Chambering

Chambering is when a practitioner chambers the fist or foot in preparation to strike or kick. Chambering is an excellent teaching tool for teaching the novice, i.e. a person in the kyu grades who is trying to get the fundamentals and become a student or practitioner of martial systems.

I have witnessed chambering in many systems or styles but where I find it a bit disconcerting is when they reach black belt levels they continue to chamber say to the hip with the fist for punching and the legs to the back then forward for kicking (approximately, hard to explain chambering for the leg in words ;-).

Chambering gets the novice to see and feel body structure and alignments and explaining the physics of the punch and kick become easier but like anything taught in a basic fundamental fashion it is not the end of the teachings. It is merely the beginning.

Think of the fundamental principles of martial systems, i.e. in this case economic movement, to apply speed and power without telegraphing. Chambering is wasted movement and telegraphs what your going to do let alone bringing your hands down and away from your center line protection barrier.

Chamber, the don't chamber - a natural training/practice progression. (note: in defense of some instructors, often the chambering in higher level black belts is a result of forgetting because teaching at a basic fundamental level is most often primary and frequent since turn over in dojo is often high. Awareness, focus and attention to details, right?)