, and your left hand that is holding the attacker’s hand becomes the active weapon. Your left hand is going to peel the attacker’s hand off of your lapel while remaining close to your body. Your right arm supports this action by sliding down the attacker’s right arm and digging into his elbow joint with a downward force causing the attacker’s upper body to snap forward thus taking him off balance. Simultaneously your lower body drops down farther and your left hip and torso rotate farther away from the attacker.

Your left hand remains active by keeping control of the attacker’s right hand and remaining connected to your tanden by muscular contraction. Your right arm continues to support pulling the attacker off balance by continuing to press downward and inward toward your tanden. Simultaneously your left hip and torso continue to rotate away from the attacker while the left foot slides backward into kokutsu-dachi. At this point the attacker will have fallen onto the floor.












Your left hand keeps active control of the attacker’s right hand while your right foot slides back and you stand up straight. Your left hand locks the attacker’s wrist joint while your right hand supports the joint lock by either keeping the attacker’s right elbow joint locked straight, or by holding on to the pinky side of the attacker’s right hand and assisting in the joint lock directly. Your hands should be kept close to your body, and in the later case the attacker’s right elbow should be tucked between your knees and locked straight.





This entire technique should be performed with a “feeling” like that of flowing water. If there is a rock in a stream, water does not jump from one side to the other instantaneously. It flows smoothly around the rock, keeping constant pressure on the surface of the rock at all times. This is how this technique should be performed. All movements are fluid, and once you make contact with the attacker, you keep in constant contact with him throughout the rest of the technique, keeping constant pressure on him.

Even though gyaku-zuki and the first movement of Suishu are very different in strategy and execution, the principles of body movement are the same for each. The Suishu movement adds another element into the confrontation equation. You must know how an attacker’s body will react to different techniques so that you can exploit the intrinsic weaknesses in his posture and be able to predict how his body will react when you make contact with him. This way you can blend smoothly with his movement neutralizing his attack, then gain control to manipulate his body to a weaker position for him and a more advantageous position for you.

This is one reason why Shotokan is an art form for thinking people. By understanding the body mechanics of anatomy and physiology, and learning how these principles relate specifically to our own bodies, we can improve the quality of our movement in each of our techniques making them more efficient and more effective.

10-27-07 Student Evaluation

Instructor Certification Course
Oct. 27, 2007
Student Evaluation

Wendy Mach


The assignment for this month is to pick a student and observe him while training in order to choose a technique that could be improved. Write an evaluation of the student’s technique as performed during class. Then for the next three weeks work with the student to improve the technique. Perform a final evaluation of the student’s technique, and describe what you did as an instructor to achieve the improvement.


Student: Nathan Kimball

Technique: Counter attack after blocking

Initial Evaluation: I observed on Oct. 26th that when participating in Ippon Kumite, Nathan would usually counter each attack with a striking technique. This technique would not be considered to be a finishing technique (A technique that has man stopping power).

I intend to work with Nathan instructing him to perform counter attacks such as punches that would be more of a finishing technique. Also I intend to assist him with adding more hip rotation to techniques thus adding more total body mass commitment to each technique.




I started working with Nathan on Nov. 5th explaining the objectives for improving his counter techniques. I had him perform various drills and explained the purpose for each one. The drills have been written down and given to Nathan to perform each day as time permits.

Evaluation after first training: Nathan clearly understands the objectives for this assignment, and the reasoning behind these objectives. He is a dedicated student very willing to fully participate in order to improve his karate performance. I noticed that while performing the drills, the range of motion of his front-facing hip rotation is fairly limited. We will continue to revise drills in order to improve flexibility and range-of-motion in this area.


I worked with Nathan on Nov. 9th reviewing the first week’s drills and demonstrating the explaining the second week’s drills. Nathan has been practicing as often as his schedule permits, and was eager for new drills to practice.


I worked with Nathan on Nov. 16th observing him perform various techniques that incorporated hip rotation. In just these last two weeks he has shown good improvement; though, maximum hip rotation is not incorporated consistently into every technique yet. This will improve with time and practice. In Nathan’s left zenkutsu-dachi, his right hip is a bit stiffer than his other side and does not flow as smoothly. This will also improve with practice. I demonstrated new drills for week three and had Nathan perform them so that he understood how to perform each one properly and understood the training objective for each drill. I still have to write them down, and will give them to Nathan at the next class. Nathan continues to be enthusiastic and actually asked me for the new drills before I had a chance to mention them to him. If only all students could be this motivated to improve!


I worked with Nathan on Nov. 26th for a final evaluation. I had him perform Ippon Kumite with a partner and was impressed with the amount of improvement in his counter attacks. When stepping back into left zenkutsu-dachi, the hip rotation was good. Nathan had more hip rotation in hanmi on this side than I have ever seen from him before. There was good range-of-motion moving from hanmi to front facing; though, the hip was not consistently active in every technique. Sometimes the hip movement was still passive, but it has improved since the last evaluation. Nathan’s hip movement was still a little stiff on this side. It could flow more smoothly from one technique to the next. His stances were solid, and the expansion of the rear leg during gyaku-zuki was good.

I noticed that when Nathan attacked with his left oi-zuki, he was still leading with his upper body a little bit, though not as much as previously. This was not part of this assignment, but I still mentioned it to Nathan. When stepping back into right zenkutsu-dachi, the hip rotation during blocking and countering was consistent, but there was less range-of-motion than with the other side. This had also improved since the last evaluation. Nathan’s hip movement was also smoother on this side moving from one technique to the next. Again his stances were solid, and he was driving forward from his rear leg during gyaku-zuki.

Overall there was noticeable improvement in blocking and countering techniques. Stances were solid with an active hip facilitating the delivery of techniques and adding more body mass into the target. Nathan’s counter attacks were no longer being performed by his upper body only. Now the entire trunk was actively involved in most techniques.

Instructor Certification Course
Oct. 27, 2007
Student Evaluation – Drills Week 1

Wendy Mach


Following is a set of drills to be performed daily. The objectives of these drills are to develop techniques that will flow from the floor up through the body, out through the appropriate weapon, and into the target. These drills will also improve the flexibility of the hips and develop dynamic hip rotation when performing techniques. Always warm up the hips, legs, and ankles before performing these drills.

Drill 1 – From a fighting stance, compress the rear leg and push forward from the back heel (straighten the rear leg) propelling the body forward. Immediately step up into fighting stance. This should be a step and not a slide or drag. Make sure that you are pushing forward and not lifting the body. The hips should remain level with the floor throughout the drill. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Move the body forward from the legs and not the upper body.

Drill 2 – Perform Drill 1 adding hip rotation. Compress the rear leg and turn the hips into full hanmi position. As you push forward from the rear leg, snap the hips forward into full front-facing position. Make sure that the hips stay level with the floor throughout the drill. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Make karate techniques bottom heavy. Use leg compression and hip rotation to move the body and initiate techniques. Practice compression and expansion of the lower body.

Drill 3 – A stationary drill performed in zenkutsu-dachi. Perform age-uke with full hanmi, snapping the hip into position. Perform gyaku-zuki snapping the hip into full front-facing position. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Full rotation of the hips dynamically snapping them into position during each technique. The hips should initiate the upper body technique and not follow it.

Drill 4 – From natural stance, drop your weight, step back with the right foot while keeping the hips in front-facing position, then as the right heel is being placed onto the floor, snap the hips into full hanmi position. Return to natural stance. Begin this drill slowly until the sequencing becomes familiar, then begin to speed up. Slowly increase speed until the drill can be performed as one continuous movement. Perform the drill at least 20 times at full speed on each side. Objective – Practice stepping backward and dynamically rotating the hips as the rear foot finishes the stance.

Drill 5 – Perform Drill 4 keeping the arms in front of the body in an on-guard position. As the hips snap into hanmi, the opposite arm should automatically perform ude-uke. If the arm does not fully block to the opposite side of the body, the hips need to be rotated farther to the rear. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Notice how the upper body reacts to the movements of the lower body. Use this information to coordinate relaxed upper body movement with lower body movement.

Drill 6 – Perform Drill 5 adding forward hip rotation and arm techniques. Once it has become natural to step back and snap the hips into hanmi position, add ude-uke to complete the technique. Make sure to bring the opposite fist back to a fully cocked hiki-te position. Next perform gyaku-zuki by pushing the rear heel into the floor, straightening the rear leg, and snapping the hips into full front-facing position. Return to natural stance. When performing gyaku-zuki the feeling should be that the lower body is performing the technique and not just the arm. The power of the punch comes from the rear leg pushing into the floor up through the leg and torso, out of the shoulder, arm, and fist and into the target. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Develop dynamic hip rotation in each technique. Develop techniques that are initiated by the lower body. Incorporate maximum body mass into each technique.

Instructor Certification Course
Oct. 27, 2007
Student Evaluation – Drills Week 2

Wendy Mach


Following is a set of drills to be performed daily. The objectives of these drills are to develop techniques that will flow from the floor up through the body, out through the appropriate weapon, and into the target. These drills will also improve the flexibility of the hips and develop dynamic hip rotation when performing techniques. Always warm up the hips, legs, and ankles before performing these drills.

Drill 1 – This drill adds gyaku-zuki to drills 1 & 2 from week 1. From a fighting stance, compress the rear leg and turn the hips into full hanmi position. As you push forward from the rear leg, perform gyaku-zuki snapping the hips forward into full front-facing position. Make sure to keep the same feeling of the legs propelling the body forward and not the upper body. Make sure that the hips remain level with the floor throughout the drill. Perform the drill at least 20 times on each side. Objective – Practice compression and expansion of the body while performing karate techniques. Coordinate the upper and lower body movements, so that everything stops at the imaginary moment of impact with the target.

Drill 2 - A stationary drill performed in zenkutsu-dachi. Perform age-uke with full hanmi, snapping the hip into position. Place your hand on your rear hip and physically push the hip farther back for 3 counts. Release your hand and perform gyaku-zuki snapping the hip into full front-facing position. Place your hand on the same hip and physically push the hip forward for 3 counts. Release your hand and repeat the drill. Perform the drill 10 times on each side. Objective – Improve flexibility and add range of motion of the hip region.

Drill 3 – Perform drill 3 from week 1. Then perform the drill using ude-uke and gyaku-zuki, then gedan-barai and gyaku-zuki. Objective – Burn in fully rotating the hips while performing karate techniques.

Drill 4 – Perform drill 6 from week 1. Then perform the drill using age-uke and gyaku-zuki, then gedan-barai and gyaku-zuki. Objective – Burn in fully rotating the hips while moving and performing karate techniques.

Drill 5 – From natural stance, drop your weight, step back with the right foot (keeping the leg slightly compressed) while keeping the hips in front-facing position, then as the right heel is being placed on the floor, snap the hips into full hanmi position, and instantaneously push off with the heel propelling the body forward. Take a full step forward. The heel of the foot should barely touch the floor, and immediately push off again. Return to natural stance. Perform the drill at least 20 times at full speed on each side. Objective – Practice using the compression from one technique to immediately initiate the next technique.

Instructor Certification Course
Oct. 27, 2007
Student Evaluation – Drills Week 3


Wendy Mach

Following is a set of drills to be performed daily. The objectives of these drills are to develop techniques that will flow from the floor up through the body, out through the appropriate weapon, and into the target. These drills will also improve the flexibility of the hips and develop dynamic hip rotation when performing techniques. Always warm up the hips, legs, and ankles before performing these drills.

Drill 1 – Perform drill 3 from week 2. Objective – Burn maximum hip rotation during techniques into muscle memory.

Drill 2 – Practice Ippon Kumite with a partner as often as possible. Perform jodan-zuki and chudan-zuki. Objective – Practice the timing of your techniques with an opponent’s movement. Practice keeping the appropriate distance from an opponent.


Additional drills if time permits:

Drill 1 – Perform drill 5 from week 2. Objective – Practice using the end of one technique to initiate the next technique, so that they flow together. Burn in the instantaneous reaction.

Drill 2 – Perform drill 1 adding mae-geri. Continue the hip action from stepping forward to lift the knee and fire off mae-geri. Objective – develop dynamic, active hip action and reaction to make techniques flow together.

Drill 3 – Perform drill 1 adding mawashi-geri. Continue the hip action from the stepping forward to lift the leg to the side and twist the body around before firing off the kick. Objective – Develop dynamic, active hip action and reaction to make techniques flow together.

Drill 4 – Put it all together! Step back age-uke, step forward mawashi-geri, uraken, gyaku-zuki. Perform each technique with dynamic hip rotation letting one technique flow into the next. Objective – Demonstrate the identifying traits of Shotokan karate.

Instructor Certification Course
Oct. 27, 2007
Student Evaluation – Final Report


Wendy Mach

The initial goal of this assignment was to assist a student in improving a technique, but I wanted to go further than just improving one technique. I wanted to dig deeper and modify a specific component of a technique that was general to all techniques and would ultimately improve the student’s overall karate performance. Since I had chosen a more advanced student (above Nidan) who was motivated to work toward improving his karate proficiency, my individual goals were realistic. If I was working with a lower level beginning student, the drills and goals that I devised would not have been appropriate, and would have been more frustrating and less beneficial to the student.

Once the specific student was chosen, the first thing that I had to do was evaluate where the student was in his personal karate development. Then I could begin to develop drills specifically for this student to develop the appropriate muscles groups, the coordination between muscle groups, the appropriate mental focus, the appropriate timing when working with a partner, etc., so that the student had specific drills and activities that would lead him toward reaching his ultimate goal. These drills and activities had to have measurable or visible results so that an examiner who had observed that student before this assignment started, could then observe the student again after the assignment had finished and would notice a difference. The examiner should be able to identify the specific goals attained.

The disadvantage of working with a student who has been training for years, is that each of his techniques has already been burned into his muscle memory. He doesn’t have to think about how to perform gyaku-zuki, his body just does it. So since I was working with Nathan Kimball who had been training for a while, we needed to concentrate a little more on retraining his body to perform counter attacks, and specifically gyaku-zuki, so that it became a decisive, finishing technique that incorporated his entire body, mind, and spirit.

To ask a student to make this degree of change in a technique in only three weeks would be unrealistic. Ideally I would like to have had at least three months for this assignment. This would have been a more realistic time period to be able to develop the appropriate muscle groups, to coordinate the various areas of the body that perform the technique, and especially to burn the technique into muscle memory. Many of us can mentally understand the basic concepts underling Shotokan karate, but being able to make your individual body “perform” the way that you mentally visualize a technique can be very difficult. And that is why we spend years training day after day trying to make our bodies do what our mind tells them to do.


When I first talked with Nathan I had him perform Ippon Kumite repeatedly with another student. Then I explained that I wanted to work with him to develop more dynamic hip rotation, and more explosive rear leg expansion in his gyaku-zuki counter-attack. Dynamic snap in all core movements is one of the identifying traits of Shotokan karate, and for gyaku-zuki this would involve hip rotation. Mentally understanding this principle is easy, physically developing the muscle control and flexibility to perform maximum hip rotation while performing gyaku-zuki can take years. Full contraction and expansion of the muscles of the body is another identifying trait of Shotokan karate. For gyaku-zuki this includes contracting the muscles of the rear leg, and explosively expanding these muscles while performing the technique. For a technique to have maximum power, it must be performed from the ground up.

By making these changes to his technique, Nathan would be adding more “shock” into his technique from the rear foot pushing into the floor, and adding more total body mass into his technique by actively rotating his trunk into the target. Once these goals are achieved, Nathan will have a counter attack that has the explosive power of his entire body mass. This will be a decisive, finishing technique. It is this explosive power that makes Shotokan karate so special and different from other martial arts.

I developed a three week training program for Nathan that consisted of a number of drills to be performed daily (or as time permitted) for a week, then a new set of drills would be performed the next week. For each drill I physically demonstrated the drill to Nathan so that he could visually see the goal that I was aiming for. Then I explained the objective of the drill so that he mentally knew exactly what he was trying to make his body do. I then had Nathan perform the drill numerous times so that I could see that he understood the drill, and made comments and suggestions for improvements. Then it was up to Nathan to “work the drill”.

The drills were designed to isolate and train specific areas of the body to develop the muscles to perform a specific function or skill. Then succeeding drills would add other areas of the body that would perform other functions simultaneously, so that Nathan could work on coordinating these separate areas together. This provided Nathan with a step ladder to climb in order to reach his goal. Each step was clearly defined and easily obtainable with a little diligent practice.

During the three week training period, I observed his Ippon Kumite performance various times and evaluated the visual degree of improvement in his technique. I talked to Nathan about what I noticed that he was doing better, and what still needed to be improved or made more consistent. Then I would design the next week’s drills to address the areas that needed more work.

By the end of the three weeks of diligent practice, Nathan has made considerable improvement in his gyaku-zuki counter attack. Were the performance goals of this assignment fully met? No, not completely. Given only a few weeks to work with, Nathan has improved, but these improvements are not consistent yet. Not every technique has maximum hip rotation, and the degree of rotation into front facing zenkutsu-dachi could still be developed more. The most important achievement is that Nathan has made a positive start toward improving all of his karate techniques. Many of his techniques are still performed by muscle memory, so Nathan will have to retrain each one to include more dynamic hip movement and more explosive rear leg expansion where appropriate. This is simply a matter of time, practice, and mental attention to detail. I have no doubt that Nathan will be able to improve all of his karate techniques in the near future.

Instructor Certification Course
Dec. 7, 2007Student Evaluation Summary for Sensei Wendy Mach
Nathan Kimball

Sensei requested an evaluation of the last few weeks during which I was given numerous drills to improve my movement and dynamics through my hips and legs. One month was given to come up with a specific movement I needed to improve on, within the month multiple drill were given to me to complete along with personal instruction from Sensei Mach. I found these all the drills very helpful but overwhelming to realistically practice in the time I could commit, I concentrated more on the initial drills from week one. With this I incorporated additional drills as I could, working with Sensei Mach on a weekly basis. Sensei Mach is knowledgeable and is very dedicated to karate and our Dojo; this evaluation put in focus what will make me a better practitioner and instructor. The goals for this assignment were clear; I need to move through my core then with my upper body. I feel I have improved within the last few weeks and my understanding of compression and contraction with moving through the trunk has greatly increased. Leaning forward into my movement will be difficult to break but working through this assignment and adding it to my personal training will help me overcome my obstacles.

I think this was a good assignment but more training time together would get more accomplished, the drills really need to be burned into my body and doing these over and over will cause this to happen. Thank you very much for all your help and I look forward to a bright future.