PRINCIPLES - TECHNIQUES

reach

Naoki Ishikawa explaining about kihon gumite during seminar in Romania 2007

Reach greatly effects the combat. As described in the ma-ai, ma-ai is the distance-time concept of when to attack or defend. Ma-ai and sen can’t be separated. This means that one who is taller has an advantage of reach and thus also his ma-ai and sen change.

In shiai it is often seen that competitiors lean too far forward or turning their shoulders in and reach too much with the arm. In increases the reach but decreases the power at impact. Having correct traditional technique, that is having the upperbody nearly straight, (nearly, because naturally it will turn a bit) and not reaching with arm, will cause the power at impact to increase. However, it decreases the reach.

Let’s look at both scenario’s and see what positive and negative points they have.

If performed as shiai you will have the advantage of reaching your enemy easily, however in street combat one is full of adrenaline and the enemy will not be KO that easy. If you only focus on light technique this might get you into trouble since the enemy will not give up just like that. The reach can be surprising though so you can use it as a distraction, atemi or to create shikkaku (blind spot) to set up the final blow(s). The final blow(s) has to be powerful at impact though.

As for the pure traditional movement this may be KO at the first contact. To apply it, however, one has to get in close. The body must be one with the attack so in karate you have to move with the whole body to get there. Point being, the enemy may see your movement easier and is better able to defend.

Off course, the entering / closing of the ma-ai is in relation to all kinds of variables, so think about your strategy accordingly.

A last point to note for the reach of the arm. Imagine a ball lying on the ground. Only the bottom centre of the ball touches the ground, this can be seen as the maximum reach. If you follow the surface of the ball toward the top centre, the distance with the ground increases. Now imagine the ground being the body and the bottom centre of the ball being the maximum reach of the attack. It is easiest explained if you use a straight punch as an example.

If you hold the fist against the body and forcing it up, down, left or right it’s reach decreases and can’t hit the body anymore. This is the core idea to manipulate ma-ai and sen.