Feelings

Another aspect that I have been working on this week is "feeling" my techniques. Empty my mind, be present, and feel my body as it is moving through the techniques. Thereby removing any time wasting conscious thought processes. It's still work in progress.

Just Relax

I am currently re-reading "Waking Dragons" by Goran Powell. It's an excellent book, I find it very inspiring.

There was a part of the book where he talks about relaxing during your technique. This is something that I thought I already understood. However, he explained it in a way that made me wonder if I was getting the most out of it. Goran says that your technique should be like a bullet being fired from a gun. If the barrel of the gun was too tight for the bullet, it would slow it down and make it less powerful and less effective.

Likewise, if you tense your muscles to get your fist from the hip to your target, then that muscle tension is in itself a resistance to the full force of the technique.

This stuff I knew already but I also applied my understanding of Ki energy - as the gunpowder starting from the hara - and let the technique do its work with as much relaxation as I could give it after the initial blast.

I took this principle to my class on Wednesday and I got a big step change in my techniques! I really focused on being relaxed doing an oi-zuki or mae-geri. Not only were my techniques faster but my Sensei even commented on how good the techniques looked.

I was really looking forward to taking this in to my kata training but, my knee took a knock and I had to take it easy for the rest of the lesson :-( I can't wait until it's better to try this out some more within the kata.

Last night I read some more of Waking Dragons. Goran was talking about doing a kata "soft"- and how it had helped him refine his techniques and he felt it moved him on. Looking back on my blog, that's exactly what I was doing in my previous blog post! Although the next time I get an opportunity to practice a kata softly, I will be more focused on making it absolutely perfect in every minor detail.

Back to basics

Tonight we had 2 new adult beginners at the club so, Sensei went over the basics.

What a great lesson for a Black Belt, going back over the basic moves and refining them.

• Ensuring that I am using the ball of my feet when moving;
  
• ensuring my hips are turning correctly and delivering power;
• feeling the harmony of one arm moving forward as the other is moving back;
  
• getting into good low stances (although the carpet floor was a bit slippery);
• using my hara to lead my moves; and, most of all,
• allowing myself to be in the moment, become conscious and set my mind free!

A very good lesson for me.

More Kenji Ushiro

I am currently reading Kata: Essence of Bujutsu Karate by Kenji Ushiro. This is more personal research in to Ki and utilising it in martial arts. Of particular interest to me is the concept of "penetrating your opponents mind".

Unfortunately, the book falls a bit short of really explaining how to do this and says that you need to have a teacher who knows how to do it, to show you and pass it on to you. Is this a trick to make me buy a Ushiro seminar ticket? Hmmm, I don't know.

I can certainly say that I am working on using a unified mind+body with consciousness during my kata - and it feels good.

This is my journey towards being in the moment during kumite and letting the techniques happen rather than thinking about them.

New training club

Now that I am working away from home during the week, I have joined a karate club in Bracknell - The Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association. It's a great club. It is quite small but the teaching and training is very high quality.

I have learnt quite a few new basics, particularly ones which include a half step - something I never used to train in but I am glad I picked this up!!! Also, Sensei has helped me with my Ushiro Geri - it's coming along nicely since he told me to step in to the reverse position with my standing leg. Rather than twist my foot on the spot whilst doing the kick. Obviously a good opponent would spot this but, it makes me feel good doing an ushiro geri - feels much better (& looks it too).

Musashi book

Finished it.

It was a very good read. It gave a very good insight in to the possible life and culture of a samurai.

However, I really liked it because it talked about Takuan as well. Takuan is the Zen Master who wrote the letters in the book "The Unfettered Mind" (I think - my mind is a bit fettered).

Musashi

I am currently reading the book "Musashi" about the life & times of Miyamoto Mushashi - the greatest Samurai that ever lived.