Avi Rokah Archives

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

Once a decision is made, there is no mind in the technique, no hesitation; win or lose, one must give everything. In karate classes for adults, we focus on applying this concept fully so the mind is clear, allowing us to become more sensitive, intuitive, and aware when we try less. Very few of us use the full potential of our musculoskeletal system. In adult karate classes, we train to overcome fear, past trauma, and joint protection, while developing the mental ability not to hold back—applying ourselves fully to one purpose. Take Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world: […]

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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 classes for adults, 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, delivering full force in the shortest instant, by being as dense and inelastic as

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Fighting From The Inside

Avi Rokah

At a high level, when two people are facing each other in karate classes for adults, there is no random movement; everything is purposeful. Not only are there no random techniques, but there is also no unnecessary movement in the interaction. As practitioners advance, techniques become stronger, allowing one to produce more force with less action, while also becoming more sensitive to the opponent’s movement and intention. Our ki energy can be projected to the opponent, requiring less physical movement to give threat and break their rhythm. This same ki energy acts as an antenna, perceiving the opponent’s energy. At

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What does F-16 Have to do With Karate?

Avi Rokah

Ruven Sharf, a European and US Champion who trained and taught at our Shotokan karate dojo for 10 years, is visiting from Israel to train with us again. Ruven shared a powerful analogy between the F-16 fighter jet, karate training, and high-level movement. He originally heard it from his Alexander Technique teacher, Meir Amit, a wise man I also had the privilege of learning from. The F-16 was the first fighter jet intentionally designed to be inherently unstable, also known as “relaxed static stability.” This unique design allowed for greater maneuverability and speed, unlike most aircraft that are built for

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Budo Aspect for Gaining Karate True Value

Avi Rokah

People practice karate for different reasons. Some want to master it as a martial art, others for fitness or sport, some for character cultivation, and some simply enjoy it. All these reasons are true and of great value. At our Shotokan karate dojo, we cater to every type of student, offering structured karate classes for kids as well as focused karate classes for adults. The original role of karate was to destroy an opponent’s offense power and to protect oneself. Nowadays, fortunately, we are not likely to use karate in life-and-death situations. To gain the mental and spiritual understanding of

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Once You Go Don’t Stop Until You Finish

Avi Rokah

Sensei Nishiyama used to tell us that often when we spar: “Once you go, give everything, don’t stop till finish”. I think that because we focus so much on finishing technique (todome), karate people have tendency to stop after one technique, but it is not always possible to catch the opponent with one action. This principle is something we emphasize even in our karate classes for kids, teaching them to maintain focus and flow through every movement. Sometimes I will do one technique to close the distance without giving space for counter, in order to make the right distance for

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Distance – Principles are Simple Applications Endless

Avi Rokah

We work hard to develop good, effective weapons in basics and kata training, but it is equally important to learn how to use those weapons, and it is through using timing and distance properly that can make effective use of our techniques. This is something emphasized in our kids self defense classes, where young learners practice both form and application. Try to be at a distance that you can give threat to opponent, yet if opponent attacks, you can move slightly back to be out of attack’s range. This is basic Toma (long distance). This distance is changing with each

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Practice (Keiko) and Training

Avi Rokah

Sensei Nishiyama once told me that we refer to training karate as Keiko rather than training as in other sports. The word Keiko is comprised of two characters that mean ‘to think’ and ‘the past’, and together they mean to train and study the teaching of the past. This is profound in meaning, we need to deliberate and develop reflecting on our training according to Budo theory and principles. For the beginner too much thinking is not a good thing, a beginner might copy the teacher and do repetition without much question, over thinking will cause restricted technique, but once

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Firm, Not Rigid.

Avi Rokah

Firm and soft/fluid are complimentary not contradictory. Firm to allow energy transfer. Firmness allows energy transfer. In karate training—whether in adult karate classes, childrens karate classes, or even self defense classes for kids—we learn that being too rigid blocks the flow, while being too loose causes disconnection. The balance of firmness and fluidity lets energy transfer smoothly through the kinetic chain. We are not only firm at kime but throughout the technique, even though the muscles activation is different at moving and at kime. Aiko San and sensei Nishiyama constantly told me “keep the very inside (around the sacrum) strong

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Requirements for “Whole Body Cooperating to One Line of Energy”

Avi Rokah

Whenever Sensei was teaching a seminar, he used to describe karate technique in a very clear way: “the whole body must cooperate to one direction”, or “even if one finger moves, feet make top technique.” He often explained that “total energy must be delivered in the shortest amount of time,” and also reminded students that “karate is not arms and legs training but whole body training.” These principles are essential in both karate lessons for adults and kids self defense classes because they show how every part of the body must work together. The conditions required for the whole body

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