Muscle and Breath Control

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Long ago, in a far off place called Okinawa, my sensei first introduced me to the phrase, “muscle and breath control.” As I contemplate my past in order to create a more robust and accurate factual baseline for my karate I begin to see how it was another way to explain things like fundamental principles and this moving target of a term, “Chinkuchi.” When you couple the above phrase in the training and practice of principles, sanchin and chinkuchi (along with other terms like hara, etc.) it begins to fill in the gaping holes of most who try to explain this concept and principle. 


Sensei Henry, Warner Dean Henry of the honorable linage of his brother Gary and Sensei Don Nagle, used it to lead in to what was to come, i.e., a specific arm exercise that later expanded to legs, etc., then the all important sanchin and finally …


How one breathes along with how one applies skills of the muscular system matter a great deal. Remember, as you already are remembering, how you breathe when pushing up heavy “free” weights in the gym? Remember how the depth and exhalation contributed to your ability to push out that one more repetition? 


Another factor, remember how you learned that one’s breathing, inhale vs. exhale along with dynamic tensions and relaxation, etc., that helped you to ‘feel’ the differences as to strength, stamina and energy in the application of principled based technique practice? 


As you are already surmising in your minds-eye, the combination (yin/yang principles) of inhalation and exhalation timed with movement and the dynamic tensioning of our musculature systems all are critically important to applied principled-based applications - techniques if you must use that term. 


The phrase, as an introductory phrase to the novice of the person who does not know what they don’t know about it, captures the yin (breath)/yang (muscles) concept that later will expand into the more appropriate ways to understanding such as chinkuchi. 


Something to mull over, yes?


Further Research:

https://tinyurl.com/3f85mmby

https://tinyurl.com/5v5t4y3k


For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link) 

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