This was one of the great pieces of advice I received from Aiko San. It was during one of the national championships, and she pulled me aside, saying: “Try to imagine your head as a ball resting delicately on your shoulders. If your head leans to either direction, it will fall that way; if it is to fall, it should fall between your legs.”
Then she made me do yori ashi with Gyaku Zuki, first slowly and then at full speed. At kime, I had to check if my head was falling to either side or between my legs. To be correct, my neck had to be totally relaxed.
We practiced this for over an hour. I forgot I was there for competition, and looking back, this small advice was worth more than winning five national championships.
When the head just rests and floats on your shoulders, in addition to improved posture, lengthening the spine, and reducing compression, there are lots of benefits. The tension in the neck and shoulders is reduced, and the breath and energy can be condensed and lowered to the Tan Den (lower abdomen), so our power comes from where it is supposed to. The power can then be delivered effectively to where we intend, without escape of energy.
This principle is something I always teach in kids karate classes, because proper posture and energy control are key foundations in karate classes for kids. As we deliver energy, we store it in the center, which is not possible if there is excess tension or top power.
Aiko San gave us those small, wise pieces of advice that had a huge influence. I use this advice regularly in my training and in kids karate classes I teach, helping students understand the connection between posture, power, and effective technique.