Shigeru Kimura Sensei 9th Dan Tani-Ha Shitoryu Shukokai delivered a punch that was like being hit by a cannonball.
Kimura Sensei had won the Japan Karate Championship two years in a row. His technique was unbelievably fast, sharp, and decisive. However, there was a problem. Tani Sensei, Mabuni Kenwa’s best student and founder of Tani-Ha Shukokai, was a firm believer in the ancient concept of IKKEN HISSATSU or “One Fist – Certain Death”. Kimura Sensei was not sure that the technique he possessed was capable of that in a SHINKEN SHOBU or a REAL battle of life and death.
He and others of the Shukokai began experimenting with Bogu (Bogu is body armor, similar to Kendo, but modified for Karate). Kimura was dismayed that his punches and kicks lacked TRUE stopping power when he applied his full force against any real resistance. Now Tani Sensei WAS an innovator and had “changed” the traditional waza of Shitoryu Karate to impart MORE strength, speed and power. Tani was the FIRST person to coin the term “double hip” in reference to the twisting motion used to create greater ballistic force.
Kimura Sensei went BEYOND. He developed other concepts based on modern sports science, training techniques and exercises. This continued until his eternal death at age 58.
When Kimura Sensei first came to the US and began teaching at Yonezuka Sensei’s Dojo around 1970, he was interviewed by a well-known local sportswriter. This gentleman commented in print that Kimura had as HARD a punch, if NOT HARDER, than any of the many PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS, including HEAVY WEIGHTS, this sportswriter had come across over the years. HIGH PRAISE IN FACT, considering most martial artists would assume boxers possess the HARDEST punches of any fighting method.
The FOUNDATION of Kimura’s Shukokai training was the use of the “punching” block, now known as the “hitting” pad.
The originals we used were simply cut 14″ X 14″ squares of polyfoam stacked 8-10 inches thick and wrapped with a Gi belt. Three techniques were CONSTANTLY practiced for HOURS AND HOURS straight. They were the “gyakuzuki” or reverse punch, the “maegeri” or front kick and the “mawashigeri” or roundhouse kick. Using the principles of “double hip twist”, “muscle kick”, “whiplash”, “total body lock” and other concepts ingrained in modern sports, the dynamic speed and tremendous power one could develop made such a training would be much MORE worthwhile than the usual “monkey” exercises found in most other Dojos.
The use of drilling blocks developed BOTH the batter’s ability to deliver a massive unload AND the “hit”‘s ability to RECEIVE a massive unload.
Punching blocks WORK. Since the blocks allow you to really work to penetrate INSIDE the target, you can develop the ability to get great “feedback” on how effectively you’re hitting.
JUST ONE PROBLEM! You NEED a training partner. Your training partner is the one who HOLDS the block and GIVES you VISUAL feedback on the effectiveness of your punches. Over time and with the proper development of skills, another “trouble” arises. You, when all goes well, will be able to hit SO powerfully that after two or three “gut” blasters your partner will have NO interest in continuing. On a really “good” day, you can even do it with ONE take.
A large and powerful individual (around 220lbs) known for building and conditioning his body and a black belt in a system KNOWN for his conditioning exercises, who trained with us LAST for only THREE punches. On the third reverse punch, he dropped the bag and nearly knocked the “cookies” off of him. He admitted that without the pad, the FIRST hit could have “killed” him. Another big powerful bodybuilder was punched ONE punch (through TEN inches of dense foam) and turned WHITE, lost the ability to breathe and speak and fell to his knees. When he recovered several minutes later, he said that he felt as if an electric shock had “turned off” his HEART. He admitted that for a second he really thought he was going to die. The “puncher” in both cases was approximately 150 pounds.
So here is my solution for training without a “partner”:
Do any of you “old timers” remember Frank Smith? During the 1960’s, Frank Smith WAS the “powerhouse” of American Shotokan Karate. He was a TANK and perfectly executed the powerful direct Shotokan style.
His trademark was the REVERSE PUNCH! He developed the technique from him on a specially constructed “makiwara”. This is what WE will use for our BASE.
Here’s how we started: a 6″ x 6″ x 6″ block of wood glued to the floor or wall (stud or concrete) another block attached to the angle of the wall and ceiling Four eye hooks, each attached on the SIDES of the blocks
One inch pine board that runs from the floor block to the ceiling block about 8 feet long and 8 inches wide. TWO elastic cords. One goes from hook to hook on the BOTTOM block securing that end of the board, and another does the same on the top block.
There is YOUR BASE “makiwara”. NOW, as your punching improves, you can KEEP ADDING TABLES! And replacing the ones you break!
NOW here is OUR addition! Get TWO more bungee cords. Get an IMPACT PAD from KAM Industries in NJ. Secure the pad at solar plexus/chest level with the elastic cords.
There you go! You can use the Impact Pad and see and feel the speed and power developing WITHOUT a training partner. As your technique develops and becomes STRONGER, you ADD boards! Supercharge training for your PUNCH!
The only HARD part here is “developing” the CORRECT and proper technique.
Kimura Sensei always said that YOU DO NOT “train” or “practice” Karate as much as you STUDY IT. Think about it. Every repetition of EVERY technique is a COMPLETE STUDY in body mechanics, speed, power dynamics, balance and EFFICIENCY itself.
EVERY technique should always TEACH YOU SOMETHING!
Kimura Sensei went on to totally revamp his “style”. That’s when Kimura-Ha Shukokai really came to fruition. He developed a system based on what he termed “Left Gear”. Although I have trained in this method, I am NOT from the “new” school. My Shukokai technique is based on studying with the four Sensei mainly: Kimura, Yonezuka, Kidachi and Ishihara. I have trained with Nanbu but this was very limited.
In fact, the LAST black belts promoted at the Cranford JKC by KIMURA SENSEI, KIDACHI SENSEI and YONEZUKA SENSEI in TANI-HA SHITORYU SHUKOKAI were as follows: Mr. Anthony LaForte, Mr. Daniel Chin and myself. The black belt certificates issued were from the Hombu Dojo in Japan, signed directly by Chojiro Tani and under the direct auspices of the Shukokai World Karatedo Union.
Last comment: Training on a “traditional” makiwara is great for building hand and wrist strength, as well as strengthening your fist and hand. The “makiwara” as described above is the BEST way to develop the IKKEN HISSATSU concept or even better the “ICHIGEKI-HISSATSU” (one ATTACK – certain death) concept.
Older methods (Okinawan styles) made heavy use of hanging sandbags (probably Chinese influence) and the makiwara.
REAL makiwara training develops great attributes. The true Okinawan experts use weights suspended from a rope 8 to 10 inches behind the backboard and the same distance from the wall.
When hitting with “chinkuchi” or “kime” similar to “fa-jing” the transfer of energy to the weight THROUGH the makiwara is EVIDENT. This is responsible for developing the TRUE “tsuki” where energy is poured INTO the target, NOT just INTO IT.
The true “Ryukyu-Ken” or Okinawan fist (also known as Daikento) is misunderstood. Proper alignment is 70-40 or 80-30 in STUMN INDEX (EXPLAINS TO SOME EXTENT THE MOTOBU-KEN). You can only REALLY train this on a makiwara.
I have several different “types” of makiwara. Some imported from Okinawa. Each one has a different “feel”. My MAIN is constructed of thick, coarse hemp AND topped with a Shureido makiwara leather cover. Because? I use the hemp wrap for KNUCKLES and EDGE of HAND. I use the LEATHER pad for the “Ipponken” phoenix eye or knuckle, “Oyayubiken” or thumb knuckle and similar single point weapons.
The base for this one was CUSTOM made in a welding shop.
One of the Gungfu Wusu “pai” I studied was an offshoot of what could best be described as a combination of bakmei, fist of five ancestors, and phoenix eye. SO……………. Yes, you guessed it! Great confidence in the blow INDEX KNUCKLE. Conditioning this weapon for this style was SAND BAG training (AND one knuckle push ups on cinder blocks). This was essentially a heavy bag filled with sand. Pretty brutal to begin with, BUT here’s what I thought was really GOOD about it compared to a “normal” heavy bag:
I could drive to the same place with CONCENTRATED force over and over again. Little to ANY rocking or movement and NO worries about turning or whatever would cause you to slip off the tarp and rip or scrape something!
I ASSUME we are talking about BARE HANDED strikes, NO gloves.
When the real Korean karate (MooDukKwan) expert Ki Chung Kim was teaching at Yone’s Dojo, the heavy bag that was used was ALSO full of sand! I asked Mr. Kim that day and he gave me the same answers that I posted earlier.
Heavy bags filled with sand VERY VERY WELL develop momentum, penetration, and energy discharge or “sinking” energy.
For my money, I hit EVERYTHING on it. Each will develop a different and important attribute.
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