The best way to get good at something is to do it over and over. That’s assuming of course that you’re doing it right. Otherwise, you’re just learning bad habits. In my latest attempt to correct some problems with my karate basics, I’m also having to relearn the movements. It’s difficult, it’s awkward, but I think it’s starting to pay off. For the last week I’ve been practicing one technique (junzuki / front punch). Here’s some observations so far.

(Note: these may have nothing to do with whatever it is you’re doing wrong. And, yes, you are probably doing something wrong.)

1. Doing the same thing over and over for a week sucks. It’s tiring, it’s humbling, and it’s harder than it would seem. But, the best insights are just starting to show up. Perseverance is paying off. For example, I realized today that for the better part of my karate career my movement in the front punch has been focused at least in part on getting a “snap” from the sleeve of my karate uniform. While training in a t-shirt, I’ve found that there’s an extra movement fro my hip in the opposite direction at the end of the technique. This is stunting my reach and has been placing the perceived point of impact 1 - 3 inches short of where it could be. Crap.
2. Take time to consider how the power behind the technique is generated and keep it mind when you’re practicing. I have been relying heavily on my front foot being firmly planted to generate movement from my hip. I don’t know that this is incorrect for a different application, but with regards to basic mechanics it’s making my punch late which means no matter how fast my arms comes off my hip, it’s going to be slower in connecting with the target. More so, it’s forcing me to rely almost entirely on the strength of my shoulder and arm (with some hip rotation thrown in). While it feels quick and snappy, it actually reduces the kinetic energy (and therefore the power of the punch) by removing the mass and motion of my body from the equation. I’ve been hearing about putting the body behind the punch for awhile now, and it’s just starting to click that I am not actually doing that. Crap. 
3. Even the most basic technique can be broken into smaller and smaller pieces. As a beginner, we learn the gross movement and general mechanics. As we get better, and as we learn more about working within our own abilities and limitations, we should be able to break the technique into chunks, than those chunks into smaller pieces. There might be a point where this just becomes a useless exercise, but being able to do so can highlight problem areas in the technique and allow you to correct just the parts that are causing you problems. If you haven’t done this before, I highly recommend it. Start by going through the whole technique as slowly as possible. Do that a lot. Then see where it goes. Where are the transitions? What areas are stickiest for you? Can you modify them without screwing up the intent of the technique? There is a ton to be learned from this exercise.
4. If you don’t have a partner, get a mirror. If you don’t have a mirror, take video. Hell, even if you have a mirror, take video anway. You have got to see yourself going through the movements to find and fix things, and being able to go back on video to compare previous training and/or to see your progress is really useful.
5. If you’re a serious student of a martial art, you can’t limit yourself to class times. Real progress is going to happen when you’re practicing on your own at your own pace. Class should be reserved for your instructor to review your progress and teach you new things, but you’ll get better faster if you’re taking those lessons outside the dojo. Can’t find the time? Bullshit. How much time did you spend on Facebook this week? Right. Take 20 minutes a day and practice one thing. Make it something basic, regardless of your rank. Add time however and whenever you can.

Anyone else going through this type of training? What observations are you coming up with?

Posted via email from Die Going Forward | Comment »