October 2019 - Page 3 of 5

Posture Advice from Aiko San

This was one of the great advises I received from Aiko San, it was in one of the national championships, she pulled me to the side, and told me: “try to imagine your head as a ball resting delicately on your shoulders, if your head lean to either direction it will fall this way, if it is to fall, it should fall between your legs.” Than she make me do yori ashi with Gyaku Zuki, first slow and than at full speed, and at kime, I had to check if my head was to fall to either side or between […]

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Posture, Precise Timing of Body Segments Make Effective Technique and a Healthier Musculoskeletal System

Avi Rokah

In karate we strive to achieve todome (finish technique) and at the same time we seek longevity in training. Both effectiveness and longevity are achieved by using precise movement of specific segments out of optimal static and dynamic postures and alignment within total body movement. Maintaining or restoring precise movement of specific segments and the relationships between segments is also the key to correcting or preventing musculoskeletal pain. The biomechanics of human movement is similar to the mechanics of machines, in that the longevity of components and efficiency of performance require precise movements of the rotating segments. In contrast to

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Kime – Total Breath, Total Energy Pass Through The Target

Avi Rokah

There are many details to effective kime, which obviously have to come together to the point that you just have the intention of finish technique, and all the details will happen by themselves. At this point your body knows how to make kime. But no matter at what level we are we always have to revisit and reflect if we apply all aspects of kime optimally, we can always get better. Sensei Nishiyama was never tired or bored of repeating the principles and details of kime, and there was always something subtle, new, that could be learned. Breathing “through pass”

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The Art of Magic and Karate is in the Small Details Which are Derived from Principles

Avi Rokah

There are many teachers who can teach techniques but only few who can teach the art of karate. Use the form as a vehicles to understand and digest the principles. The principles and details derived from them make the magic of karate, make the technique effective and effortless, and applicable to any circumstance. Follow the form and you will be limited to the form, follow the principles, digest the small details, make them your “body system” and you will be limitless, beyond form, and you will effortlessly be able to apply and adopt the technique to any changing circumstance, any

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“Keep Trying”

Avi Rokah

I love this quotation by Thomas Edison “our greatest weakness is giving up. The most certain way to success is to try one more time.” Many times when a student asked Sensei Nishiyama question about technique or express difficulty in getting something to work, the answer was “keep trying”. Sensei Nishiyama was a man of few words (when it come to karate, he loved to talk when socialized), he said just enough to give you direction, but wanted you to find out through training. We must train than contemplate, repeat but don’t be mechanic, don’t just keep going, reflect on

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Rapid Rate of Contraction and Relaxation in Punch or Kick

Avi Rokah

The skillful karate fighter is not only strong, but in order to initiate a punch or a kick can contract muscles with great velocity, and also relax rapidly, the rate of relaxation is very rapid. The karate expert must start power generation in the legs through the hips, and as they hips explode the core contract quickly to transmit the force to the upper body, initial pulse start with quick contraction, and than the core relax as the punch or kick increase the velocity until the impact and than to avoid energy leak a second contraction occur. Initiate with very

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Give Up Power to Better Your Technique and Better Yourself and Society

Avi Rokah

In my seminar in Israel, I had a little talk with Tzachi, Moshe’s student and Israeli team member. Tzachi is wise beyond his years, and I learned a great lesson. The background to this talk was my emphasis the following lesson from previous training: In kime, we make pressure to the floor with the breath, and the reaction of this pressure is absorbed through the body and delivered to the line of technique. No power in the technique arm is needed, rather, any undue tension in the arm will nullify the effect of the pressure to floor; it will block

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Ho Shin – Give Your Mind Away. Also, Learn to Use Your Full Muscles Potential

Avi Rokah

Once decision is made, there is no mind in the technique, no hesitation, win or lose one must give everything. When we can apply this concept and give everything, the mind is clear, there is no more judgment, and paradoxically we can become more sensitive, more intuitive, and more aware when we try less. There is another aspect to it, very few of us are able to use our full muscles potential, generally we use only small potential of our musculoskeletal system, because of fear, past traumas, protection of the joints, but hand in hand with the developing the muscles

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Toddle, Mai and Footwork. Components That Make Karate Most Effective as Self-Defense

Avi Rokah

Todome- It is reasonable to say that if 120 lb of mass hits the biggest, strongest man, as one connected, dense mass, with sufficient speed it will be a knock down or make big damage. Well, this is Todome, in karate we study through generations the details and means of how to connect the whole body, increase energy, by using ground reaction, sequencing body segments from the ground up to increase maximal speed and force and hit the opponent as one connected mass and deliver the full force in shortest instant, by being as dense and inelastic as possible at

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Fighting From The Inside

Avi Rokah

At high level when 2 people are facing each other, there is no random movement, everything is purposeful. Not only there are no random techniques but there is no unnecessary movement in the interaction. When we are advanced it is not only that the technique is stronger and one can produce more force with less action, but that we become more sensitive to the opponent’s movement and intention. Our ki energy can be projected to the opponent so we need less movement to give threat and break the opponent’s rhythm and the same ki energy serves as our antenna, perceiving

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