Feb 23 (edited) in Karate training 👊
Oi Zuki and the Japanese Spirit
Oi Zuki is a great and beautiful technique.
And it’s also one of the most misunderstood one, and even by Karate-ka themselves!
“Karate is not effective, you cannot use Oi Zuki or such low stances in real fight!”
Such statements can only be made by someone who has never truly practiced or even understood what traditional martial arts are and the beauty behind their legacy.
Of course Oi Zuki is not intended to be used as is in a fight or self-defense situation.
But Oi Zuki contains all the keys and principles that can make you master more advanced techniques and strategies designed for that.
This is the beauty of the traditional Japanese spirit: taking something, studying it, practicing it, mastering it, refining it and transforming it into an art, a way of being.
And Karate is no exception to the rule.
In order to be able to master something, Japanese culture tends to simplify it as much as possible, to remove all uncertainty, everything that is unnecessary to understand its heart, its principles and its intrinsic beauty. So that you can practice it more easily, more freely, and touch, then master its fundamental principles.
That’s why Karate may seem very academic to many, because for learning purposes it has been broken down, structured and ordered with the ultimate purpose of improving its teaching and understanding.
You may not agree with this way of doing things, but if you look at the Japanese objectively, they are always able to achieve a world-class level in all areas, by observing, learning, rehearsing and polishing whatever they appropriate.
When I was in Japan for my first trip, during the first three months, the Sensei basically only taught me Oi Zuki. Of course I was practicing other techniques, but they only cared about the way I was moving forward to punch. And during and after class, they only corrected me on this technique! At that time I didn’t fully understand this, but I was trusting them, so I was relentlessly repeating my Oi Zuki in front of the mirror every day after class.
Today too, even though I think I have a deeper understanding about this technique and the Karate core principles, every time I meet my Sensei, Tamang Pemba Shihan, he carefully looks at my Oi Zuki and inevitably says “No satisfaction…”. And then he spends hours teaching me how to master this simple technique.
That’s why one of my mottos has always been “Master Simple Things, Keep a Clear Direction”.
And for the anecdote, I remember that for its 8th Dan test, Yahara Shihan performed Heian Shodan!
Beauty is in simplicity, and so is mastery.
I believe that the spirit of Karate practiced as a Budō is all contained in Oi Zuki.
OSS 🙏
Nicolas
PS: Here's a link to my latest short video tutorial, and guess what? It's about Oi Zuki! 😁
4
0 comments
Oi Zuki and the Japanese Spirit
skool.com/traditional-shotokan-community-6195
The home of Traditional Shotokan Karate-do!
Here no blue and red gloves! 😉
Karate as Budō, as a way of life, personal growth and enlightenment.
powered by