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A true understanding of karate is to
found by returning to classical forms. Unlike modern karate, it is
they which hold the key to ancient knowledge. Modern karate, as
taught in both West and East, focuses on the basic block/punch/kick
with its supposedly obvious explanations.
What then constitutes the art of karate?
The implication in the name "art" is that it is hidden. In modern
times we have always been told that techniques always go in sequence
but this is not necessarily so. For example, a sequence of any four
moves is open to several interpretations - not just one. To
illustrate the point, lets look at it with an open attitude.
Instead of a block, perhaps it is the
end part of a grab either by yourself or an opponent. would that not
then potentially change the explanation of both the preceding and
following moves? To illustrate the point further, could a punch
actually be a grab or lock/stretch; alternatively could it perhaps
be a pull (with the reverse hand) and strike?
The expression "A form has no form"
is something I constantly wrestled with and only know understand.
With the broader interpretation I can now look at the form,
irrespectively of style and see so many techniques being performed
there - not just the obvious and basic ones. The way it is performed
also shows the different levels of understanding reached by the
person performing it.
As we seek greater understanding of
kata, so emphasis has now shifted to pressure points. But again,
these are only one aspect of the whole art.
Karate which relies upon the power of
the block, punch and kick is karate for the young, so how might a
person, say of 60 years of age, defend themselves against a 20 year
old? As we grow older, so our bodies and mental attitudes change, so
training, then, has to be modified accordingly. If this modification
cannot be made, then the older person quits. Yet it is the duty of
the martial artist to train a whole lifetime, all the while
improving like like wine. the only way this modification can be
achieved, then, is through classical karate, where hidden between
the forms are the real moves.
So let's open our minds to encompass
all possibilities. When I began karate, I remember the pride I had
as I performed high kicks. Little did I realize that one day I would
relegate such achievements to the realms of sport. Now I have come
to realize that karate is like a multifaceted gem, with aspects such
as health, sport, self defense and social interaction. Lets treasure
karate in all its aspects and use it according to our individual
needs and abilities. |
