This as steadfast rule is just wrong and is probably worthy of its own discussion. Let’s look at some inherent flaws of traditional kihon and how we can correct them.Ģ. Eventually, I came to realize that it was nothing more than lip service. Over the years, I heard from many masters that practicing kata and kihon would make my kumite better. There is a huge disconnect between kata, kihon and kumite in 3K organizations despite the fact that they are often presented as parts of a whole. So, how can we make our kihon more meaningful in developing transferable skills? A good rule of thumb is that we should be able to directly apply kihon to partner work (not step sparring which also has its issues) including kumite, grappling or pad work.

There are too many other things to work on. Note that I’m not saying that we should never train kihon in a traditional means, but in my opinion, it definitely should never make up a third of a class. There are a number of reasons why traditional kihon will lead to training scars (bad habits) if we want to develop functional skills. Let us consider this fact before we cry heresy at the thought of change. It is important for us to consider the origins for any training methodology if we are to make claims of its usefulness. This type of training was not meant to develop combative skills, but rather to train the mind and body. It also conformed to the ‘ do’ model of Japanese martial arts. It surfaced sometime in the post WWII era when the popularity of karate exploded as an easy way to teach many people in a confined space. Let me define traditional kihon as what is done in the major Shotokan organizations around the world long stances, use of hikite and strong kime etc.

My number one reason for practicing karate is to develop practical skills for fighting and self defense so my kihon must help achieve that goal. Kihon, and kata for that matter, will be of very little benefit if that’s all we do. Mind and body as one.īut wait, does kihon alone help us become better fighters or more able to defend ourselves? The short answer is no. As the dojo kun teaches us, it may even help us to endeavor when life is tough. Drive off that big toe! There are many benefits to this sort of training. Did we try to perfect our technique? Yes again. Did we get a good workout? You bet! Were we challenged? Obviously. Finally, it ended and I think we all quietly congratulated ourselves for endeavoring through the hardship. This went on for a long stretch of time to the point where even the most conditioned and determined black belts really started to fade. 40+ black belts exploded through the air and ended combinations with thunderous kias! “One more time! Big toe!”, sensei yelled again. “Big toe!” Sensei encouraged us to remember the theme he was teaching. We powered through endless repetitions of that kihon combination. The theme was driving off the big toe to generate forward momentum. It was hot in the crowded dojo and we were all drenched in sweat as we worked through the drill. He was teaching the technical points of a particular kihon combination. I remember training with Koyama sensei 20+ years ago. Everyone yells “OSU!” and pummels those air molecules to oblivion. Drilling kihon while your sensei counts the reps and encourages you to push yourself is beneficial. That, in part, depends on your reasons for training.

The points I am about to outline may or may not resonate with you. I will come back to this statement when I address the limitations of kihon, the problem with how it’s taught in traditional systems and how we can make it meaningful.īefore we explore this further, let me clearly define my perspective so that we are on the same page. That’s the problem with a “form over function” approach to karate. I would also add that endless repetition of ‘traditional’ kihon can lead to bad habits. I doubt many would disagree with that but I could be wrong. I would argue that kihon training has its benefits while at the same time is limited as a training tool. Whilst I acknowledge that basics, or kihon, are important, I also believe that we need to be objective and think for ourselves rather than reciting what has been preached to us over the years ad nauseum. Basics, basics, basics! We’ve all heard that mantra, haven’t we? Often, senior karateka and their students will stress the importance of a solid foundation upon which to build effective karate techniques good stances, snappy technique, correct posture and body alignment etc.

Shotokan vs sabaki