An important point to keep in mind in Karate is the use of force!
If you practise Karate solely with force, your body will tense up. Making explosive attacks or reacting to an attack will be more difficult, and the speed of your techniques will be reduced by excessive use of force (tension). Conversely, the techniques must not be too vague either, as these will have no effect.
What can you do to get the most out of your techniques?
To get more power into your techniques you have to relax (no tension). That gives you the possibility of increasing speed while attacking. In addition, more speed gives more damage. If you simultaneously put your entire body weight into the attack, the damage will be even greater. You should have the feeling of falling into your opponent, while the clenched fist is slinked forward. A possible third thing you can do is to step forward while punching, or throw your hips forward while kicking.
Overall:
- Relaxation increases your speed.
- Use the whole body mass.
- Step forward while punching.
These are some things you should consider when doing Karate, whether it is Kihon, Kata or Kumite.
Thanks for reading 😉
Gert
