We’ve all seen it and probably have done it at some point in our training: we have moved like a robot void of fluid movement.
You know what I’m referring to here…stiff shoulders and hips…rigid, calculated movements…perfect statuesque posture. It’s easy to get caught in this trap; especially for beginners. I know, I used to be the premiere Mr. Roboto when it came to Kenpo.
But, the good news is, it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have to stay that way. Thankfully, with the use of AKKI Kenpo’s principles, one can overcome this relatively easily.
So how do you get around it? In the beginning, it’s not so easy, however here are some tips to help ease the transition:
- Loosen up those shoulders and hips and let them move towards your targets
- Don’t go to, go through your opponents targets
- Avoid abrupt, linear angle changes and transitions
- Learn to properly transfer your weight and posture according to the situation at hand
- Understand proper breathing techniques and how to effectively exhale to soften the edges of your moves
As you may already know, we have three states of motion in Kenpo: 1) solid 2) liquid and 3) gaseous. Because we’re so focused as beginners trying to get the coordination, balance, timing, breathing, accuracy, etc. that we can move with rigid, solid movements. However, as time and practice increases, we should moving towards fluid, liquid like movement. Gaseous moves can be either solid or liquid whereby you’re moving in multiple directions simultaneously, but I highly recommend moving in liquid state of motion as much as possible.
I realize asking you to “relax” is a hard thing when someone is throwing a punch at your face, however, the more you practice this approach, the more you get used to it. That’s one of the biggest keys there is to this.
In a nutshell, relax as you execute your movements and avoid becoming a kenpo Mr. (or Ms.) Roboto.
Agree or disagree? leave your opinion in the form of a comment below.
About Ryan Wheaton
"When I came to Arrowhead Martial Arts the first time and saw that many people are starting at, or over, my age helped me realize that you dont have to be a kid to begin taking martial arts lessons Its more personalized than any martial arts studio i’ve seen….no getting lost in the crowd! its a comfortable learning environment. Its a place where you expect more and more of yourself because of the quality of the instructors. I love this studio!" - Heather Shaw
Domo arigato Mr. Roboto.
But seriously, nice tips! thanks.
Joel
Great tips! I especially like #5. One of the more accurate parts of the movie Karate Kid was Mr. Miyagi’s line, “Don’t forget to breathe! Very important!” Trouble is, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Before starting Kenpo, I didn’t realize that there was a “wrong” way to breathe. Boy, was I wrong!