What’s the glue that holds together any martial art? Hint: from the very beginning of one’s training, a new martial arts student must learn this.
Answer: The Basics
Basics are things like stances, blocks, kicks, punches and strikes. Sound basics are vital to success in any art, especially in the traditional arts, because they are the foundation of the system.
Equally important are the small details of performing the basics successfully. Students should be taught the reason behind each detail for everything they learn with an understanding that it can take years to actually master the minute details of each technique. The finest of details can make or break a technique in its effectiveness.
Chambering
To have the most success in learning or teaching blocks or strikes, there needs to be a starting position, a chamber. Chambering is where and how you position your hands before you perform a technique. In most karate systems, a typical chamber position starts at the obi (belt) position and then requires rotation of the hands into the block or strike with the opposite hand returning to the obi.
If you were in a street fight, would you use this chamber position in a real situation?
No, you wouldn’t.
If you did, you probably wouldn’t use the full chamber, you would modify or shorten the technique for speed and efficiency.
However, learning to chamber is necessary as a teaching aid because chambering contains information students need. For example, through chambering a student learns the effects of rotation, the contact points and positioning of the arm. That is what traditional arts do… they break down the body mechanics of techniques through the practice of these basics.
Purpose
Throughout the Martial Way Network blog, we will be covering the basics and the reasons behind those techniques. Through your understanding of these methods, you can better analyze the basics in your own system. Through intelligent review of your techniques you may discover some things that might make your basics more effective, powerful and efficient.
Decide for yourself if it is beneficial to make modifications to your existing techniques. Keep in mind that every art has its own style and method of performing basics that is congruent with their system.
In other words, make changes to your basic techniques at your own risk and ideally, with the approval of the head of your system.
Take what is useful and leave the rest.
If you are reading this, you are a traditional martial artist and are the foundation of our Martial Way Network. We welcome your comments as we share thoughts, ideas and research on the traditional martial arts.
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Network Rules: We encourage open discussion that comes from a place of positivity. We believe the martial way is knowledge as a way to improve ones life and the life of others. To quote the great master Gichin Funakoshi, “Do not criticize any other martial arts or speak ill of others, as it will surely come back to you. The mountain does not laugh at the river because it is lowly, nor does the river speak ill of the mountain because it can not move. Each has its own emphasis and characteristics.”
