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Bun Bu Ichi [The Pen and Sword in Accord] is the Magazine of the Kodokan Dojo.

Articles by the Instructors and Students of the Kodokan will appear here...

• Budo - Sensei Glenn Irvine
• The Makiwara - Sensei Glenn Irvine
• Karate and Me - Perry Smith

Budo
by Glenn Irvine

Article coming soon

The Makiwara
by Glenn Irvine

One of the many training methods used in Karate is the Makiwara. (pronounced. Mah-key-wah-ra)

This apparatus which loosely translates as “Striking Post”, is often misunderstood by novice students as a method for toughening the fists and creating callus. This couldn’t be further from the truth, although it does assist in strengthening the formation of the fist and wrist positioning.

The main purpose of the Makiwara is to develop striking focus and to perfect the timing of the strike. And like all training methods, only comes with continuous practice. The dimensions of the Makiwara are illustrated below, with the height above ground allowing for the hitting area to be positioned at the height of your solar plexus (Suigetsu). It is best to use a leather cover with “beach thong” rubber underneath, and protect it from the weather with a bucket.

Itosu Sensei advised that Makiwara training was critical for the development of serious Karate Practitioners.

Children should not use a makiwara unless appropriately supervised.

Karate and me
by Perry Smith

Someone asked me the other day, “What is it about Karate that you like so much?” This was not a question to which I had ever given serious thought, so I gave the usual glib answer, everything. It did however, prompt me to consider the question.

I started to think about the three basics that Sempai drills us with, Kata (Forms), Kumite (Sparring) and Kihon (Basics).

The Kata I don’t mind, and a few I feel I can do slightly better than abysmal (although its only just!). Whilst not a huge strength, I can at least learn the pattern and try harder to improve both my understanding of the Kata and my performance of the Kata. I did conclude however, that my love of Karate does not stem from the Kata component.

Next I considered the Kumite. I have thus far been in two competitions. Anyone who has heard me pontificate on the subject will know that Kumite, especially in competitions, ranks with me about as high as rubbish skiing at the local dump. Each bout I have entered irrationally scared the living daylights out of me. I don’t like the butterflies in the stomach immediately before the match. I don’t like the days of anticipation and nervous tension
leading up to the bout. In fact, with regard to competitions, I will quote Karen’s response to our last camping trip. Sat around the campfire on the last day, each of the family was saying what they enjoyed most about the camping. Karen’s reply was, “Leaving”. The same is true with competitions and me.

So then I turned my attention to Kihon. Do I enjoy walking up and down a freezing hall with a wooden floor in the depths of winter? Cannot say that I do. Do I enjoy the lengths of the hall in summer, dripping sweat with every step? Nope, can’t say that thrills me either.

By this stage, I was beginning to wonder why I even train. Each line of thought so far led me to conclude that I was not keen on yet another aspect of my training. It was about this time that I started to recall some of Sempai’s non-physical teachings.

On many occasions, whilst learning yet another twist or turn of body, and another mind confusing contortion of Kata, Sempai has often commented that the true meaning of a Kata in Karate are hidden and not obvious. To understand a particular Kata can take many years and much searching of its elements. This can and should be extrapolated to encompass most aspects of the martial art, not just the Kata.

With this thought, I began to re-evaluate my earlier conclusions with regard to the three K’s.

Kata teaches the correct forms and moves to be used. One always steps forward in Kata, to build spirit in the budding Budoka. Whether an individual is ‘good’ or not is principally a matter of training, repetition and perseverance. These three without a lot of natural ability are probably not sufficient to get you to the world titles. But, they will teach you the basics of Karate and they will certainly build mind and body over time. I personally believe they will also teach every budoka humility. Many times I
have been asked to do an earlier ‘simple’ kata and mucked it up. So, I conclude that from Kata, I learn the alphabet of Karate, humility and the ability to see a bit beyond just the physical contortions of a particular Kata.

Kihon teaches exact basics. It teaches the nature of a punch, kick or strike in a formal way. The body learns to perform, correctly, many attacking and defensive moves as instinctively as breathing (eventually anyway). Kihon also teaches control of mind. Simply by being able to switch between Kumite mode and Kihon mode requires a substantial mind shift. So, from Kihon I learn more about the nature of my body, its capabilities and its limitations. I also learn how to control the body more effectively.

Kumite (sparring) and the bunkai (analysis) teach the spirit and application of the forms and techniques learned. In Sensei’s words, you are forced to ‘Face the tiger’. In other words, within a controlled environment, you are forced to confront and overcome your own fears. You move well beyond your comfort zone of sparring in your own Dojo with people you know and trust.
Until I had actually competed in a competition, I really did not understand the purpose of a competition to achieve this goal. After all, I rationalised; it is a non contact sport in a totally controlled environment.

Post competition, I can fully appreciate the naivety of such thoughts. The mind reacts to the perceived threat of your opponent! Hence, the fact that your opponent won’t really hit you is totally supplanted by the fact that the seen intent is that of a punch thrown at your face, that’s reality!!!

The final thing I considered was the ritual of Karate. Each session we bow at the door, bow to Sensei, Sempai, each other, the front wall (although this is really symbolic of all prior generations of teachers), and each other. This we do not once, but many times throughout a session. When one considers why, I guess there are many possible reasons. For me, I perceive the important ones to be 

* Respect – For our teachers, all their past teachers and for each other
* Humility – Lest we become over zealous with our new found physical abilities, before we have truly absorbed all the teachings, not just the physical
* Patience & persistence – Nothing good ever comes easy goes the saying. In my opinion, this is truer in the Martial arts more than anywhere else. If you think you are really good at whatever level in training you have achieved, just ask Sensei or Sempai to grade you in an open grading, and learn yet another lesson about the long road to success

So now if I consider the original question again, “What is it about Karate that you like so much?”

My answer is far less blasé, I hope much more balanced and considered, and above all, a resounding Everything.

Hope to see you at training, all the best

Perry