| So what exactly are basics? To most karateka | | | | of focus mitts and other equipment so new |
| basics means standing in line performing simple | | | | students begin with actually hitting things. Progress |
| techniques (punches, kicks and blocks). | | | | is much better than the old way and when they |
| There's more to it than that. Basics are your | | | | come to learn their traditional karate movements |
| fundamental skills. They provide the foundation for | | | | and kata they already understand the applications |
| all your studies - how to stand, how to move, | | | | and the mechanics of the techique. The approach |
| how to generate power, what targets to hit, | | | | means they learn the best angles for working |
| what weapons (hand and foot positions) you can | | | | each technique. They get the body movement, |
| use, how to read an opponent's intentions, how to | | | | entry points through the opponent's guard and |
| breathe, stay healthy, relaxed and of course learn | | | | control of timing and distance. |
| the fundamental techniques of striking, locking, | | | | We then progress to kata, applications, 2-person |
| throwing, kicking and stance work. | | | | drilling and push hands, then onto freestyle |
| Line work isn't basics. Line work is drilling | | | | practice and attack/defence sparring. We will |
| techniques. There's a problem with line work in | | | | shortly be introducing scenario sparring where one |
| that you cannot learn your basics in an efficient | | | | partner is, say, limited to grappling and another is |
| and natural way. The origins of line work are in | | | | limited to striking, or we start from on the ground |
| the Japanese military where large groups of | | | | with the aim of one partner being to stand up |
| people were learning how to react to orders. | | | | while the other prevents him. |
| I found that beginners have difficulty with line | | | | You can chop and change your partner work and |
| work. They are expected to get into a stance | | | | sparring formats to suit different environments. |
| and hold their arms in a certain position then | | | | There aren't really advanced skills, just |
| move in a particular way. Why does it take 3 | | | | fundamental skills with different levels of |
| months to learn a handful of basics and a couple | | | | understanding - which, to newer students appear |
| of kata for your next belt. You can learn a kata | | | | to be "advanced" in the sense that they are |
| in a couple of hours. The reason is simple - | | | | moving towards greater understanding. |
| inefficiency. | | | | "That's not traditional karate!" I hear you cry. Well, |
| It takes a while to become accustomed to | | | | if traditional karate is nothing more than marching |
| traditional karate movement which isn't the same | | | | about in lines that's fine you can keep it. The only |
| movement you perform when out walking, | | | | traditions worth maintaining are the ones that |
| dancing or working. So why do it? Times have to | | | | evolve and grow with the times. |
| change. Line work is no longer suited to skill | | | | But it begins at Day 1. No more "stand at the |
| development especially with advances in sports | | | | back and follow as best as you can." Invest in |
| science and biomechanics. | | | | some good focus mitts (I've just discovered the |
| At our dojo we learn basics working with a | | | | joys of training with Thai pads too!), hang a kick |
| partner in a freestyle environment so students | | | | bag and get on with it. |
| can clearly see what is happening. We make use | | | | |