Basic Techniques

I - Basic Fundamentals

II - Stages to Produce "Todome Waza"

III - Blocking Techniques

I - Basic Fundamentals

1. Posture - Maintain axis straight to floor
2. Eye Contact - Maintain eye contact with opponent
3. Maintain Ki/Energy ChargePosture - Maintain axis straight to floor
4. Proper Breathing Proper Exhalation and Inhalation

II - Stages to Produce "Todome Waza" (back to top)

1. Hand Technique
   1. Preparation
      1. Stance (Tachi)
      2. When using reverse exhalation, apply pressure toward stomach muscles to aid in quick reaction as in compression of a spring.
      3. Pressure to floor
      4. Preparation for sharp exhalation
   2. Driving Technique and Increasing Energy
      1. Driving
         1. Sharp body movement initiates technique.
         2. Use pressure on stomach muscle to aid back muscles, then with sharp exhalation create reaction force to drive technique.
      2. Increase Energy by Body Movement
         1. Maintain center alignment of joints, of all body components as power accumulates up from floor and finally to point of contact.
         2. Acceleration of speed.
         3. At final stage, quick switch from linear to rotary action by proper use of elbow joint Remark: Power is increased by a factor of four when energy is switched from linear to rotary action.
   3. Production of Energy and Transmission of Total Power to Target.
      1. At final stage of technique, use maximum pressure to floor while using proper breathing in order to produce maximum power.
      2. Transmitting pressure-to-floor reaction energy to body movement through delivery of technique.
   4. Shocking Power - Total sharp body muscular contraction at moment of contact with target, shortest period of sudden contraction produces the maximum shocking power.
2. Kicking Technique
   1. Preparation
      1. Stance (Tachi)
      2. Supporting leg begins to apply pressure to floor, other leg ready to transmit pressure
      3. Preparation for sharp exhalation
         
         
   2. Driving Technique and Increasing Energy
      1. Driving
         1. Supporting back leg sudden pressure to floor with strong exhalation
         2. At same time, stomach muscle contracts as knee is drawn up and hips toward target - all as one motion. Remark: Necessary to deeply bend knee
            
            
      2. Increase Energy by Body Movement
         1. Increase energy by accelerating speed of kicking leg
         2. At final stage of hip movement, accelerate speed / energy by sudden knee snap or thrusting action.
   3. production of Energy and Transmission of Total Power to Target.　 At moment of reaching target, support leg applies strong pressure to floor to maximize power to kicking leg.
      
      
   4. Snap or Pull-Back - After contact with target, make sudden reverse of exhalation – now exhaling as body dynamics switch from outward to inward motion – creates more shocking power and also restores balance.

III - Blocking Techniques (back to top)

1. Stages to Produce Shocking Power Blocking techniques, which use shocking power, utilize same dynamics as Todome Waza (as in II – Hand Techniques).
   
   Remarks:
   (1) In producing driving force, blocking techniques utilize muscle contracting power
   
   (2) As the most effective block is one that has the shortest, most powerful contact time, proper blocking requires sharp and maximum pressure to floor at moment of contact.
   
   
2. Stages to Produce Non-Shocking Power Blocks
   
   
   1. Initial power is achieved through proper center body muscle contraction created by maximum pressure to floor combined with proper breathing (exhale – reverse exhale).
      
      
   2. Final stage of block incorporates total body musculature contraction combined with strong pressure to floor and proper breathing.