Chapter 1

The Phonetics of Karate

Synchronization, Kime and Sae

Fundamentals

1.1: Me-sen (Leading), Eye Vector

1.2: Ibuki/Contruction
1.3: Tan-den
1.4: ballistic Swing
1.5: Fumi-komi, Rebound Momentum
1.6: Fumi-komi forward
1.7: Zan-shin, Sustain and Coordination of Ibuki and Kime

Preview: In this chapter we will cover the basic principles that govern the
effectiveness of any karate technique. What distinguishes karate from other
martial arts is that karate technique is always backed up by the entire body so
that the technique will have maximum effect. If the entire body does not
support the technique, it is not karate. Therefore the power of karate technique
comes from the perfectly timed contraction of the entire body at the same
instant of impact, which is called kime (key-meh).
When the action of karate techniques is synchronized and terminated exactly
at the same time, it is called kime, the intense focusing of the mind and body
into a single searing moment of impact with the target. The ability to perform
effective kime will result in the creation of shock into one’s opponent, which
makes it impossible for the opponent to continue. Therefore, you will learn
about kime, which is at the core of karate.
In general, karate techniques are synchronization of ki (mental energy), ken
(fist or sometimes the leg) and tai (body). Throughout this chapter, you will
learn the most important rules for the fundamentals of karate. Make them a
part of your body so that you can use them naturally.

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 1.1: Me-sen, Eye Vector

Objective: You will learn how to sustain the tsuki, (punch) with your eyes to create a
one-blow finishing.
You will learn where to look when performing a punch.

Me-sen (may-sen) is eye vector, which is important as a fundamental component

of karate for delivering shocking power into the target.

1.1.1: The first attempt

You will use a drill we call unbendable arm in order to discover the mechanics
behind me-sen. Proper me-sen will increase your ki, the details of which will be
explained in chapters ten and eleven.

1. Place the wrist of your right arm on

someone’s shoulder.

2. Look at your hand as it rests on his shoulder.

3. Let him try to bend your arm with both of his

arms on your elbow. Allow him to gradually
increase his power to maximum.

4. As a result of this experiment, you will find

that you cannot prevent him from bending
your arm.

5. Unless you are a very strong person

compared to your partner, you will find that
you cannot prevent him/her from bending
your arm.

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1.1.2: The Second Attempt

1. After this first attempt, pick a spot along the vector of your arm but beyond your
hand and at a much further distance.

2. Concentrate your eyes on this spot and push your elbow and your stomach
toward it. Visualize yourself touching the spot.

3. Press firmly with your right wrist on his shoulder.

4. Again, let him try to bend your arm.

5. Even after he tries to bend your arm, continue pushing for a while and continue
to focus your mind on that spot. This continuous mental concentration is called
zan-shin. (Refer to the following section of this chapter, for an explanation of zan-
shin).

Question: What did you learn from this experiment?

Rule 1.1: The Principle of Vectors

From a pint of origin to a final position, a vector is a direction or course that a particular
force or velocity will take or takes. While training karate, you should imagine that your
eyes have a vector; the point of origin starting with the eyes themselves and extending off
into the distance. Similarly, your technique has a vector extending from its point of
contact, off into the distance. You should also imagine a vector extending from your tan-
den (Refer to the following lesson). When you punch, your eye vector should meet with
the arm vector and tan-den vector at a distance of approximately a hundred feet. In short,
don’t look directly at your target; rather, look through your target and imagine that the
vector of the technique, the vector of your tan-den, and the eye vector intersect a hundred
feet away.

*Eye Vector
When you punch, your eye vector should meet with the arm vector at a distance of 100
feet

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1.2: “R” Ibuki (ih-boo-kee) Contraction Method:
Objective: So that you will create strong karate technique, you will learn how to initiate
the internal contraction of your body by using the tongue’s position to create an “R”
sound during exhalation.

1.2.1: Sound
Sound out “ah” “eh” “ee” “oh “oo.”
Think about which part of your
stomach is responding when you
make any one of the above sounds.
When you sound out “ah,” you will
feel tension in a fairly high part of the
abdomon; and when you sound “oo,”
you will feel tension in the lowest
abdominal region.

In addition to the importance of speed

of contraction, because you get the
strongest contraction from the “oo”
sound, it is the most preferable sound
to make for effective ibuki.

You will feel when you sound out “ah” fairly high part of stomach is responding and
“oo” is the lowest.
1. Stand with your back to a wall. Contract your thighs by tilting your pelvis up and
slightly bending your knees.
2. Push the roof of the mouth with the tip of your tongue. Pull your chin towards
your stomach. At the same time, concentrate on an area inside your lower
abdomen that responds to the feeling created by the tongue’s pressure to the roof of
the mouth.
3. Touch the tongue to the roof of your mouth and push against that spot* and sound
out “R,” opening your mouth slightly. If you cannot feel the spot, just say “OO-
OO-OO.”
4. As you exhale harder sounding out “R,” push the small of the back to the wall.
5. Press down to the floor and bend the knees lower and flatten your back against the
wall.

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1.3: Tan-den Contraction (contracting of the Small of the Back for Kime)

Objective: How to contract your body.

The contraction of the small of the back, the lower abdomen, and buttocks are the first
primary muscles used in karate.
To exhale properly is to perform ibuki (ih-boo-kee), which is the forceful exhale of air
out from the bottom of your stomach (tan-den) that helps you to lock the abdominal and
back muscles. The contraction of the back and abdominal muscles is vital for effective
kime . You must not neglect the exhale, ibuki.
1. Sniff in air through your nose up to the
chest , making sure not to inhale deep.
(Remember you will not use the nose later.)
As you sound out “R” as in former practice,
press lumbar 5 to the wall, then press 4, 3, 2,
1 to the floor and squeeze the gluteus
maximus muscles with maximum tension.
2. Pull your sacrum (tailbone) upward and try
to push the solar plexus against it.
3. Make sure that the small of your back makes
contact with the wall so that your back is flat,
and press into the floor by bending the knees
(a little only to add momentum to the body).

*Sniff air in (up to your chest, not any deeper). Forcefully exhale all air and sound out “R
R R R R.” Scroll the tip of your tongue and pull tan-den hard. As a result you will
contract the back and pull the thigh. When the small of your back contacts the wall, stop
there. If you pull more, your stomach contraction will become weak and cannot perform
a symmetrical contraction. (This will be explained later.)
For the technique to be effective, all action in the arm (in the punch) and the small of the
back should be finished at the same time. Naturally, the small of the back contraction can
finish far faster than the arm action. But, by trying to make both actions end at the same
time, you will make your punch far faster. Use this principle for the next lesson.
*More drills and discussion of kime follow.

You do not run faster moving your legs faster. Instead if you swing your arms faster,
you run faster automatically.

Rule 1.2 Speed and ibuki **

The stronger the ibuki, the stronger the technique will be. The shorter the ibuki, the
sharper the technique will be. When you want to punch faster, do not think about
punching faster, but rathert try to exhale shorter. (Often, if you think about punching
faster, you will tighten your muscles and actually make the punch slower.)

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1.4: Ballistic Arm Action, Sae (sharpness) Use of Muscles

Objective: In the following exercises, you will gain experience in utilizing muscles
necessary for an action and will learn how not to involve unnecessary muscles.

1.4.1: Pushing the Triceps with the Small of the Back.

1)
When you punch, you use triceps as an extensor at the end of the action. But the biceps,
the flexor, act as brakes and will slow the action. So you have to learn how to use the
triceps independently and not to activate the biceps so as to reduce their interference.
(In actual punching practice, some kinds of punches have to use biceps at the beginning.)

* Stand with your back against the wall. Push the small of your back against the wall and
from the small of the back push the triceps and push someone who is holding your arms
up forward. Make sure that while you are performing this exercise that you do not use
the biceps at all.

1.4.2: Unbendable arm by isolated use of triceps.

Let someone try to bend your arm. But this time do

not use the me-sen concentration power.

If you fight back against your opponent, your biceps

come in to action, and the biceps will counter the
contraction of the triceps making the triceps
ineffective at resisting. So just keep extending the
triceps to infinity.

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1.4.3: Isolated use of the Triceps to Free your Seized Hand

This isolated use of triceps may prove helpful in

getting your hand free from someone who grasps
you.

1. He grips your right wrist with is both hands

You make a fist with your right hand.

2. Without bending the elbow, place all your

weight on it.

3. Open the hand wide and at the same time

push your triceps hard straight downward by
your tan-den.

4. Shift the elbow of your seized arm between

and in the center of his arms for leverage.

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1.4.4: Isolated Use of Triceps When Grasped by Each Arm

1. If you are seized from both

sides, imagine that one of the
aggressors is a post to help
you. In order to secure
leverage against one of the
opponent, pull the second
opponent downward to
execute the movement of the
former exercise explained in
drill #3.

2. Then, focus your attention to

the arm you intend to free
and push the arm down while
twisting it out of his grip.

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