Unlocking Our Natural Existing Physical & Motoric Abilities: The Four Fundamental Movement Principles of Karate by Elmo Diederiks
The four fundamental movement have been defined as key elements of natural (safe and efficient) total body movement that can be trained separately. The fundamental movement principles presented in this chapter are based on commonalities between Karate styles and martial arts as well as knowledge from movement sciences. The principles seek to leverage the existing kinetic chains and unlock the body abilities that are already in place. They can be found in every technique, across Karate styles, across martial arts and possibly even across many more sports. It is furthermore proposed that training of movement principles explicitly will help build kinaesthetic awareness.
The four of these fundamental movement principles are Intention, Close-open, Compression and Spring Action. Each technique or movement comprises all four principles in the same sequence, where Spring Action helps to initiate the next movement. These fundamental movement principles are essentially the same as the way we walk leveraging gravity and our kinetic chains (both in terms of muscle-tendon structure and neurologic control).
1. Intention.
Intention is the start of every movement. Not only in the mind of course but especially in the body. In order to create movement, we need to go from a static to dynamic situation. The most natural (efficient) way to do so is to create disbalance in order for gravity to help us make a movement. Think of walking or running where we lean into the direction we want to go. We can create such disbalance by moving the pelvis, and therefore the centre of gravity, into the direction we want to go.
Since we start from a static balanced situation in which the legs are stopping movement from happening in the first place, we also need to relax one leg or both legs together with moving our centre of gravity. However, explicitly training the relaxation of the leg or legs at the start of the movement will typically bring attention (and neurological focus) to the knee and upper leg, while we want to create kinaesthetic awareness of the centre of gravity pelvic area. Therefore, it is better to train this movement principle by simply moving the pelvis to the position where we want it to be, much like kneeling (moving forward) or sitting (moving backward), and let the cerebellum control and correct relaxation of legs as well as moving the feet into the right position to avoid actually falling over.
Since many techniques are done with one arm or one leg, we should focus on one side of the pelvis more as well. If the left arm or leg is used, we focus more on moving the left hip (or hip point on the pelvis), and if the right arm or leg is used, we focus more on moving the right hip (or hip point on the pelvis).
Intention can be very well trained with specific functional exercises (including warm-up exercises) that focus on moving the body centre of gravity first and leveraging gravity to move. These exercises should develop the feeling of how and at what moment gravity interacts with the body.
The attentive reader might be wondering how this works in a static situation in which the body stays in the same place (such as in Sonoba Waza). This is an interesting question as one might argue that the centre of gravity does not move in this case. There are however three arguments that suggest otherwise. First of all, we might argue that one side of the body does move forward and that moving the left or right side of the pelvis forward will help in engaging the kinetic chains. Secondly, we might argue that at least the body weight is dropped down slightly (resulting from the third fundamental movement principle: Compression). Thirdly, we might argue that also in Sonoba Waza even when the stance remains the same, we should move the centre of gravity slightly forward. In any case, training Intention training in Sonoba Waza can be beneficial (especially in terms of kinaesthetic awareness) as it omits possible balance issues and more complex (automated) motoric coordination required to make full steps.
Intention can and should also be trained in Karate techniques, but a basic level of kinaesthetic awareness, motoric coordination and technique is required to do so effectively. (See Appendix IV for an extensive set of exercises).
2. Close-open. The principle of Close-open refers to the use of the hip, shoulder and spine mechanics and musculature . It is all about the use of the kinetic chains. In this context we can distinguish two kinetic chains: frontal and diagonal. The fontal kinetic chain is typically used when the distal aspect (hand or foot) moves primarily in the vertical (sagittal) plane, such as in handling an axe when chopping wood. The diagonal kinetic chain is typically used when the distal aspect moves primarily in the horizontal (transversal) plane, such as in throwing a javelin. Both in the frontal and diagonal chains the hip, upper spine and shoulder can be in closed or open position. The diagonal open position is typically applied when using the front arm (such as in Oi Tsuki ) and the diagonal closed position is typically applied when using the back arm (such as in Gyaku Tsuki).
Close-open in the frontal kinetic chain leverages primarily the spine and shoulder joints. The spine is used between sagittal extension (open) versus sagittal flexion (closed), while the shoulder joint is used between sagittal flexion (open) versus sagittal extension (closed) . Close-open in the diagonal kinetic chain leverages primarily the hip and shoulder joints, supported by the upper spine. The hip joint is used between external /lateral rotation (open) versus internal/medial rotation (closed) , and the shoulder joint again between transversal extension (open) versus transversal flexion (closed). The shoulder joint is also somewhat used between external /lateral rotation (open) versus internal/medial rotation (closed). The spine is again used between sagittal extension (open) versus sagittal flexion (closed). (Kapandji, 2009)
In both the frontal and diagonal kinetic chains, the idea is that we alternate between open en closed positions continuously, either from one technique to the other or within a technique such that we create pre-tension in the muscle-tendon system first by pre-stretching the muscles in the kinetic chains.
This pre-stretching of the muscle-tendon system two major benefits. First of all, it stores elastic energy that can be used to boost subsequent muscle contraction. This is because ligament is elastic and muscles can also be elastic when tensioned. Secondly, muscle contraction is a bio-chemical process that takes some time to activate. By pre-stretching, the muscles already get the signal to prepare and therefore can immediately spring into action after pre-stretching. Pre-stretching however only works when it is applied in a very short time and without a pause between the pre-stretching and the subsequent movement. Much like in throwing a ball or a frisbee.
This second fundamental movement principle is easiest to train in a symmetric fashion, in which left and right are making the same Close-open movement at the same time and in which shoulder, hip and spine are closed and opened in synchrony as well (such as in Shuto Uke or Gedan Barai).
A second step is to train left and right in asymmetric fashion, in which left and right make opposite movement yet still with shoulder, hip and spine being closed and opened in synchrony such as in a Soto Uke.
3. Compression.
Compression is used to stabilize the body core. The diaphragm is used to compress the abdominal cavity and in doing so strengthening the connection between upper and lower body. The diaphragm must be pushed down while the pelvis is posteriorly rotated (“tail between the legs”). This activates the so-called water skeleton.
An additional effect of Compression is that the centre of gravity is somewhat lowered which slightly adds to the impact of the technique. More importantly is that by activating the water skeleton with a posteriorly rotated hip, pressure is taken away from the lower spine while the lower vertebrae are brought in a straighter stacked position. This obviously reduces the risk of lower back problems.
Compression is hard to practice, but it works well when the centre of gravity is dropping or in techniques with the muscular structure around the core pulling the shoulders and arms downward. For instance, when slapping on the water while dropping the weight, or when performing a Gedan Barai while stepping from Joi Dachi to Zekutsu Dachi. In fact, a Gedan Barai is one of the best technique to train Compression and the timing of Compression. (See Appendix IV for a more extensive set of exercises).
“We eat Gedan Barai”
Kase Sensei
In addition, respiration, and specifically exhalation en Kiai, can be applied to create more Compression (or more easily), as long as the use of exhalation and Kiai enforces the use of the diaphragm.
Compression is typically used together with isometric contraction. Isometric contraction of the core muscles can help in stabilizing the body core, but does not aid in Kime or increase the impact of the technique. Instead, if there is no follow-up technique it is required to stop the (very fast) movement and keep the correct posture. If there is a follow-up technique it is used in the last fundamental movement principle.
4. Spring action
Spring action (or plyometric action) is a concept that builds on the elasticity of the musculature rather than its ability to generate power. As discussed in the Open-Close principle, our ligaments are elastic and also the muscles can have elastic property. However, muscles can only have an elastic property if we apply tension. This can be done by (pre)stretching as we do in the Close-open principle, but it can also be done by applying muscle contraction. Through isometric contraction or eccentric contraction mechanical energy is absorbed in the muscle for a short moment. This energy is released again during the concentric contraction phase. This mechanism is also known as the Stretch Shortening Cycle (SSC) .
Spring action can also be applied as part of the principle of close and open, but it is most obvious when combining technique and movements: the end of one movement is the beginning of the next movement. This principle works best when maximum pre-tension is created: maximum pre-stretch and maximum isometric or eccentric contraction. This means movements need to be executed from maximum position to maximum position in order to create maximum speed and energy. Of course, everything can be trained, so it can also be trained to apply the principle of spring action from any starting position by applying very high isometric or even eccentric contraction but the technique will always be faster and generate more energy from a position with maximum muscle pre-stretch.
In order to safely apply this principle a very high level of proprioception and motoric skill is required, next to sufficient muscle and ligament strength. Obviously, the SSC timing is very delicate and the wrong moment of muscle contraction can easily result in injury. Therefore, specific attention needs to be given to train this movement principle and SSC skill. The basic required proprioception can be trained by applying maximum isometric contraction at the end of a movement executed slow with flow. This trains the body to recognize the end of the movement. The other way around, isometric contraction applied at the beginning of the movement helps to fine tune SSC timing. Subsequently, complete movements need to be trained in a fast but completely relaxed fashion and with flow, first without isometric contraction and then with increasing amount of isometric contraction at the end point to trigger the SSC.
Integration of the 4 fundamental movement principles into complete movement
The fundamental movement principles come together in complete movements and integrate in a natural flow leveraging the existing kinetic chains. The practice of individual movement principles such as laid out in Appendix IV is not so much aimed at practicing the specific movements, but rather on developing joint mobility, muscle coordination and especially the correct kinaesthetic awareness. When integrated into a complete movement the specific movement might differ, but the kinaesthetic feeling should be the same while executing the movement with flow.
The fundamental movement principles also come together in all Karate techniques and therefore can of course be practiced in Kihon and Kata (as well as Kumite), starting with basic movements such as in Heian or Pinan Kata.
- 1. Starting position in Joi Dachi.
- 2. Intention: bring the weight (and attention) to the left
and down while relaxing the left leg. - 3. Close-open: Close the shoulders and hips,
while continuing the weight movement. - 4. Close-open: Open the shoulders and hips,
while moving the left foot to avoid falling. - 5. Compression: Push the diaphragm down,
at the end (open shoulders and hips).
Spring action: apply isometric contraction
to launch the next movement. - 6. Intention: from the bounce bring the weight forward
and relax the left leg.
Close-open: This opens the shoulders and hips,
even more. - 7. Close-open: Close the hips and shoulders.
- 8. Compression: Push the diaphragm down,
at the end (open shoulders and hips).
Isometric contraction is required to stop the movement.
References
Kapandji, I. (2009). Bewegingsleer – Deel 1 – De bovenste extremiteit (2e druk). Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, ISBN 978-90-313-7294-2.
Kapandji, I. (2009). Bewegingsleer – Deel 2 – De onderste extremiteit (2e druk). Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, ISBN 978-90-313-7296-6.
Kapandji, I. (2009). Bewegingsleer – Deel 3 – De romp en wervelkolom (2e druk). Houten: Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, ISBN 978-90-313-7298-0.
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