In This Issue
> Learning your Kata
> What It Means To Be A Black Belt
> Relax!

Kata is something that must be learnt from a qualified and knowledgeable teacher. Although books and videos can enhance understanding and aid memory, they are no substitute for proper instruction. Your instructor will be the most important person to help you with regards to your karate. The important thing is how good the instructor can make you, as opposed to how good they are. You require a Sensei, not a bodyguard. Visit a number of dojos and look at the standard of the students, the way they are dressed and their attitudes to one another as well as to the instructor. The Sensei / Student relationship is a special one. If you find a Sensei with a deep understanding of karate and a genuine love of the art, and if you are prepared to study hard with dedication, openness and honesty, then you are sure to make good progress in all aspects of karate.

How you are taught the kata will be a matter for your teacher. It is common for the kata to be taught in stages. For example, the first few moves will be taught, and then when the student has a reasonable grasp of them, they will be shown the next couple, and so on until the whole sequence is remembered. The techniques will then be further refined as the emphasis shifts to timing, rhythm, correct use of strength etc. As the student progresses, the corrections will become more and more finite as they strive for the unattainable goal of perfection. Once the kata is of a satisfactory standard, the student could begin to receive instruction on the applications of the movements. Understanding the applications will improve the student’s performance of the kata. As the student’s performance of the kata improves so will their ability to apply the techniques. This spiraling effect should be at the heart of kata practice. When your Sensei is happy with your kata then and only then will he look at putting you forward for your next grading. It is far better to have a good understating of one kata than a superficial understanding of many. Do not rush when learning the kata or be in a hurry to move on to the next one. Take your time and always emphasize quality over quantity.

One of the accusations commonly directed at kata practice is that it is ‘boring’. Part of the problem is that few people understand kata and as a result the students fail to see any value in its practice. Another problem is the constant repetition that is required for competence to be achieved. I am sure that the world’s best sprinters have at some point in their career got bored running up and down the track. Top golfers probably get bored practising their putting and Olympic weight lifters get bored of lifting weights. Yet these people possess the necessary mental strength to continue to practice. Long after others became ‘bored’ and stopped practising, they can be found still working and that is why they are at the top of their field. Everyone wants to be good and yet only a few are prepared to put in the work that is required to achieve high skill levels. Get a good teacher, gain a good understanding of the kata, take on board any criticisms and practice relentlessly if you want your kata, and indeed all aspects of your karate, to be of a high standard.




Achieving a black belt means different things to different people. It’s something that’s aspired to when we first start training, but what happens when we get there? For the most part many of us are happy to train each week and improve our basics, keeping our sights on the short term goal of our next grade, with the prospect of a black belt being so far away it is barely worth mentioning or even that its achievable.

However time and commitment have a strange way of creeping our goals towards us and before you know it ‘POW’ your Regional Instructor hits you with the news that you will be coming up for assessment. The panic starts to slowly build and the realisation that you have more work to do to refine your kata, sharpen technique, more hips, more everything and the big one ‘quick I’d better get fit’.

There’s going to be a few things that are ‘expected’ of you when you wear a black belt, to find these out simply spend 5 minutes and write a list of what you feel it means to be a black belt, or if you’re an instructor simply ask your students. You can suddenly feel you have a lot to live up to, or to improve upon.

So here, lies the key ‘Improve on’. Improve on what? Your karate? That’s a given. Improve on yourself! Black belt is recognition of a level achieved, but there are a few traits that it takes people till black belt to develop.

Develop a black belt attitude towards your training, seeing the way senior grades do the simplest of things, such as standing in line, senior grades are sometimes the best students, because they know ‘how’ to be a good student, listening to and applying corrections, paying attention, working hard.

Its about what or who you become in order to achieve a black belt, the journey of personal development, that will see you grow as a person who can be looked up to as a role model by others. Don’t imagine for a moment that what others think of you doesn’t matter. They’ll be watching every action and listening to every word you say and drawing their conclusions about you, your instructors and your club based on what you say and do.

Black belt – Money can’t buy achievement within GKR.
Leadership – Personal discipline and a role model to others.
Attitude – A positive can-do ethic, that says more about you than words can.
Confidence – Grows as you do, I can’t remember the last time I met a shy black belt.
Knowledge – The more you know the more you grow, pass it on.

Belief – In yourself, you will get there, when? You set the goal.
Enthusiasm – Get excited about improving and achieving now.
Learning – Be open to it, approach your training with an open mind.
Teamwork – You, your instructor and your family want the same thing.

Look to your right and out in front when you’re standing in line and look for the qualities you would like to adopt, and think about the kind of person you would like to be as a black belt, write down all those traits you admire and try to improve on them at every opportunity. Most dojos don’t have mirrors so use your instructor and become a bright reflection of them, there are so many fantastic examples of black belt karate-ka within GKR. It was said in films like Spiderman and Kung fu Hustle, “with great power, comes great responsibility”, with growing skill, ability and personal development ensure you become a black belt role model to live up to.



Relaxing is key to sharp karate
When most people envisage karate, they see a powerful, snappy punch or kick. They also envisage a myriad of muscles all contracting simultaneously to create this. Perhaps this is why most karate-ka are too tense, too stiff, throughout their training.

While tension is required at the end of a technique to give it the final bite, during any other part of the technique, the body SHOULD be relaxed.

Does your instructor regularly tell you that you’re too stiff?

It’s likely you focus too much on the strength at the end of the technique. ‘By doing so, you introduce the tension too early into the technique and keep it too long after the technique’.

So how do you beat this?

Your best plan of attack is to focus purely on relaxing. Don’t worry if you are not getting the tension at the end of your technique. Start with relaxed karate (relaxed right through) and later add some tension at the end of your technique.

Give up the tension altogether for a while. Develop your ability to be relaxed and later add your tension. It is easier to start relaxed and add tension later than it is to start tense and add relaxation later.

So relax, relax, relax. Develop relaxation in your karate, and when you reintroduce tension your power output will be far greater.

Relaxing is the key to enduring karate
Getting rid of that 'stiffness' in your karate will not only benefit your snap, it will make a big difference in your endurance.

We often blame our fitness for getting tired quickly, but if you have ever been told by your instructor that 'you’re too stiff', it’s likely the real culprit is your stiffness.

Holding onto tension means your muscles are being over worked, and as such, you burn your energy supplies.

The key to enduring karate is to learn to relax. A relaxed karate-ka can perform for greater periods, and yet, still have greater effectiveness and power output.

Relaxing is the key to effective kumite
In many ways, the key to developing relaxation in your kumite is to be relaxed in your general training. Let’s face it, if your stiff in your general training you will likely be stiff in your kumite…and vice versa.

And the benefits transfer into kumite also.

Relaxed sparring leads to extended sparring: When you let go of tension you can spar for greater periods. When you are tense, you grow tired very quickly.

Relaxed sparring leads to faster attacks: Muscle tension works like your car’s brakes as it inhibits joint movement. When you let go of tension you are able to speed off the mark with explosion.

Relaxed sparring leads to better defence: People who are stiff in their sparring tend to try and think of an appropriate defence to what is coming. This is always going to be slower. When your body is relaxed, your mind also relaxes and blocking becomes instinctive.