Previous karate articles

• Training Must Be Difficult 
• Approaching Kata 
• Training Focus Points 

FREE KARATE CLASS

FREE    KARATE CLASS     Free Karate Class Voucher valid till 31 March 2016

KARATE FOCUS POINTS

EYE CONTACT

Be like a sunflower that follows the sun.
Never drop your eyes or close them when executing a technique.
Always be sure that you can see the whole body of your opponent.
Keep your eyes on the triangle formed by the shoulders and the eyes of the opponent or on the chin.

Whatever is in one's heart will show in the eyes .
A fierce fighting spirit will show in your eyes and will make the opponent recoil.
Shihan Koos Burger

POSTURE

The importance of posture in life and karate
Having a good posture will make you less of a victim. If you look like a victim, you will become a victim.
How you carry yourself is all important, not only in life but also in karate.
With your head down and your shoulders slumped you cannot see much; you are potentially a victim and you are not in contact with your environment. Instead develop a good posture, hold you head up high, keep your shoulders back and have strong eye contact with your environment. This will give you a greater awareness of your surroundings and enable you to better asses your immediate situation.
Walk with a sense of purpose.
In karate good posture is as important because of the dynamics of the body. Unblinking eyes and focus together with a good posture will be carried into your technique.
Karate executed with a good posture will teach you confidence and courage; therefore strive to perform your karate with a good posture.
Shihan Koos Burger

ZANSHIN

(Remaining Spirit - Continuing Alertness)Zan means to remain to continue. Shin means heart and mind. Your body, heart and mind must be ready for anything.
You have to be aware of everything around you. Zanshin means when the body stopped with its movement, energy still keeps on flowing. After your last movement is completed, be ready to react to a sudden attacked, or return slowly to one's original state of calm. Even in a brilliant performance of kata, kumite or in life, the end must not become disorderly.
Focus point 1: Eye contact
Focus point 2: Posture
Focus point 3: Alertness
Ask your students regularly, it works in my dojo. Ask your instructors to communicate it regularly - it will work for you too!

Shihan Koos Burger

KIAI

Kiai means: Expression of the spirit (Shout to demonstrate spirit and resolve)
I have noticed in the mountain gashuku that some people do not kiai when they attack. It looks like the karateka think that only the person that block and counter must kiai. With gradings I personally would like to see more kiai during kihon-ippon kumite and ju-kumite.
Kiai can also be used as a way to frighten your opponent, or deviate his attention.
During a kiai, one tends to tense mainly the stomach muscles, but also a lot of the other muscles in the body, thereby giving you a better chance to absorb the energy of a simultaneous counter attack.
At competition level, no point will be awarded during kumite if there was no kiai.
Sensei Johan de Wet
 

If you like this focus point and want to comment on it we invite you to comment on Facebook - see SASKA group on Facebook.