“Karate
is like hot water, which will become cold if not kept heated all the time”
To
make hot water cold, simply reduce the heat. But to keep the temperature of
hot water all the time or to keep the heat, continued efforts are required.
The typical character of the Japanese, that is to get interested easily but
get disinterested quickly as well, is not desirable. Important in Karate-do
is “to continue”. Those who have the patience to continue will
be ultimately crowned. This teaches us to endeavour with patience for a long
period, rather than pour out our enthusiasm all at once.
The following
is one of the legendary stories that I heard when I was a student:
One
day he waited for a chance to attack and threw a sudden punch at Funakoshi
Sensei but Sensei dodged the attack swiftly. |
Every student
knew how strong the well-trained Funakoshi Sensei was. One of his students
who had never witnessed how strong Funakoshi Sensei was decided to try him
out. Of course, the student in question was a high ranking dan holder. One
day he waited for a chance to attack and threw a sudden punch at Funakoshi
Sensei but Sensei dodged the attack swiftly. The student realised Sensei’s
strengths.
In Karate-do,
we have to practice all the time or we will lose it. One day without training
will be equivalent to three to four days with training. Among my colleagues
or those who used to be stronger than me, many of them now can only say “I
have done Karate in the past”. From that viewpoint, I am blessed because
I am in a position to be able to continue my training.
The training
we had when we were students was extremely rough. We used to train, punishing
ourselves to the extent that it could be said that those who practiced Karate
like to physically punish themselves. Even when we thought that we had reached
our physical limits, with a senpai hitting us, we could come up with more
power which we thought was impossible for us to generate. I thought that it
was amazing that, no matter how exhausted, we could come up with twice the
power the next day.
When a
human being believes that one has reached the physical limit, the instinct
of self-preservation starts functioning and one will stop activities. When
I started Karate, there was no room for such a calculation. I was always desperate,
because if I stopped my movements, I would be hit. In the case of physical
techniques, the real power is said to come out after the power is once completely
depleted. I believe that there is logic in it. In Karate, one who is on the
floor, too exhausted even to move the hand or leg will block properly when
attacked with a punch or a kick. This is the waza or technique in Karate-do.
Waza
requires the use of instincts or is required to make movements as naturally
as possible by instinct. |
Waza is not a
calculated movement such as how to block or shift the body. Waza requires
the use of instincts or is required to make movements as naturally as possible
by instinct. It is relatively easy to move exactly as taught, but it is important
to bring out your instincts.
The removal of
self-consciousness and to act without any condition is the true nature of
a person and the essence of Karate. To be continued...
Notes:
Translated
from Japanese into English by Nishimura Takaatsu Sensei, Senior Instructor,
JKA Victoria
*18 Kiba dachi is a horse riding stance.
*19 Zenkutsu dachi is a stance with 60% of the body weight placed on the front
leg.
*20 JNR stands for Japan National Railway
Read
our Tribute to Shoji Sensei from November 2003
Back
to Articles
Home
Copyright
© Japan Karate Association of Australia (Victoria) Limited 2005