Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Let me start by saying the article on this subject is well-done and most excellent and I do have some contributions as a supplemental thought process toward a more expanded view.
First, we call this process of hikite, “Chambering.” Chambering has its benefits but as a fighting, combative or self-defense move, process or technique - not so much. I suggest that this process or technique is a basic novice level teaching tool to be discarded as one progresses in the practice, training and especially the application of karate and martial arts.
Second, the move itself is a, “Tell.” When I see someone move into a bladed position and they move the back hand and arm toward the waist line I go on full alert because that is a predatory warning move. Notice I said warning because a true attack from a professional who decides to take a shot is not going to make such a move where you can see it, a tell. The idea in the fight is to remove unnecessary and wasteful movement, right?
Third, the use of chambering or hikite does not provide you force and power, it enhances it BUT the movement often practiced by fledgling karate-ka and martial artists is way excessive and provides an adversary and opponent way to much information of what you are possibly going to do, not a good idea especially in self-defense.
In karate and martial arts we have what I have, stolen/used, to term as principles with those immutable and necessary principles become the defacto means to apply multiple defense methodologies to reach a goal in fighting, combatives and self-defense.
Lastly, these larger movements also serve another more healthy and fitness oriented purpose, exercise. Note that these more excessive moves in karate and martial arts, in my view, did NOT originate in Okinawan Te or Ti, sometimes referred to as “Toudi.” I strongly suspect and currently believe that the effort to get the Japanese Budo community to, “Accept Okinawan Karate,” as a Budo or martial art Okinawan karate was changed. Add in the effort to change it for the educational system in those early days you get a mixture of moves meant to teach students the fundamentals of karate or martial arts, i.e., how to kick, punch and so on. It was possibly reasoned that when young students reached a certain age and maturity they would be exposed to “More” going beyond that novice/beginner model of teaching.
Add in the fact that the larger movements along with the deeper stances implemented in the new Okinawan, now termed generally as Japanese Karate, made it physically challenging stressing the muscular systems to create healthier, fitter and stronger karate-ka and martial artists.
Again, the article on Hikite was a most excellent one and that may be enough. It is my intent to give more to expand mental thinking to embrace a wider span, depth and breadth of practice, training and applications. It is a most excellent thing don’t you think?
Bibliography (Click the link)
Sagi, Brain. “The Hikite in Martial Arts.” http://www.fullpotentialma.com/pullback-hikite-martial-arts/
p.s. Hikite (引き手) has two translations according to the Tangorin Dictionary, i.e., the first means, “Knob; handle; catch; patron,” and the second means, “(in archery) right hand.” The first character does mean, “Pull; tug; jerk; admit; install; quote; refer to, “ and the second character does mean, “hand.” On google translate the characters simply mean pull. I am not convinced that the term and characters mean, “Drawing Hand.” One can still understand it is possible since translations can differ between different social groups according to what they direct the terms toward in their belief systems, i.e., that is the way and complexities of translating such things.
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