型の稽古をするとき，一連の決まった動作や所作に，自分の身体を合わせていく。型は，古人先達によって洗練されてきた身体操作の方法であり，そこに身体を馴染ませていく作業そのものが，稽古である。決められた身体操作に馴染ませる作業において，その一瞬一瞬はまさに自己の身体との対話となる。型に合っているか，馴染んでいるかについて，自己の身体と対話しながら，型を打つ。これを毎日続けることによって，昨日の身体と今日の身体とを比較する。型との合い具合，馴染み具合を，日々，身体と対話しながら確認する作業が，武道の稽古であり，また，それが武道を稽古することの魅力である。武道とは，まさに，身体との対話である。
While practicing a kata, we are trying to fit our own body to the set series of movements and actions in that kata. Kata is a method for handling body that ancient masters have formulated. Practice in budo means an act to attempt to adjust our body to such a well-formulated kata. Fitting or adjusting our own body to the well-formulated body manipulation, we figuratively dialogue with our body moment by moment. We conduct a kata, talking with our own body about how we fit or adjust to the kata. If we do this everyday, then we can compare today's body to yesterday's body of ourselves. Checking on an extent of fitting or adjusting to kata everyday by dialoguing with body is just a practice of budo, as well as an attraction of practicing budo. Budo is exactly a dialogue with body.
March 25, 2011
Budo and Kata
型を中心に稽古する武道は，現代の柔道や剣道のような乱取り（自由組手）稽古が中心の武道（的スポーツ）に対して，ときに「型武道」と言われることがある。しかし，これは重複表現である。なぜなら，武道とは型そのものであり，武道の稽古とは型を稽古することだからである。したがって，型を稽古せず乱取り（自由組手）だけ稽古していれば，もはやそれは武道ではない。それは，武道をベースにしたスポーツである。
Martial arts which require students to mainly practice their katas are sometimes called "kata budo"(kata-oriented martial arts), compared to martial arts (or martial artistic sports) which lay stress on free fighting (randori or jiyu-kumite) like modern judo or kendo. But, this is an overlapping expression. It's because budo is kata itself, and practicing of budo essentially means practicing of kata. Therefore, if the martial art does not make students practice kata but only free fighting, it is no longer budo. It is just a sport based on budo.
Martial arts which require students to mainly practice their katas are sometimes called "kata budo"(kata-oriented martial arts), compared to martial arts (or martial artistic sports) which lay stress on free fighting (randori or jiyu-kumite) like modern judo or kendo. But, this is an overlapping expression. It's because budo is kata itself, and practicing of budo essentially means practicing of kata. Therefore, if the martial art does not make students practice kata but only free fighting, it is no longer budo. It is just a sport based on budo.
March 23, 2011
Budo is Kata, Kata is Budo
武道には，それぞれ独自の型がある。武道は型で稽古するのが本来的である。空手道，居合道，杖道，合気道，弓道など，それぞれに型があり，日々の稽古はその型をひたすら反復練習する。すなわち，その型が，その武道そのものを表していると言って良い。極論すれば，武道＝型，型＝武道ということになる。
Any kind or school of Budo (martial arts) has its original katas. Budo is essentially practiced through kata. Karate-do, iai-do, jo-do, aiki-do, kyu-do and so on have their respective katas, and budo-ka (martial artists) repeatedly practice these katas on everyday training. Thus, it can be said that each of these katas represent each of martial arts itself. To put it in an extreme, budo is kata, or kata is budo.
Any kind or school of Budo (martial arts) has its original katas. Budo is essentially practiced through kata. Karate-do, iai-do, jo-do, aiki-do, kyu-do and so on have their respective katas, and budo-ka (martial artists) repeatedly practice these katas on everyday training. Thus, it can be said that each of these katas represent each of martial arts itself. To put it in an extreme, budo is kata, or kata is budo.
March 10, 2011
Body, Breath, and Consciousness
空手は型（形）で稽古する。その際，一連の決まった動きや所作を単に運動的になぞるのではなく，身体各所すべての動き一つ一つに意識を集中する。重心を意識して身体のバランスを保ちながら，身体の動きと息の出し入れを調和させる。意識は，型が始まってから終わるまで，呼吸しながら動く身体の隅々まで行き渡らせる。呼吸する身体へ意識を集中することにより，やがて自己は，自己（身体）が存在する今ここの場そのものに浸透・拡散する。
Karate is practiced through kata (a series of unitary techniques of defense and offense). While practicing kata, we should not simply trace the set series of movements and actions as a physical exercise, but concentrate on every movement of all parts of our body. Every movement of the body is harmonized with breathing, with being aware of the center of gravity and keeping balance of the whole body. Consciousness is thrown into all over the body, which moves with breathing, from start to finish of kata. In the course of time, concentrating on the breathing body makes the self penetrate or diffuse through the place here now where it presents.
Karate is practiced through kata (a series of unitary techniques of defense and offense). While practicing kata, we should not simply trace the set series of movements and actions as a physical exercise, but concentrate on every movement of all parts of our body. Every movement of the body is harmonized with breathing, with being aware of the center of gravity and keeping balance of the whole body. Consciousness is thrown into all over the body, which moves with breathing, from start to finish of kata. In the course of time, concentrating on the breathing body makes the self penetrate or diffuse through the place here now where it presents.
March 06, 2011
Tanden Breathing in Karate
空手の根幹は呼吸である。空手中興の祖・糸洲安恒先生の高弟である遠山寛賢先生は，「沖縄正統空手の極意は，呼吸法がその根底をなし，気力の充実をもって至高の奥義となす」と述べている。空手における呼吸とは，すなわち，丹田呼吸である。空手での丹田呼吸は，通常の丹田呼吸と比べて，「吐き」の際に，より一層腹圧を高め，下腹（丹田）に力を込めて目一杯に膨らませる。空手の防御と攻撃は，この「吐き」と一致調和して行う。
The essence of karate is breathing. Kanken Tohyama sensei, who was the leading disciple of Anko Itosu sensei known as the restorer of Okinawan karate, stated "The secret of Okinawan orthodox karate is formed on the basis of breathing, and fully-charged energy is just the supreme heart." Breathing in karate is namely tanden breathing. When we exhale in tanden breathing in karate, as compared to usual tanden breathing, we raise our abdominal muscle pressure and swell our lower abdomen (tanden) with as much tension as possible. The defence and attack of karate is carried out in harmony with this exhaling.
The essence of karate is breathing. Kanken Tohyama sensei, who was the leading disciple of Anko Itosu sensei known as the restorer of Okinawan karate, stated "The secret of Okinawan orthodox karate is formed on the basis of breathing, and fully-charged energy is just the supreme heart." Breathing in karate is namely tanden breathing. When we exhale in tanden breathing in karate, as compared to usual tanden breathing, we raise our abdominal muscle pressure and swell our lower abdomen (tanden) with as much tension as possible. The defence and attack of karate is carried out in harmony with this exhaling.
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