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Once again, post-karate-class this previous Monday I see something, and the mouth runneth over...I’ve added a few thoughts since the original composition.
Dear <instructor>,
Some of your comments made to other students struck a chord with me this evening; something that's been simmering below the surface for me for some time.
You were discussing with one particular student that excuses don't work, and that if you can't do <whatever very basic thing> by the time you’re an advanced student (say at my level—more than 5 years of serious study) you ought to be spending day and night working on it...
And then I think of the advertisements for karate schools (here is a sample) advertising that they’ll help increase your self-confidence and **DISCIPLINE**
and I think:
Well, there’s a discussion going on in rec.martial-arts about a boxing uppercut. One of the well-respected regulars, Frank Benn (at IFA Academy in Austin, TX), wrote in regards the UC punch
The first mistake people make when throwing an uppercut is that they don’t shift their weight from one foot to the other. They tend to think of it as strictly an upward springing type of punch.Let’s say you're a left lead, and you're throwing a left uppercut, which is the more common hand to throw. Your knees are bent, and your weight is 60/40 on your left foot.
As you throw the uppercut, turn out your left heel and shift your weight from your left foot onto your right foot. The shift of weight allows you to pivot your hips to the right as you throw the punch.
During the uppercut your fist travels in an upward arc coming back toward you. Tighten the arc just as you're hitting the target. This will increase the angular momentum of your punch and give it that “snap” or “pop” when you
connect.Last, only throw your uppercut when the target is at or below the level of your chin. For instance if he ducks or weaves your cross, or he anticipates a hook from the inside and you change up to the uppercut, or just when he
leans in on you.
Does this, or can this, turn into a rising elbow strike—or at least, be thought of as such if you want to follow through and the fist can’t make the strike, or if he’s too high (as you mention later)?’cause from a karate viewpoint (at least mine) this sounds like a perfect rising elbow strike.
It certainly can be. The way you would throw an uppercut elbow is essentially the same as a punch, as far as what the rest of your body is doing -- turning out the heel, pivoting the hips, etc.
I reproduce Frank’s stuff here because, well, it’s almost always something really good and worth paying attention to.
Well, today was a big day for me, my family, and my martial art.
First of all: my teacher's instructor -- a pretty high up in our little martial arts world -- was promoted (officially) today to 8th degree black belt. This is a pretty rare thing: there is only one in the system, and only one person "above" him now in the system (the founder himself). He's been doing this for over 40 years, so this is not a small achievement.
(An aside: in systems that rank using the more-or-less traditional Japanese belt-ranking system, ranks typically go from the rainbow-of-colored-belts you see, culminating in a black belt -- this is the first degree black belt. Typically, as one learns more and performs more, one moves up in rank. The top "fighting" belt in most systems -- the top rank for which one tests -- is fifth degree black belt. Above that, promotions are based upon what you bring to the system as a whole, and how many students you have, and what your students have produced.
In our system, which has been in existence for almost (only) 50 years, there are only 180-some black belts of any degree, and of course as you go up there are fewer and fewer higher ranking belts. I think there may be only one seventh-degree black belt, two sixth-degrees, and only one or two fifth degrees of which I am aware. My teacher's teacher (and in some measure my own teacher) has produced some 50 black belts under his tutelage in the last 13 years, since he received 7th degree black belt. Of those, there are at least 2 fourth-degree blackbelts, one third degree black belt and a whole slew o' second-degree black belts produced.)
There was a short exhibition, before the associated tournament (for adults and children) that happened: some of this new 8th dan's blackbelts performed (including my teacher) various forms (mostly Chinese forms like "Tiger Crane" or a pair of very interesting Chinese fan forms), then the Grandmaster of the system did some very interesting "breaks" -- actually only one -- that involved basically taking a 3 foot piece of road asphalt and breaking it in half against the arms of our new 8th-dan. (If you don't think that's impressive, go try it yourself.) After that, Mr. hachidan was presented with his 8th dan belt, a large scroll upon which all of his blackbelts would place their seals, and he was declared the lineage-holder (as far as I could tell) -- the person to carry on the art after the current grandmaster is ... no longer practicing. But let's not go there now.
Now, as for my own little part in this. My two older sons (aged 11 and 7) also take karate, and participated in the adjunct tournament that went on today. For the kids' dvision, there were forms (kata) competition, and point-fighting competitions. My younger son came in a multi-way tie for second place in his age and level division, and my oldest son got first place (woot!) in the forms division.
When it came to sparring, however, well, he was paired up with a kid who was, "a head-and-a-half shorter than [son #1]" and two belt levels lower. My son, for whatever reasons, decided to "go easy on this kid" and let the littler one win their point-fighting round. (Personally, I think the calculus that my son made was more like "there is no way I can win this -- even if I win, it's against someone smaller and younger an less experienced than I. Besides, I already got my 1st-place trophy.")
(Aside #2: Point fighting is a curiosity that is basically a karate "fight", except instead of an all out knock-'em-down brawl, you score "points" for techniques scored to various parts of the body. Think "fencing" with fists instead of sabres. Or, if you want, a cross between "tag" and "kickboxing".)
Oh yes: for me, well, I was in the "old folks brown belt division" -- and came in second for my forms competition. Then I did point-fighting, and made it through to a second round of eliminations before being knocked out handily by someone half my age and weight. (Most everyone half my age is half my weight too, it seems.) This is a better place than I made last year, when I was knocked out in round one. This came as pleasant surprise, and my kids were thrilled to watch "abba" beat the pants off of someone. (My opponent did not lack one bit for aggressiveness and technique: he was quite good. And, he only did the fighting. But, I was better.)
Many students did multiple breaks, or one break of boards suspended in different manners. My break was the following: one knotty board (punched from the chest straight forward), one board (punched from the chest straight out to my side), one board (kicked) -- all at the same time -- followed by one board across my exceptionally hard head.
Now, breaking one board is simple. It is almost entirely a mind-over-matter issue. Two boards in different directions is harder -- you are no longer mustering all your energy on one point. Three different directions is harder yet. And breaking one board across your head? Pure flash -- it doesn't hurt and if you hit it on the right place one piece of the board goes flying across the room.
This break is something I had tried previously but had not yet been able to make "go".
Until today.
Today, it went. Boy did it go. It received accolates from onlookers and dropped jaws from judges. The flying piece of wood from the head break almost knocked the aforementioned 8th-dan black belt in the head.
And it won first place.
Frequently, after a good karate class, I'll send an email off to my instructor with my take on the evening's events. It is one of many little arrogances of mine, but he doesn't seem to mind. (This is especially good as there are many classes that I attend given by his instructors that I am expected to attend for my own progress. That's the way it is in my system.) Here's my somewhat expurgated version: