Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
[rigid body art; technique; skill; TRICK; MAGIC] which means a technique of tensing the body muscles.
In the almost never ending search for the truth; for facts; for the reality of the discipline here is another term used to describe the indescribable, the principle of chinkuchi as go-tai-jutsu or rigid body art or technique or skill. I kind of like the fact that the English translation of the characters/ideograms are also ‘trick and magic’.
There are many explanations and definitions out there but the one that is mine is a manifestation of fundamental principles with a focus on the physiokinetic principles. Like chinkuchi as it is defined and explained, the term go-tai-jutsu is inadequate to the task at hand as well and simply denotes a very small part of the manifestation of chinkuchi. Here is the link to my definition of this somewhat mystical concept and mine alone:
Koshi, gamaku and the ever elusive principle of chinkuchi is discussed in the third link above and I recommend one read all the articles to get a glimpse of what this term and principle means to us in the martial arts communities with special emphasis on the Okinawan karate arts since that is the origin of the term. No one and no where has anyone put forth the effort to analyze and synthesize the meaning and manifestation of chinkuchi. It is a hot topic in some circles and it is a means to a mystical symbolism that supports the dissonance and biases, confirmation bias in particular, the permeate the martial arts like projection of Ki or Chi and so on.
Go-tai-jutsu is more a description of a stunt that many believe is indicative of the elusive chinkuchi and many use the same demo’s to indicate great force and power. One can, as can be imagined, see how it appears to the uninitiated that the dynamic tension of a strike in practice either in air or even on a makiwara differ in the end demonstration as one of the two differ greatly in application as to the target, i.e., one being air as in kata, the other being a hard rooted target of a wooden makiwara. Try it also on a heavy bad and the dynamics shift imperceptibly to one who is not looking for it leaving many to assume rather than discover fact over fiction. Generating, maintaining, conserving and applying maximum power, force and effect on a target is nothing like this manifestation of sanchin-like dynamic tension/isometric-like appearance technique-theory.
Some of what I perceive as the greatest effective power application in any of multiple methodologies with appropriate force levels is not seen as strong or dynamic but rather as easy in use causing the greatest of efficiency and effect.
The best demonstration ever witnessed by me in the proverbial application of chinkuchi is in the boxing martial discipline when you witness the devastation of a properly executed principled based ‘drop-step’ punch in a boxing match.
As a CHALLENGE, lets take a look at one expert terse definition and analyze it non-scientifically:
“Chinkuchi is the tension or stability of the joints in the body for a firm stance, a powerful punch, or a strong block. When punching or blocking, the joints of the body are momentarily locked for an instant and concentration is focused on the point of contact; the stance is made firm by locking the joints of the lower body (the ankles, the knees and the hips) and by gripping the floor with the feet. Accordingly, a rapid free-flowing movement is suddenly stopped for a very short instant, on striking or blocking, as power is transferred. The tension must be released immediately for the next movement.” - Higaonna Morio [東恩納盛男] Sensei, a well known Goju-ryu master as he describes this technique.
Lets break it down into atomistic parts then at the end see how the parts fit as a whole.
- Chinkuchi is the tension or stability of the joints in the body for a firm stance, a powerful punch, or a strong block.
- as to principled based practices and applications this part seems to cover it well enough on its own. It is about stability through a dynamic tensioning of the entire body in specified ways, to be discussed separately in the next bulleted items, but it does not address that to take a firm stance is also a momentary thing and that to create a powerful punch, etc., it requires movement of one’s mass in proper principled ways.
- When punching or blocking, the joints of the body are momentarily locked for an instant and concentration is focused on the point of contact;
- Here again, all is good as long as the teachings adhere to the principled based methodologies to make sure the entire body is used properly and efficiently and with the body, if at all possible, in a constant state of proper mass movement tying all the principles, especially physiokinetic, to achieve a whole wholehearted chain reaction methodology to achieve appropriate forces and methods to stop an attack.
- the stance is made firm by locking the joints of the lower body (the ankles, the knees and the hips) and by gripping the floor with the feet.
- This is where I diverge a great deal because if you grip the floor with the feet you stop the momentum of body mass thus reducing a good deal of the energy, force and power involved. It seems as if sensei is mixing the basic novice teaching stuff with more progressive practical applicable methods necessary, i.e., remaining in the first level of shu-ha-ri while hinting at the second level and confusing the issue for the uninitiated by suggesting a partial second level process/concept.
- Rooting the feet as explained stops a lot of energy thus force and power putting the onus of that onto a smaller range of principles of physiokinetic while wasting the value of mass movement, etc. In self-protection for self-defense you don’t want to throw away the most valued method of generating, conveying, reducing waste through energy loss v. generation and applying a flawed skill when violence is involved and your health, well-being and very life are on the line.
- Accordingly, a rapid free-flowing movement is suddenly stopped for a very short instant, on striking or blocking, as power is transferred.
- There are parts here that speak well and one part that is lost in the translation and explanation, i.e., that stopping of a millisecond to dynamically tense is only utilizing maximum skill when the part is done while moving, not ‘stopped’ because it is that very movement of mass that makes the locking/unlocking dynamic tension oriented method useful and effective. The moment you stop, root and stop body mass movement you lose about 75% of your stopping power, force and energy - a total waste.
- The tension must be released immediately for the next movement.
- This is another one of those mistakes made when teaching and not explaining that what is being taught is novice beginner level teachings to convey concepts that cannot be taught any other way and are the prerequisite to teaching and learning the more progressive practice skills necessary to span the levels of shu and ha and ri.
- Once movement is taught the next level is teaching that there is no next movement for movement encompasses a continuous movement that doesn’t start or end but remains movement without non-movement. There is NO NEXT MOVEMENT because that teaches one to assume in physicality that there is a void, a pause if you will that makes music … music, that is between movement. Movement must not have a void or pause and that is because a pause puts a pause in the OODA loop lengthening one’s line while shortening, for your attacker, their line giving them an advantage you would be hard pressed to overcome in self-protection. Often, in self-protection you are already behind the curve receiving damage and pain so remove the pause, the void, and work to overcome the glitches like “next movement thinking.”
Caveat: This not about saying sensei is right or wrong, it is about clarity and when posting comments it is necessary to clarify before, during and after just like hands-on teaching of others to teach novice to beginner to intermediate to expert levels for the betterment of the individual and the system or art. Sensei is spot on and I try to fill in the holes seeking to understand and build on the knowledge of martial skills, philosophy and concepts.
General Comment(s): As you can imagine, you may already know as an advanced practitioner, these glitches are great in a novice-beginner shu-level teaching model. It is apparent that because of the short-duration training and teaching done in the early years of martial arts for Americans, i.e., forties and fifties generally, no one bothered to teach that what was being taught was the educational oriented basic fundamental novice level stuff. It is apparent, as you already know, that in the culture most novices were expected, never told directly, to learn how to get to the next level of ‘ha’ in shu-ha-ri. The cultural and communications disconnect along with the all to recent and sensitive nature of WWII aftermath that some things would be left out to meet the needs, wants and desires of the occupation forces stationed in the region and still there. I suggest that the only reason we are now advancing is as time passed the association and relations of two distinct different cultures and belief social entities mended fences and began to exchange what was not in the early years and days.
The most positive aspect of all this is that because of the progression and willingness and motivation of the martial arts communities to accept previous limitations and a desire and strength and ability to seek out knowledge and understanding we have all come to accept that which we did not know; that which we did not know we did not know; and to embrace that which is not known to come to a consensus of beneficial understanding that has promoted the natural evolution of martial arts to meet and exceed the necessary requirements of said evolution to rise up beyond the moon, out to the stars and way beyond into the very universe we once simply gave notice to by lip-service.
In short, we of the martial arts communities have ‘matured’ and ‘grown’ and ‘become’ true martial artists more complete and divergent in our nature for the benefit of those who follow and for the benefit of the very survival of martial arts.
For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)
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