The art of Avoidance

 

" if you see them coming, better step aside."

I was recently rereading Steve Perry's book The Musashi Flex, and it reminded me of something I wrote before.  The premise of the  book brought back memories of training I gave to my students and caused me what was the most efficient way to prepare my new students.
 

Of course Steve Perry's book is a work of fiction, a worthy read but only tangentially related to what I am discussing.

Essentially rethinking how all karate is taught I believe I have come up with a stronger way to teach beginners.

Perhaps it should be taught as a way to not being there when attacked.

What is involved is a method of stepping away from an attacker.

Perhaps the simplest of which is swaying away from an attacker. First allowing one to choose among several means of stepping to use next.

 

Then allowing several lessons to develop beginning skill with those movements.  That would be the time to begin there initial karate lessons.  Of course practice would continue those movements every class.

As time progresses, such as every time they completed a new kata, another set of avoidance movements would begin. Later the next kata would begin.  

There are so many possible movement to learn this would continue for life.

The goal to always be able to first avoid any attack and then choose the response appropriate for the situation.

Remember, one must address the possibility that the attack could catch you by surprise and you would also have to learn about it.

My own learning this range of movements covered many years. Some of them gradually were introduced to my students.

Others I practiced with my adult students. sharing with them.

Over the years I gradually acquired these concepts from many sources.  But it often took decades before I realized what I had been shown.

Among the sources where I acquired this knowledge.

Tristan Sutrisno from his akido and tjimande drills.
Ernest Rothrock from his ghost techniques drills.
Sherman Harrill from his drills.
From my own studies into kata use potential.

I really believe this makes for stronger karate for my students.
I would suggest this is something all instructors consider.

One possible blog post on Ghost Techniques follows.

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/search?q=+This+is+the+season+of+the+Ghost+technique