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