of running and makiwara practice or alternatively preparatory and complementary exercises and kata practice. Regular class which consists of:
— Salutation and mokuso (meditation): 5 to 10 minutes.
— Preparatory exercises: 5 to 10 minutes.
— Basic techniques and body movements: 5 to 15 minutes for advanced students and 15 to 30 minutes for beginners who have to devote more time to basic techniques.
— Makiwara, sandbag, and speed ball practice: 5 minutes for advanced students and 15 to 30 minutes for beginners (advanced students should practice more outside of regular classes).
— Basic kumites:single and multiple kumite techniques according to the technical level of the student: 15 to 30 minutes for advanced students and 30 to 60 minutes for beginners.
— Yakusoku randori kumite (prearranged sparring kumite): 15 to 60 minutes for advanced students and 30 to 60 minutes for beginners.
— Jiyu randori kumite (free sparring kumite): 30 to 60 minutes for advanced students and 15 to 30 minutes for beginners.
— Kata: 15 to 30 minutes for advanced students and 30 to 60 minutes for beginners.
— Renshu shiai (competition training): once a week or every two weeks or more often according to the circumstances (for advanced students only).
— Complementary exercises: as needed.
— Supplementary exercises: 3 to 10 minutes.
— Salutation and meditation: 5 to 10 minutes.
A regular class lasts between one hour and a half and two hours and a half. Some of the activities described have to be alternated from one class to the other; this schedule should not be repeated every day of the week. Kata, kumite and shiai should be practiced at each class but their relative emphasis should be varied. For example, if one attends three classes a week, his weekly schedule could be as follows:
| Tuesday: | — Morning: running and preparatory exercises |
| — Regular class: emphasis on kata* normal practice of kumite* some shiai* practice | |
| Thursday: | — Morning: running and complementary exercises |
| — Regular class: emphasis on kumite normal practice of shiai some kata practice | |
| Saturday: | — Morning: running and makiwara practice |
| — Regular class: emphasis on shiai normal practice of kata some kumite practice |
Objectives of a monthly schedule could be to learn a kata or a kumite, devoting a full week for each of the following: form, technique, speed, power, and finally, perfection of execution. For the basic techniques it could be to increase their practice progressively.
After every schedule, a critical review of the student's training should be made together with his instructor. In each practice one should prepare for the worst possible cases so that he will be able to handle any real-life situation.
Footnote
* The first public demonstration of katate was given in Okinawa in 1906.
chapter 3 Theory of Karatedo
Throughout the centuries karatedo has been developed empirically as an art. However, in recent years the basic underlying principles of karatedo have been systematically and scientifically analyzed. This has led to the improvement of some techniques, particularly in Kenkokan Karatedo which has been responsible for a number of technical innovations now adopted by many other schools of karate.
A thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of karatedo should help the student progress faster in the practice of this art, leading to a better understanding and improving control of himself, thus making it possible to fully achieve the goals of karatedo and ultimately, self-realization.
1. Essential Principles
The amazing power of a karatedo technique is the result of a rational application of physical, physiological, and psychological principles that everyone, even a weak or aged person, can learn to utilize through assiduous practice. The principles have to be combined all at once in the execution of a technique and as such are somewhat difficult to dissociate. However, for clarity of explanation, they will be treated separately.
a. Physical Principles
Needless to say, the human body follows the physical laws of nature. For example, it is attracted to the ground with a force which is directly proportional to its weight; this is the gravity force. When you move, you generate a momentum which is the product (Mx V) of your weight (M) and velocity (V). If you hit the ground or a wall with a force F, it creates a reaction force R which is directly proportional to F and in the opposite direction. In general, for any action there is a corresponding reaction of proportional intensity. Also, the impact generated by a mass (or weight) M moving with a velocity (or speed) V is proportional to the square of the speed (kinetic energy = 1/2M x V2). Finally, the last important force brought into play in karatedo is the muscular force resulting from the contraction and/ or extension of some of the 400 muscles of the body. Certain muscles are very powerful but move slowly while others, less powerful, move much faster. One of the characteristics of muscular force is that it is cumulative. In other words, the effects can be added, two identical muscles producing twice as much force as one.
How can one apply these physical principles in karatedo?
Use of body dynamics
First, good balance is needed. Because of the law of reaction, a punch creates reaction in the opposite direction. Therefore, it would be completely ineffective if the body were to move back on impact. Thus gravity force is used to nullify the effect of the reaction force. The stability of the body is determined by three major factors: the weight, the base, and the position of the center of gravity. The weight is a constant factor: the base is determined by the position of the feet on the ground; and the center of gravity is located approximately one inch below the navel. As the surface of the base is increased, the mobility of the body decreases, the best compromise being when the feet are shoulder width apart. It can also be easily demonstrated that maximum stability is achieved when the center of gravity is located vertically over the center of the base. In this position, the weight is equally spread on both legs. The knees must be bent to insure a correct dispersion of weight on each foot and to be able to use the spring of the legs to move faster. The body should be kept erect so that its center of gravity continues to fall over the center of the base.
From this basic position of stability, the motion of the body can now be fully utilized. There are three kinds of motion possible: linear motion, which is a translation of the center of gravity; circular motion, which is a rotation around the center of gravity; and pendular motion, which is a swing of the center of gravity in a vertical plane. As the center of gravity is located between the hips, and as the hips and abdominal region account for about one-third of the weight of the body, it is clear that a considerable momentum can be generated by either moving the hips forward, rotating them, or swinging them. Thus, every action in karatedo must start from the hips. Another reason for this is that muscles of the waist and abdominal region are very powerful but because of their configuration can only be slowly brought into action and must therefore be contracted at the earliest stage of the movement.
A linear momentum is generated when the body is propelled forward by the rear leg. At first the hips are moved backward to shift the weight of the body on the rear leg. The spring of the leg (muscular action) and the reaction force created by the ground are then transmitted to the hips resulting in a forward motion. The center of gravity describes,