Kuzushi and Disruption

As with most anything in the world, karate transmission means new knowledge for many and lost intricacies for most. When a combat art is removed from its area of origin, it is natural certain elements will be either withheld or simply not taught, as the presumption of knowledge and understanding by the teacher to the student was misplaced or misguided. This is more a flaw of human nature than any real or perceived notion that certain aspects of an art are retained for only the closest student.


The taking of kuzushi, or balance, has been studied and discussed in great detail, most especially by judo-ka and jujutsu-ka. To off-balance an opponent is to gain control of his body and energy for the purpose of throwing or joint locking applications. This is not necessary if the objective is to simply punch or kick him. After all, it is not really necessary to off-balance an opponent if your intent is to punch him in the sternum or kick him in the testicles.


Disclaimer: if you do either successfully, the opponent will likely be off balance anyway!


Within Chito-Ryu and Yoshukai Karate exist kata showing the off-balancing of an opponent. Since I am of the belief that fighting is a game of millimeters, rather than inches or feet (no pun intended), it should come as no surprise that my focus in delivering an attack happens at a very close range with my opponent. Kata such as Chinto, Sochin, Ni Sei Shi, Sanshiryu, and Ryu San immediately come to mind when considering techniques specific to disrupting an opponent's balance and timing.


Oftentimes, I see sensei attempting to teach nage waza (throwing techniques) or kansetsu waza (joint locking techniques) from a distance entirely too far from their opponent. The first time a student resists the technique, I have personally witnessed a teacher applying power and force to the technique. Such increases in energy output are not necessary if the space between tori and uke is null and tori's hip placement is correct.


The exact same thing can and will be said for balance disruption. Jigoro Kano, Ph. D., the founder of judo, famously said, "When the enemy wishes to enter your house, open the door and let him in. When he wishes to leave, show him the way out."


Kano sensei's meaning was clear: Maximum efficiency with minimum effort. A throw, joint lock, or disruption should be executed with minimal output, but with maximum efficiency or devastation to the opponent.


Study hard, train harder!

Strategy-If You Aren't Teaching It, What Are You Doing?

In my life, I have had the wonderful good fortune to meet and train with senior budo-ka the world over. In my work travels, I regularly pack a gi and two obi (one white, and my black belt) in hopes that I may find myself on the floor with a senior teacher willing to share a morsel of knowledge with a visitor.

If I am not fortunate enough to meet and train with a senior while traveling, I will train in my hotel. Several of my closest friends and I refer to this training as "Ramada kata," but I digress.

Most often, when I visit a new dojo, there is a feeling out period. This is the time the teacher spends watching me from the corner of his/her eye to see if my skill level is up to their standard. Following his/her lead, I do the same--I watch their movements and technique, and pay careful attention to not only what they teach, but how they teach.

I am rarely interested in learning a new kata (a pre-arranged fighting form); on the contrary, I focus much more intently on kata application, effectiveness of technique, position of the teacher relative to his opponent, and finally the efficiency by which the technique is executed.

If you remain focused on the aforementioned, one thing should and will become clear: the instructor's learned or understood strategy will pervade his techniques. Whether or not he can articulate his strategy is an altogether different matter, but an astute student will consciously or subconsciously come to understand how his teacher thinks and trains.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the instructor with no foresight or cogency when it comes to martial applications and the martial sciences. Many instructors will merely regurgitate what they learned from their own teachers without thought about what combat means to themselves or their students.

This is an unfortunate fact prevalent in the arts and often rears its head by way of trophies earned in tournaments. Don't get me wrong--there's nothing wrong with a competitive spirit and a desire to engage in sport, but one should NEVER presume that tournament wins translate to victory in combat without rules. The former requires sport oriented strategy while the latter requires a strategy to remain alive.

I will close with this question: If you teach an art, do you understand and spend time focusing on the strategy of the art?

Position is Key

In our last installment, we discussed the importance of 'ma'ai,' or critical distance between self and opponent. If you have not taken time to read that article, please scroll down until you find it, or simply click here.  The emphasis placed on this essential concept cannot be overstated.

Angles and spacing between attacker and defender must be realistic

While keeping with the principle of critical distance, a formal discussion around position relative to one's opponent is equally as important. In most forms of budo, self-defense techniques are taught from an unrealistic distance and angles that, under normal circumstances, do not present themselves. A prime example of this is the traditional wide step away from your attacker with a follow up round kick to their rib or solar plexus.

Before anyone gets up in arms about my calling into question those very things they've spent a lifetime studying and practicing, realize I am not saying these opportunities NEVER present themselves, but I am saying that during the heat of battle, the times that someone will be able to make a large movement outside the reach of his attacker in order to counter attack with something like a round kick will seldom be found. Why is that you may ask? For the very reason I described in the painfully long preceding sentence: you are within reach of your opponent and they will most likely attempt to grab you in order to reduce the chance of a long-range attack (like a kick) being launched.

Fighting occurs at intimate ranges

Smaller angles are much more typical, unless you are capable of pushing off or breaking away from your opponent. When that isn't possible, you must be able to compensate with small position changes (angles) in order to maximize the damage you can inflict upon him, and minimize the damage reaped upon you during an altercation.

Small position/angle changes allow for powerful knee and elbow strikes, accompanied by tuite (the Okinawan version of grappling, which isn't the same as judo/jujutsu). In addition to the enablement of those strikes are things like headbutts, joint taking, and soft tissue strikes not normally presented at longer ranges.


On numerous occasions, my students have heard me say, "Any two fools can stand toe-to-toe and pommel one another." It takes training and mindfulness to win the angle and seize immediate control of a situation.

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.