Karate-do: Body Mechanics

The body moves powerfully in a finite number of ways

Muscles can only contract or relax back to their non-contracted state. For example, the biceps and triceps work in conjunction to bend and straighten your elbow. That is all they do.

Though human bodies come in all sizes, we are all built the same. For example, we all have two elbows and the corresponding team of controlling muscles. While some may have stronger muscles than others, these two muscles still simply bend and straighten the elbow.

Understanding body mechanics means understanding how the human body was naturally designed to move and to move in a way that keeps it stable and balanced, utilizing its natural strengths to generate power while at the same time protecting its inherent vulnerabilities.

Karate techniques seek to utilize these natural strengths while taking advantage of those inherent weaknesses in our attacker.

Principles of body mechanics include

Center of Gravity
Line of Attack
Strong Foundation
Body Alignment
Balance
Coordinated Movement

The proper adherence to each of these principles should be part of every karate technique you execute. And this is not specific to karate. Every “legitimate” martial art in the world adheres to these principles. That is why most traditional martial arts share the same powerful movements. They may just apply them differently. Often, this makes them look like different techniques to the casual observer.

Body mechanics in karate technique

The proper execution of a karate technique should result in two things.

The attacker should find himself off-balance, in a weakened position, and unable to defend against the strike should its delivery become necessary.
The defender should be in a strong and balanced position, safe, and with several options available for proceeding to the next level if it becomes necessary.

This is much like a defensive shooting scenario!

It’s just a bit off the subject, but it illustrates the point.

We have all heard the phrase, “never take your gun out of your holster unless you are going to shoot someone.” Sounds cool, I know. But it’s essentially macho-cowboy bullshit.

Any trained shooter will tell you there are two separate decisions involved in using a gun for self-defense. The first is to pull your gun from its holster. The second is to actually pull the trigger.

If you pull your gun on an attacker, and the attacker ends the attack and leaves, you have protected yourself without ever pulling the trigger. However, if the attacker ends his assault and you shoot them anyway, you probably will be tried for murder.

If you pull your gun on an attacker and the attacker continues the assault, you might now make the second decision to pull the trigger.

Back to body mechanics

Look at this picture. What do you see? That is me about to be in some serious hurt. And yes, I was the attacker for the purpose of demonstration and threw a punch.

I am off-balance and leaning back, my entire abdominal area is highly vulnerable, and I have no viable means to defend myself.

Sensei John Kerker is essentially in what a karate practitioner might can a mid-level block position … balanced, stable, safe, and with several options to proceed should I try to continue the fight. For example:

Draw his left fist back striking my liver or floating rib.
Punch across with his right into my liver.
Take my rear supporting leg and drop me to the floor.
Punch down with his right into my quadriceps.

Or any combination of the above, and these are just the more obvious options. There are many, many more.

Some rules for beginning to understand body mechanics …

All movements in karate should be natural, meaning they should not ask your muscles to do things they were not designed to do.
Maintain good posture … even in karate.
Economy of motion. The tendency is to make movements too big.
Keep your center of gravity between your feet. Do not overextend.
Never cross your own center.
Never take your elbows above your shoulders.
Never completely lock a joint.
Most Isshin-ryu Karate techniques mimic movements you make naturally every day. If something feels off, it probably is.