Joe Swift on Chinkuchi

 

I once asked Joe Swift,

my friend who teaches karate in Japan and is also a translator among other things,

what had he experienced about Chinkuchi.

 

Hi Victor-san & Romney-san,

 

Been reading with interest the public and private posts onChinkuchi...

 

Victor had asked me about my own personal experiences, which I'd like to touch upon now.

 

First of all, let me be the first to say that I don't think that the use of Chinkuchi or Muchimi or Gamaku is any secret formula... it's just proper karate. Let me also state that I believe that the use of these Okinawan terms, especially Chinkuchi and Gamaku, as seen on the lists as of the past year or so, are not necessarily correct.

 

Chinkuchi has been "translated" (i.e. interpreted) to mean many things, including: "one inch power," "muscle, bone & sinew," "total summation of joint forces," and even alluded to as being related to "Ki/Chi/Qi." I vehemently disagree with the last one, but the others have some merit to them, I think.

 

BTW, Hokama Sensei (one of my Goju mentors) believes that the term Chinkuchi is merely the Okinawan term for the shoulder blades, which is pronounced "Kenkou-kotsu" in Japanese. This will be important later on.

 

The way I have been instructed in Chinkuchi, it is ONLY related to upper body techniques, and can NOT be applied to kicks. The reason being, is that Chinkuchi is merely the proper use of the upper body muscles (specifically the lats and the tiny internal muscles around the shoulder blades) for upper body techniques.

 

The point is, that in an upper body technique (punch or block) that has this Chinkuchi applied to it, the shoulder will not break the plane of the hips. In other words, the body will remain square and the shoulder will not push out into the punch.

 

This "not breaking the plane" stuff is very important in not only the Okinawan arts, but also in the Chinese arts  (related to your balance points, Victor-san), and also the Japanese koryu martial arts as well, for efficient martial body movement.

 

The method I have been taught for checking if a technique has "Chinkuchi" in it or not, is to press on the student's shoulder blade as he/she pushes his/her hand out in the punch. The shoulder blade should actually push back against your hand as the student's hand extends out.

 

One way to check if someone has "it" or not is to watch them perform Tensho (without their uniform top on, if possible). Their shoulder joints should remain locked in place.

 

This use of the upper body is then combined with the "koshi" to provide maximum fire-power in the technique.

 

The "koshi" aspect can take on three different aspects: the koshi swung in the horizontal, in the vertical or a combination of both.

 

Horizontal koshi movement is the familiar "swing" or "swivel" seen by many advanced Shorin practitioners, such as Oshiro Sensei in California. In this, the koshi are swung one direction and then snapped back square upon impact.

 

Vertical koshi movement is performed by tucking the tailbone in and tilting the pelvis up slightly upon impact, as seen in Goju Sanchin, etc.

 

Some people are good enough to both at once... I'm not <grin>

 

FWIW, people these days seem to be confusing "gamaku" with "koshi." Gamaku refers specifically to the band of side abdominal muscles and around through the back.

Concentrating on the Gamaku is what helps us to kick straight in the front kicks. Just try to lift your knee up while keeping your abs and sides loose. Chances are your knee will open to the outside and point somewhere other than directly to your center line.

 

I bet this is clear as mud, and this was the SHORT version! <GRIN>

 

Joe

 

Joe Swift

 

"There are hidden depths to chickens."

- Professor Christine Nichol, a scientist who has studied their behavior.