Kancho's Adages

Sure Ways to Overcome a slump
(as told by Kancho Hideyuki Ashihara)

* Ashihara Karate is multi-action karate: Always be doing two or more things at the same time, attack as you defend, defend as you attack.

* Use a small flaw to big advantage: Pounce on the opponent's slightest slip-up with foot work, pulls and pushes, to make his position worse.

* Never face your opponent head-on: Don't let him have that 50-50 chance. Always attack from the side.

* Defend smoothly: attack dynamically.

* In-fighting comes first.

* Hands can be as light as a feather, as hard as a hammer: Your hands should move as lightly and as supple as a feather. They can be delicate antennae to read your opponent's movements, or hammers to smash through him in a punch.

* The blow that does not land can't hurt: All you have to do is step back to see your opponent's kick or punch cleave air.

* Once you touch him he is as good as down: The contact of your hand with his arm or leg is the "go" sign to attack.

* Make a molehill into a mountain: Use little movements - steps, tugs, turns - to create a greater total effect.

* The body is a coiled spring: The hands and feet alone can do little damage. Release the power of the entire body through your kick or punch. This can topple the opponent with a single blow.

* Kick with both legs: The power of a kick comes from two directions, the push off from the pivot leg, and the outward movement of the kicking leg. Only when you have both does a kick carry real impact power.

* Start slowly and surely with the basics.

* Once you have mastered the knee-strike, all other kicks follow: The same goes for the elbow-strike and the various punches.

* Standing still at middle range is a sure way to get knocked over.

* Your weapons at close range are your elbows and knees.

* From long range, step in quick to get the upper hand.

* Lead or be led: therein lies the key to victory.

* In combinations, the first and second blows will decide the fight: You can't go anywhere if he counters your very first attack.

* Give your attack all its got.

* Make your legs do double duty - from kick to pivot: The fundamental movement of the combination is to quickly lower the kicking leg, shift weight to that foot, and use the other leg for a second kick. You can vary your next attack, by bringing your kicking foot down in a different position each time.

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Ashihara Karate
Get Together

A Get together of Ashihara Karate and other Martial Arts friends will take place in November in Viborg, Denmark at the Danish Dai Ki Haku Honbu Dojo (Shihan Kurt Orum)

Seminar in Belgium on 19 November
organised by Shibucho Johny Verheyden

Kaicho to visit England & Italy for training and tournament

Read about the June/July 2005 European Tour