in hanmi, 'half-face front' posture (body diagonal to the front), left foot forward, and breath held in the tanden:
1—Rotate your hips and shoulders 45° to your right in a winding up motion. Your right fist will travel a longer distance and attain a greater velocity.
2—Abruptly stop the winding up motion and, using the spring of your rear leg and the reaction force of the ground, rapidly rotate your hips, shoulders, head, and right leg 90° to your left,. This generates a circular momentum in which the mass is the mass of the whole body and the velocity is the circular speed of the hips. The reaction force and the spring of the leg add a linear momentum to this motion.
3—Throw your right fist forward, successively contracting the muscles of your arm and forearm. The muscular force of your arm is brought into play and develops a linear momentum.
4ᄂCounter-balance the motion of your right arm by pulling your left fist to the side of your left hip. This increases the circular momentum generated by the rotation of your hips and cancels the reaction force created by the impact on the target.
5—Tighten your elbow and wrist articulations on impact to insure a maximum transmission of force and put your whole mind and body into your fist.
6—Immediately after impact, abruptly stop the motion of your hips, rotate them rapidly in the other direction, and pull back in this order: right shoulder, elbow, and fist. In this manner the kinetic energy generated by your punch will be propagated through the opponent's body in an exploding way and not just push him backwards.
These six phases are combined in single motion performed with complete determination and at maximum speed. The momentum of the punch delivered at impact is the sum of the momentum generated in every phase of the motion including the preparation phase.
Hinerigeri: Twist kick:In a left foot forward stance or left cat stance:
1—Move your hips backward, lowering your body and extending your arms forward. This is a winding up motion to give more power to the hips.
2—Raise your right heel close to your buttock. This extends the muscles of the thigh and will allow the heel to travel a longer distance.
3—Swing your hips forward, to generate a pendular momentum, and use the reaction force of the ground by pushing on it with your front foot. Push your elbows backward to counter-balance the motion of the hips.
4—Press off the ground with your left leg to use its muscular force and the reaction force.
5—Throw your right foot forward on a 45° angle, successively contracting the thigh and calf. The muscular force is used to produce a linear momentum.
6—The knee and ankle should be tightened on impact to insure the maximum transmission of force.
7—Immediately after impact, first pull your hips back in a pendular motion, then the thigh and calf as rapidly as they were thrown forward.
In step 5, the leg is thrown with a 45° angle because this angle yields the largest resultant from the set of vertical and horizontal forces produced by the motion of the hips and legs.
b. Physiological and Psychological Principles
Considerations on breathing
Breathing is life itself. In the lungs, the inhaled oxygen is absorbed by the blood and carried to the cellular tissues where a number of chemical reactions take place. Among others, the combustion of glucose by oxygen provides muscular energy. The carbon dioxide resulting from the combustion is in turn carried by blood to the lungs and exhaled. Breathing also eliminates the lactic acid accumulating in the blood as a result of physical exercise. Lactic acid slows down the work of the muscles. The respiration process is thus a source of energy essential in insuring intense muscular activity and at the same time preventing the fatigue resulting from such activity.
The role played by abdominal breathing as a source of muscular power has been explained in the preceding section. Breathing is also the link between these physical and physiological considerations. It helps achieve the indispensable union of mind and body. When air is inhaled deeply and held in the tanden with correct centripetal pressure, the blood circulation is activated and the nervous system stimulated. As a result, the mind becomes more serene and mental concentration is increased. Perception becomes more acute and can detect any of the opponent's actions. The body can mobilize its resources to react in a split second.
In order to achieve these goals, respiration must become a conscious function which can be utilized at will. Breathing exercises should be practiced, inhaling deeply from the nose and lifting the diaphragm. The breath is then held in the tanden, the region around the navel, and a slightly downward centripetal pressure must be exerted by the abdominal muscles. It is at this time that the body can develop its maximum physical strength. The breath should not be held for too long, otherwise the blood becomes saturated with carbon dioxide and the muscles are slowed down. Expiration is done through the mouth. The rhythm of breathing must vary according to the circumstances of the fight. Your rhythm should always be concealed from your opponent who could otherwise attack when you are out of breath or inhaling. Inhalation should take place before the execution of any technique or move and the breath will usually be held until it is completed. In combination techniques, the breath may sometimes be held for more than one technique.
Kiai
Kiai is the materialization of the ki, the inner power resulting from the concentration of the mind and body by proper breathing. It is the expression of this power liberated all at once in a fraction of a second. In karatedo, techniques must always be executed with kiai. That is to say, they must literally explode from the body under the utmost internal pressure.
Kiai is often confused with the shrill sound caused by the rapid expulsion of a small amount of air which sometimes accompanies the execution of a technique. It is also some times thought that an ordinary scream which supposedly surprises the opponent and breaks his concentration, is kiai. But kiai is, rather, an unconscious expression of the ki and, as such, any attempt to consciously imitate it would only result in a waste of kiai.
Self-control
In karatedo the mind and body must be able to act at once and with determination. This requires a complete control over emotional disturbances which could affect the functioning of the mind. The mind should be clear, like water, to reflect the opponent's attitude. If the surface of the water is troubled, then the opponent's image will be distorted and his attack may surprise or confuse you.
The mind should exercise full control over the body. It is well known that all of our actions are commanded and controlled from the brain. Thus, if the mind is clear, then the body will execute whatever is required without the slightest hesitation. Likewise, a perfectly controlled body will execute a technique exactly as required.
Thus, self-control starts with the control of the mind and achieves the control of the body and of the techniques. How can control of the mind be realized ？ By mastering the techniques. When one has mastered the techniques, he is in full possession of his body, and his mind is liberated from emotional disturbances.
At peace with oneself, one will always win and ultimately fulfill oneself.
2. Conditioning of the Body and Mind
a. Junbi Undo: Preparatory Exercises
Preparatory exercises are necessary before practicing any sport. In karatedo, where the mind and body must respond at once with great speed and power, they are indispensable.
