Ma'ai: Understanding critical distance

One thing my students hear me discuss with great regularity is the critical element of space between the karate-ka and his opponent. A lot of people teach this concept irregularly, or without a full understanding of how important it is in all aspects of the budo, whether they teach atemi (striking), kansetsu (joint taking), or nage (throwing) waza (techniques). Briefly, I would like to touch on this oft-times overlooked aspect so that you can both improve your teaching methods and your students will have a firmer grasp on this critical element of karate.

I have been in several dojo (Yoshukai, Chito-Ryu, and many, many others) and have heard instructors briefly discuss ma'a' (critical/fighting distance) by stating the obvious, "If you can punch your opponent, or you opponent can punch you, that's the ma'ai between you." This explanation would make me cringe, as it is only partially true and a little misleading. More so, this explanation was usually explained within the context of kumite (or sparring), rather than discussed is self-defense or combative application.

Generally, I introduce my students to ma'ai by making this basic statement, "If you are on the offensive, you close the gap, and if you are on the defensive, you increase space. Sometimes that space is only an inch or two, which effectively creates an opening for you to attack. However, when you attack, you must then close the distance."

I will ask my students to pair up then place their hand on their partner's opposing shoulder while facing one another. "This is your fighting distance. This is ma'ai." I explain.

Beginning ma'ai

Before anyone starts screaming about kicking distance, yes, we get that, and it is absolutely correct to consider the potential of being kicked. However, in few instances (self-defense or combative applications) will both individuals be well versed in kicking, nor will either maintain a distance whereby both can stand back and launch kicks at the other. It is human nature, if/when you are kicked, to close the distance or create space to avoid receiving another kick to any part of your anatomy. I don't want to breeze over this or discount the importance of understanding ma'ai as it relates to karate, but for the purpose of this article, I want to focus on arm/hand distancing.

This first photo is an example of the onset of critical distance. It is also interesting to note that our kata dictates this same distance of technique application at the onset of attack (in most cases)! Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose, in his book Kempo Karate-do, states that karate includes the techniques of jujutsu, each of which is predicated on first attacking with the feet and hands.

A reaping throw that begins and ends with intimate distance

Joint taking and throwing require an even more intimate distance between attacker and defender (a misnomer if you paid attention to my definition at the beginning of this article). To control an attacker, or destroy an attacker's joint, requires some form of body-to-body placement prior to technique execution.

The question you must ask yourself is this: Am I teaching my students the correct conceptual structure of body-to-body self-defense/combat? If the answer is no, you should spend time exploring your kata, work with someone who practices body positioning relative to an opponent and congruous application of technique for full and total impact.

Train hard!

Yoshukai Karate--differences exist

My path in Yoshukai Karate-do has been filled with exceptional training opportunities with several long time practitioners of the art, as well as many in its parent art, Chito-Ryu. I would also add that my training experiences outside my core art have been exemplary in building what has become the art I now teach: Shintai-ha Yoshukai Karate-do.


For the uninitiated, Yoshu means "continuous improvement," while kai translates to "association" or "organization." Shin=heart/mind/spirit and ha=sect/group. Kara=empty and te=hand. Do (pronounced doe/dough) means "the way."


Many who study Yoshukai in its various iterations do so from a perspective of power; that is to say, their idea is to punch and kick harder than their opponent, thereby winning a confrontation. While there is nothing wrong with that approach (if it works for the practitioner), at some point he/she will age and reflexes will slow. The circle of life dictates that there be alternative methods for disabling

or destroying an opponent intent on inflicting harm on the practitioner. This is the path I have chosen and wish to share both in this blog, and in paper form (a book!).

Before venturing down that path, it is important for the reader to understand the evolution of Shintai-ha Yoshukai Karate from birth to launch. To-de, ti, or te, as it was known in Okinawa, was the indigenous fighting art of the small island chain that lies to the southwest of mainland Japan. Its ties to its parent nation and to China are well documented, as the Okinawan archipelago served as stopping point for ships venturing through the greater Pacific.

Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose (left) and Mamoru Yamamoto (right)

Influenced by the Chinese arts, Ti continued to grow based upon the needs of its creators. Grappling methods were inflected into the art and soon a homogenous blend of punching, kicking, blocking, grabbing, and throwing were put together to form a fighting art.

Legends were born from the old men who formalized Ti, which eventually became known as Kempo. It was from Kempo that Chito Ryu was formed by Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898-1984). Chitose was fortunate to have learned from a number of notable Okinawan masters before moving to Japan to complete his studies then form his own brand of karate-do.

Chito-Ryu focused on posture, proper footwork, and controlling an opponent as much as it did on punching and kicking. In fact, the art evolved unlike many of its Okinawan and Japanese kin because of the additional focus on joint locks, throws, angles, and footwork.

Before anyone reading this gets excited, I'm not proclaiming Chito-Ryu as a superior art over that of others; I am simply pointing out Chitose's focus in creating his method of fighting. I would also like to add that there is much more to Chito-Ryu than what I've outlined here--I am simply wanting to give the reader some background on the art, as well as that of Yoshukai prior to delving into Shintai-ha Yoshukai's focus.

From the stable of Chito-Ryu practitioners in southern Japan came Mamoru "Katsuoh" Yamamoto. Yamamoto's reputation as a fierce fighter and competitor were without question. He was a three time all-Japan full contact kumite champion with hands and feet that were incredibly quick. At a relatively young age, eighth degree black belt Yamamoto broke from his teacher and formed Yoshukai Karate-do, which focused heavily on much of the sporting aspect of karate.

Yamamoto produced many excellent karate-ka in his day. One of the most notable was Mike Foster, an American serviceman who brought the art back to the United States. At six feet six inches tall, Foster was known almost as well for his fighting skills as Yamamoto was in Japan.

In the late 1960's, Yamamoto sent one of his senior students, Hiroyuki Koda to the United States to help Foster with his organization. Koda's primary focus was kata, or pre-arranged fighting forms, and assuring students were practicing them correctly. Koda soon met and married a young American lady, Gwen Lisk, and after several moves, settled in Montgomery, Alabama.

From the cadre of practitioners in south Alabama came Michael Sadler, known for his kata and self-defense skills. Sadler's focus lay in proper foot positioning, body alignment, joint taking, and throwing, all coupled with the striking arts taught to him by the other Yoshukai teachers.

From Sadler's group came your author, Howard Upton, who, like his teacher before him, has a very strong focus on not just the striking arts, but the joint taking, and throwing arts as well. Over the past twenty-five years, I have had the good fortune of training with several senior Chito-Ryu and Yoshukai black belts, and from those meetings I have forged Shintai-ha Yoshukai Karate-do. From the naked eye, Shintai-ha Yoshukai will appear to be a hybrid between Chito-Ryu and Yoshukai, as my studies have pushed my training more toward the supple or gentle methods of disabling or destroying an opponent.

Yes, you read that correctly:  the supple or gentle methods of disabling or destroying an opponent."

This statement does not mean that my students and I play paddy-cake with an attacker; rather, our focus is inherently more trained on body and balance disruption and quickly disabling the attacker with whatever means are at our disposal. "Gentle" or "supple" are expressions of effortless engagement with an opponent and should be understood as such.