Zen Shaolin Karate. Nathan Johnson

ability to apply the kata with a training partner, and to improvise spontaneously on its given formula or theme.

      The kata is the systems manual for all aspects of karate, including fighting, and should not be considered a separate practice. If students spar in ways that do not accurately utilize or even resemble the range of methods illustrated in the kata of their school, then the shortcut sparring methods will prevail, the kata will become superfluous, and the proven way will be lost.

      Chapter Two

      Basics

      In this chapter I will introduce the physical aspects of the art beginning with a brief description of some exercises that may be useful for warming up. Following that I will describe the stances, basic strikes, and kicks that need to be perfected before one can begin to study the Saam Chin kata and its application. I will finish with a description of the rolling techniques that are so vital for the safe practice the Nai Fuan Chin applications in Chapter Four.

      Warming Up

      If you believe, as was traditionally the case, that the purpose of karate is either exercise or practice of the art's theories, then the kata become the warm-up for those activities. Zen Shaolin karate does not make any use of the squat-thrusts, jumping jacks, body toughening, or many of the other preparatory movements often found in karate classes. Instead, it uses the traditional kata to prepare the body for the specific exercise in which it will be involved, the application of the kata.

      The Zen Shaolin karate warm-up method involves practicing the Saam Chin kata and then the more mobile Nai Fuan Chin kata. While performing these kata, no use is made of kinte (focus) because stiffness or jerky tension is extremely detrimental to the correct practice of Zen Shaolin karate. Also, it should be noted that Saam Chin and Nai Fuan Chin contain no ballistic movements, so one should not throw full-power punches or kicks into thin air as they can hyperextend the elbow or knee.

      The need to warm up is apparent, with the most common reasons being getting the body going, "heating" the body in order to avoid injury, and stretching so as to be able to punch, strike, and kick. Convinced that we must prepare the body for a grueling challenge, or pseudo-combat, it is still easy to become confused about how we are to warm up most effectively. Warm-ups need to achieve three things: first, to raise the pulse rate; second, to provide movements for mobility; and third, to stretch the body. The degree to which this takes place is, of course, dictated by the type of activity being pursued (i.e., a table tennis player will warm up in a different way to a sprinter). It is doubtful whether the ancient founders of karate practiced the full splits or the whole host of gymnastic and athletic exercises seen in the modern karate warm-up. The general feeling of modern practitioners is that the ancient masters were not as educated or as scientific as we are. This book postulates the reverse, that the old masters' methods contain a true science based on sound body mechanics, symmetry, and safe, economical movement. They may not have been able to explain it in modern terms, but they could do it!

      The aims and objectives have changed in modern karate. I do not wish to degrade or in any way devalue flexibility. I simply wish to encourage a more reasonable approach, making long-term and short-term safety equally important for karate students.

      Far from being old-fashioned, traditional karate kata (with their high stances) parallel very accurately the findings of modern sports science, which state:

      • There is a fine line between flexibility and joint stability. Some gymnasts can suffer dislocation injuries as a result of the excessive flexibility of their tendons and ligaments.

      • The best way to warm up is to approximate as closely as possible the exercise in which you will be involved. Zen Shaolin karate's main activity is the application of kata through pushing hands practice. By starting slowly with small movements, the range and scale of movements can be gradually increased, but without ever going beyond the natural range of movement. Hyper-extension (attempting to or actually extending a joint beyond its natural range of movement) is to be avoided.

      • Recent research has determined that the safest maximum angle of flexion for a weight-bearing leg is 60 degrees. This angle is adhered to in the original 'high' karate stances. To make the stances unnecessarily deep during kata means, of course, that you will need a warm-up in order to practice what should be the karate warm-up. After that, you will also need a warm-down. This sort of karate training will become a more athletic pursuit, with the natural outcome that the more robust will excel. The result of this approach is a type of karate that will look strong, and some people will benefit from it. However, it will be despite the way they practice and not because of it.

      Perhaps it is time that karate got away from the 1950s rugby-type warm-up and started looking forward by looking backward to the original tradition! Modern sports scientists have found that many of the established modern karate warm-up exercises are dangerous, so be careful. The maxim for Zen Shaolin karate is "natural is best."

       Auxiliary Warm-u Exercises

      If auxiliary exercises are required, the following warm-ups may be used. The emphasis is on gently stretching the body. These exercises can, of course, be added to. As with all exercises, never force anything or hold the breath, unless specifically instructed to do so.

      Exercise One—Stretching the Neck: Stand relaxed, feet shoulder-width apart, and bend the neck forward and backward, and to the left and right, holding each position for a count of five. Repeat several times.

      Exercise Two—Circling and Stretching the Arms: Stretch and swing the arms 15 to 20 times. Begin by stretching the arms forward in front of your hips, palms down. Raise and cross your arms in front of your chest, palms inward. Stretch your arms overhead, palms up, then lower them to your shoulders with your arms extended and palms out to the sides. Finally, lower your arms to waist level, palms forward, hands beside your hips.

      Exercise Three—Swinging the Arms and Twisting the Hips: Twist your body around your hips and swing the arms around your body. Relax the whole body and allow the hands to touch your back as you swing. Repeat 15 to 20 times.