Chambering Addendum dtd 19 November 2013 at 7:54 a.m.


I reviewed the comments for this post along with a suggested article on chambering that helped me think it through form another angle. First, chambering is a position not a technique. You may envision where techniques and tactics are chambering but it is really a matter of applying those techniques and tactics from that "position." 

The position of chambering is not a matter of "retracting the hand," etc. but rather taking the chamber position comes from almost any movement on the part of the practitioner. To move into a chamber position to apply any technique is not applying the fundamental principles of martial systems to their fullest and completeness. 

Take the simple strike from a chambered "position." The time, distance, etc. that the fist must travel does not adhere to the fundamental principles such as "economic motion." It works great in training but not in the fight. You just don't have time to chamber. It is once again a tool and a position assumed in learning principles.

Example, when a person accentuates the hip movement, i.e. applying the principal of "wave energy" where one must condense the motion to apply with speed and that explosive burst of power it generates. It is spoken that one must be wary of the exaggerated hip motions one tends to do as a beginner so they can feel the power and learn to "harness" it. To keep those bigger rotations cause three issues, i.e. one, the generate sideways pressure taking away from the twisting pressure, two, the keep proper spinal alignment from being aligned and cause improper structure, and three, they clash with other principles causing a cascade effect of loss of principle cohesion.  In other works accentuated hip movement is used to "teach" wave energy but as you progress you must condense that motion properly.

This is the same with chambering, it is a teaching tool for principle applications, etc. and must be condensed, i.e. as in limiting a hand retraction for speed and application of movement for power, etc. 

So, in my analysis chambering is a teaching tool and is simply a "position" and not an actual technique. To teach someone to use it as a base line for techniques and tactics without further explanation and proper orientation toward what works and what does not would put it into a position that is exclusive rather than merely one position of many used to apply karate soundly, correctly and accurately. 

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