Avi Rokah Archives

Posture Actually Changes Your Physiology

In karate we know how important posture is for effective movement, and that posture has psychological effect as well. When In good posture, it is easy to control body dynamics, transfer ground reaction forces through body center to technique, all muscles are in optimal length for function, and have full potential for contraction/expansion. In good posture one can be more relaxed, perceived the whole picture rather than being stuck in details and be more mentally responsive and flexible. If you have ever joined karate classes for adults, you might have noticed how instructors constantly emphasise on correct posture because it […]

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Body, Mind and Brain in Harmony

Avi Rokah

In Karate through many generations, the wisdom and the tools were developed and transmitted to achieve harmony in oneself and with opponent. Those are not beautiful theories only, in karate harmony within oneself and than with the opponent is a necessity. You will get an immediate feedback when facing a good opponent, if you are not “present”, and not in harmony. This harmony has to be there not only when you lie down on the beach, but when you are on the edge, at extreme situations. Mind in karate refers to as heart, feeling, intuitive mind. Harmony in your body

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Form and Formless?

Avi Rokah

Form is limitation, a necessary limitation, therefore ultimately we should be free of form. Being free of form mentally and physically will allow us to flow, adopt, and apply our techniques within any space, angle or instant in time, and from any starting position. With that said, if a beginner starts training without form, they will not likely learn to use the body effectively or develop good timing. Form is a vehicle to achieve no form, but with the principles and skills that allow one to be effective. Ultimately, we want to be like a child who’s mind and body

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Body Mechanics, But First A Little Bit of Physics: By David Schames

Avi Rokah

(David Schames is my student for the last 10 years, since he was 16, very smart and also powerful, we have had interesting discussions about karate principles, so I asked him to put his thoughts in writing, and here is part 1) Nature often follows predictable paterns. Here is a formula that describes “The Big One”: F=ma The equation “Force equals mass times acceleration” is useful because of a key pattern in nature. There is no such thing as a force in nature and it cannot be measured directly with any tool. Force is an extremely useful manmade concept to

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Bypass the Brain in Karate and in Soccer. Study Shower Neymar is “Bypassing the Brain” as we Teach in Karate

Avi Rokah

My good friend from Lithuania, Modestas Tursa, sent me an interesting article about the brain activity of soccer star Neymar during complex movements. In karate we constantly talk about “bypassing the brain”, using the breath to make decisions (along with past experiences and proper wiring of the nervous system).We stress that the brain has to be quiet during the many decisions and lot of information that we have to process in very short time.Judgement, analyzing in intense situations when a lot of factors are involved and decisions has to be made quickly cause doubt, hesitation and conflict in ourselves.The brain

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Does Repetition Make Perfect?

Avi Rokah

One of the characteristics of karate training is repetitions of basics, Sensei Nishiyama used to start the class with hundreds of kizami/gyaku zuki followed by hundreds of kicks. Some researchers believe that it takes about 10,000 repetitions in any art or sport to achieve mastery or expert level of technique. Repetitive practice makes the difference between a world class athlete and the rest. With each repetition we are wiring the nervous system, creating connections and patterns, and the more repetition the more myelin, which is an insulation substance, covers those pathways (Axons). Myelin allows for signals to travel faster and

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Alignment, Health and Performance

Avi Rokah

The way you move and align yourself will influence whether or not you will have musculoskeletal pain as you grow older and how severe. It is also important in how good of an athlete you will be; you cannot put yourself in weird alignments and expect optimal performance. Kids benefit greatly from karate classes for kids, as they learn posture, movement, and alignment that support long-term health and athletic ability. Dr. Shirley Sahrmann (Washington University Physical Therapy).

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Mind Like Ice, Spirit Like Fire

Avi Rokah

This is one of my favorite Budo quotes, describing the optimal mindset for fighting/self defense. One must keep the mind calm and the spirit strong, however the mind must not be carried away by the spirit and vice versa. The other day in class, during a timing drill I mentioned the importance of this mental mode in order to apply techniques effectively. Michael asked me after class, “how do we develop this kind of mental mode?” The answer is complex, some people are innately more calm under pressure, and some people naturally have a stronger spirit, but karate gives us

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Strong technique – fluid transitions.

Avi Rokah

Not a contradiction, but rather compliment each other. In Shotokan karate we strive for the beauty of one finishing blow technique (Todome), one of the unique aspects of our karate is kime (mental and physical focus), or how to to deliver the total energy of the whole body, in the shortest instant, to intended line of energy at impact. A well-trained Shotokan karate dojo will always emphasise that Shotokan karate is known for powerful technique, at the same time when making strong kime it is easy to lose the smooth transition and fluidity. This is dangerous because if we miss

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Efficient technique and injury prevention go hand in hand

Avi Rokah

The principles that make karate technique effortlessly powerful, will also keep you injury free. That is one of the beauties of karate! In karate we are striving for the “beauty of one finishing blow technique”, and also, I believe, that we are striving to train and keep improving till old age. Those 2 concepts are not at all contradictory, at least not in Shotokan, on the contrary, a good, effective technique should have all the same qualities that will reduce stress from our joints and spine, will keep our spine and joints stable, strong, pliable and healthy. In fact, the

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