1. MUSHIN (clear mind - without preoccupation, literally "NoMind")

Mind must be void of thought, so we can see the phenomenon of movement clearly. If the mind is clouded with thoughts of defense or offense, then we are at the mercy of our opponent. Remember: true stillness is not found in stillness, true stillness is found in movement. Kata is where we find true stillness or mushin. We refer to this as moving meditation. This is done by concentrating on the breathing with slow, deep breaths. In meditation, you will eventually stop thinking of breathing and find a calm, empty mind. Practice this in kata. With practice, mind, breath, and body will become one. When one has become proficient in quieting the mind in this manner, in kumite, “fear” will disappear.

GUIDELINES FOR MEDITATING

One of the main objectives in meditation is to empty the mind of thought. To become still. To find a mental state of quietness. I have researched many books and articles on the internet. Here are a few website articles that may help you. I meditate in the morning and in the evening before bedtime. I also do a hypnosis meditation just before every karate class. In this meditation, I simply become still and then make suggestions to my subconscious.

The duration of meditation can be as little as five minutes to as much as forty-five minutes, or even longer if you have the time. Ideally, you should meditate for no less than fifteen minutes after you have become more comfortable with meditation.

EASY STEPS FOR MEDITATION from http://lal_kitab.tripod.com/meditation/meditation3.htm

1. Choose a place where you can sit calmly without any disturbance.

2. Sit in any position in which you can sit comfortably for a longer period with your hands resting on your knees.

3. Keep your spinal column straight, so that the flow of energy is not disturbed.

4. Close your eyes and try to gaze at the middle of your eyebrows, keeping your eyes closed.

5. Concentrate on your inhalation and exhalation. Slowing your breathing as you continue to concentrate on gazing into your forehead.

6. As random thoughts come into your mind, simply go back to the focus of breath gazing on your inner forehead.

7. Continue for no less than fifteen minutes to as much as forty-five minutes.

DEVELOPING KI: from http://www.topten.org/public/bf/bf19.html

"KI" ("chi" in Chinese) is a Japanese term for power--physical, mental, and spiritual. It has its roots in the martial arts hundreds of years ago, and there's no real equivalent to it in the English language. The concept is that ki flows from the "hara" or lower abdomen, a point roughly two inches below the navel. To an experienced practitioner, ki is a powerful tool for relating to the world. Here are a few ways you can start developing ki for yourself.

1. Create a time and place for stillness. Ki emerges from within. It's subtle and fleeting at first. In order to get in touch with it, you have to develop a habit of stillness. In the beginning, it helps to have a quiet place to which you can retire and a regular time for going there daily. It's there that, through meditation and quiet introspection, you begin opening the channels for the flow of ki.

2. Go there regularly. Continuous cycles of rest and action, extend and recharge, are essential for ki to be recognized and utilized in a practical way. The world's pressures--noise, pollution, stress, deadlines, inequities--are relentless. The only way to get on top of them (to "overcome the world", as Don Juan put it), is to make it an invariable habit to withdraw to that secret place regularly, once, twice, three times a day. You owe it to yourself and to those around you!

3. Relax fully. Telling someone to relax is a bit like telling them not to think of an elephant. A better way is to adopt a simple physical movement that produces the desired result. Try this: stand with your hands at your side. Notice how you're feeling, how your feet come in contact with the floor, how much tightness there is in your body. Then, slowly and gently at first, begin shaking your hands at the wrists. Gradually increase both the speed and intensity of your movements until your hands begin to tingle. Do this for approximately 30 seconds then, just as gradually, slow down. End in an entirely still posture and notice the differences in the way that you feel. You'll probably discover that you feel much more calm, more relaxed, more quiet. That's the beginning of being "centered", and centeredness is the platform from which to extend ki. It's the quiet solid place in the hara.

4. Focus inwardly. An easy way to do this is simply to concentrate on your hara or "one point". It may help to loop your thumb around your belt buckle and allow your middle finger to touch the abdomen. Where it touches, is your hara. Now, notice the sensation. Direct your full attention to that one single point. Sound silly? Well, take heart. This is a fundamental practice in the japanese martial art of aikido, so you're in good company.

5. Follow your breath. We tend, subconsciously, to retain stress in our bodies. A good way to begin letting go of this tension is by following your own breathing, particularly your exhalations. A rule of thumb is that "strength is on the exhale". Practice breathing from the hara (one point) by concentrating only on the exhalation phase. Just allow inhalation to occur and then gently, but forcefully, exhale. If you doubt that you're stronger when you exhale, try this experiment. Select a weight, say a basket of wet laundry. Stand over it, take a deep breath, hold it, then bend over and pick up the basket. Now try the same thing again, only this time, instead of holding your breath, exhale slowly from the hara just before and while you pick up the basket. Note how much easier it as the second time.

6. Extend ki. This is a mental act. An easy way is to visualize ki flowing from our one point up into your chest and shoulders and out your arms and hands. It helps to gently point your index finger so that you can "direct" you ki much like pointing a garden hose to direct the flow of water. And here's an odd fact: the more relaxed you are, the better your ki will flow and the more power you will have! Try this: the next time you go through a revolving door (as in an office building), start the door moving by extending ki through your outstretched hand and notice how easily the door moves!

7. Act deliberately. Many of our so-called actions are really reactions to stimuli of which we may be totally unaware. Often, we don't notice the "triggers" that prompt us to react in various ways--noises, odors, remarks, or even the thoughts of others. We are susceptible in hundreds of subtle ways. One way to avoid this cycle of stimulus/reaction is to make your every act a deliberate one. It takes practice. When pressured to speed up, slow down; when urged to agree (or disagree) suspend judgment. When threatened from without, withdraw within.

8. Walk softly. Walk softly is to touch the earth and others gently. It's an art and a discipline, but it leads to greater awareness and a smoother flow of ki.

9. Neutralize negative energy. Have you ever been confronted by a hostile person who is intent on sharing their anger with you? Who hasn't! Negative energy abounds and, for some people, it's their predominant form of expression. So, how do you neutralize it? A first step is to follow steps 4 through 7 above, i.e., to become centered. Once you've attained the centered state, step back mentally (and physically, if you have to) from the attack. Don't allow it to become part of you. If you avoid your attacker long enough he or she will tire. There are lots of ways to do this. Experiment. Think of some on your own.

10. Become present-focused. A study done some years ago concluded that fully 60 - 70% of the average person's thought content during any given day pertains more to past or future than to the present. If attention is energy, which it is, then think of the dilution of power that occurs on a regular basis. When you worry about the past or fantasize about the future, you're reducing the energy and focus you have for the present. That's the immediate reason for maintaining full present focus. There's a larger reason as well: in order to be fully in the present, you must have confidence that the future will work out. At first, that's purely an act of faith until your own experience demonstrates that it's true. Then, it becomes a matter of solid conviction.

Remember: yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never be. Only in the present can we find true reality.

2. HENO (Response to an action)

Without thought we respond to the count of a senior in kihon. We must transfer that response without hesitation to a movement of an opponent. This is a perception bred from ten thousand responses to count, prearranged attack in ippon, sanbon, or jiyu kumite, or the real time (jissen). Only through mushin can we obtain this concept. Hopefully then we will transfer this concept into the reality of true conflict.

3. TAI SABAKI (body shifting)

The ability of shifting the body away from imminent danger. Shifting obliquely away from a linear attack gives us the advantage against an opponent. The skill to do this in such a way as not to telegraph it to the opponent is the aim of this skill. We must find our own combinations to extend, contract and lead opponent into defeat.

1. Front rear slide step – front or rear foot slides toward or away from opponent (undetected

2. Full step - stepping forward with rear foot, one complete step (usually accompanied with one or more tai sabaki.)

3. Front half step - back leg steps just past front foot, then front foot makes a continued front step. (almost always accompanied with one or more tai sabaki.)

4. Cross stepping (to the rear) - with front leg, step back across rear foot at a 45 degree angle, then complete with rear leg stepping in the same direction.

5. Open circle stepping - with front leg stepping to the rear in a moon shaped arch to the opposite direction of the rear leg. (45 degree direction )

6. Closed circle stepping - with rear leg, slide in a moon shaped arch, maintaining parallel distance between feet as you slide, to the same direction of the front foot.

7. Yoriashi- sliding in or away from opponent with impetus of either front or back foot.

8. Triangular leap – slide step with front foot, then back foot slides forward and to the side at a 45 degree angle and immediately drive off that foot toward opponent with appropriate counter attack.

9. Shadow step – from front, back, or horse stance we quickly move the rear foot forward to the front foot without changing the level of the hips and without opponent being aware of the movement.

4. Ma (distance between opponent and oneself)

Its use is to put one- self in an advantageous position and the opponent in a disadvantageous position. To do this we must master tai sabaki and judgment of distance for offense and defense. The two most important skills of ma is learning how to break opponent's defensive distance, and to maintain our own defensive ma. A third skill is to learn to lead an opponent into a favorable ma.

There are a number of concepts of ma that we must inhabit into our subconscious.

1. Uchima – striking distance- able to penetrate opponent's defensive ma and able to strike.

2. Uchikoma- perfect striking distance. That ma that enables us to attack with a deep destructive kick, punch, or strike.

3. Toma- long distance- a distance from the opponent that you or your opponent cannot attack wihtout using tai-sabaki.

The following strategies are methods to use to defeat opponent by use of ma.

1. Nobashi no heiho (to overextend the opponent) with the use of tai-sabaki lead the opponent to reach for you with the use of oblique steps at forty-five degree angle from his linear attack. With short steps and the right angle, cause the opponent to overextend. The opponent will feel he can reach you, but he cannot. When he has overextended, then counterattack. You must wait to move till the last second.

2. Fukurami no heiho (to expand the opponent) as we surprise our opponent with a sudden attack, he may contract quickly into a very tight defensive stance. We relax and act as if we are disengaging. As opponent senses this he will expand and relax and take in air. As he does so a void occurs. Attack it strongly.

3. Tokoshi no heiho (to cross a great distance) combining a number of tai-sabaki to cross a large distance between you and your opponent. Ex. - slide step, cross step, one complete step. The last step should be with great strength and spirit.

4. Nebari no heiho (sticking to opponent's arm or leg). After his attack , maintaining soft control without conscious effort, as you counter attack

5. Shikotai no heiho (touching the opponent), just as he launches his attack to off balance him slightly

5. HYOSHI (timing and rhythm)

Hanon no heiho (Counter attack on the half beat) there is a sustained timing of an attack that can’t maintain it’s original strength or spirit. As opponent attacks stay just outside his onslaught until you have ascertained his timing and when you are sure of it, hit him as he just begins his attack.

6. KIAI (loud curdling yell)!

The purpose of this expulsion of air is three fold. One is to startle the opponent by doing it with an unexpectedness that surprises him. A second reason is to tighten the abdomen at the moment of execution of a technique, so as to be able to absorb a counter attack at the same time. A third reason would be to increase the impact force of your own technique by connecting the hips, due to the tightening of ones diaphragm.

7. FEINTS AND FAKES

Both are distraction ploys to enable you to get in a finishing technique by deception.

1. FEINTS - head, hand, or body movement to distract or break opponent's timing and rhythm.

2.  FAKES - an actual technique applied to hide or distract the real attack. ( faking a quick reverse to the head, just prior to a front kick to the middle or lower level.

8. KIME (a physical and physiological concentration of mind and body at moment of contact with a technique to opponent)

Taking the initiative to an attacking opponent. A perception, born of ten thousand experiences -- of beating the opponent with a counterattack before his attack is completed. To the untrained it seems that the defender (uke) actually attacked tori (the attacker) first.

9. SEN NO SEN (take the initiative early)

To perceive the opponent's actions before he can initiate them. To the untrained eye, it almost seems as if uke (defender) actually attacked instead of counterattacked.

10. GO NO SEN (take the initiative later)

To retreat away from opponent and block his attack and follow with an immediate counter- attack.

11. SEN SEN NO SEN (attack first)

When facing a dishonorable opponent, we simply attack at will to destroy him.

12. BREAKING TIMING AND RHYTHM

All things have rhythm. There is the rhythm of music, the rhythm of running, the rhythm of dancing. With rhythm is another phenomenon called timing. To have good rhythm, you must have proper timing. To control these phenomena, takes 10,000 practices. There are many ways we control timing and rhythm. These are a few:

1. Leading opponent into an advantageous ma with tai sabaki.

2. Use of kiai to startle opponent to break his timing and rhythm.

3. Use of faints or fakes.

4. Foot sweeps.

5. Use of irregular rhythm (two beats, three beats)

6. Use of high-low application of technique (mae-geri + oi-zuki, yoko-geri + uraken)

7. Attacking opponent's breath. (attack when opponent inhales. Any of the above as opponent inhales.)

8. Charge the opponent with explosiveness, then stop short. Opponent will contract in reaction, when he realizes you have stopped short, he will take in air and his body will relax. At this moment, attack again with great speed and force. This is called hitting on the half beat (hanon no heiho).

These are just a few. You must study through 10,000 practices to find many more.

13. TAICHIWAZA (Stances and posture)

One should take a comfortable stance (determined by the environment and surroundings) with center of gravity in the lower tanden. The upper triangle (shoulder tips to just above the center of the eyes) should be without tension. No grimace of the face. Hands held in favorite kamae -- one hand at shoulder level and the other at waist or mid-section level. Underarms should be connected to tanden without tension in the arms. Stance should be low, but not so low as to impede or slow movement in any direction.

14. EYES

There are those that would say we should watch opponent's eyes. To me, we must look at the analogy of the snake and the bird. There is a hypnotic effect with a psychologically stronger opponent. It is my feeling that we should gaze at the opponent in a complete circle with emphasis on the upper triangle (tips of shoulders to the center of the forehead.

15. USE OF FRONT OR BACK FOOT

When we kick we must understand which foot we must use to be successful against a charging opponent. If as the opponent charges his front foot is the same as our lead front foot, then we must use our front leg to attack the opponent. If opponent has opposite front leg at the completion of his attack, then we would best use our back leg? The only exception to this would the use of the round house kick. You would kick just the opposite to other kicks. Using the back leg, if opponent’s lead leg is opposite of your, and front leg, if the same.

16. POINTS TO HONE FOR KUMITE

1. Take a correct, comfortable and suitable stance.

2. Keep the center of gravity low without losing balance.

3. Face the opponent slightly at half-facing posture, with one hand up to guard the face and the other hand low to protect the midsection and groin.

4. Keep in mind the range of the hands and feet, including their potential speed and momentum.

5. Always coordinate feet and hands to the stance and posture.

6. Take care not to lose your balance - attack when the opponent has lost his. Don’t over extend your attacks or counterattacks.

7. Every technique should be only for attack, defense, or the preparation for the next attack. Do not waste energy with aimless pacing and stance changing.

8. Use distracting or feinting techniques which are particularly suited to you, but do not use them too often. Don't utilize unnecessary movements.

9. Do not lose any time in attacking the opponent when he has been taken by a distracting or feinting technique, or has lost his balance.

10. Keep the elbows close to your body.

11. Kiai loudly when attacking or counterattacking.

12. Use combinations - follow through with the second and third

13. Move in a circle to the weak side (away from opponent's back hand) and try

14. If you wish to tempt the opponent to attack, intentionally step within range (don't drop your guard) or relax your posture and lower your guard when outside the range for attack.

15. Make your attacks hard, but controlled. If your opponent retreats, continue to attack with another combination. Never just stand away and pick at your opponent with just one single technique at a time.

16. Attack immediately upon blocking or thwarting the opponent's attack.

17. Retain proper posture and balance. Be smooth, never jerky.

18. Counter -attack immediately after your opponent has attacked. An opening is created after a kick or punch.

19. Look at your opponent with spirited eyes. See your opponent completely. Gaze straight into the triangle between forehead and shoulder tips, but see his whole body from head to foot.

20. Never telegraph attacking or defensive movements.

21. Don't wear yourself out by aimless pacing or stance changing.

22. Analyze your opponent's strong points and weaknesses immediately at the beginning of the match.

23. Observe potential opponents as they fight others, looking for individual weaknesses and favorite techniques. Knowing yourself and knowing opponent will enable you to win the conflict.

There are hundreds of strategies and thousands of techniques. These are just a few to help you begin the long journey of finding the keys to this wondrous art. May your journey be long and prosperous.

Mu!