*STRATEGY*. The External Martial Art.
3.1 The Power method of the External Martial Arts is the way of the power generation by the means of form. The Form is a vessel for the Forces. Good form helps to direct Forces in the required direction efficiently and, as a result, to generate significant Power. If the Form is ruined or misused, the Forces will dissipate, becoming counter-productive, and the Power will be lost. Hence practising the exact and efficient Form is a key element of training.
3.2 Omote (表) and Ura (裏). Public face and private one. Everything has exterior and interior side. Every Form has two aspects also: visible surface (Omote) and hidden, on the other side (Ura). Martial arts Strategy is the path that includes understanding of both.
3.3 Omote is the one that can be observed and described. The form consists of the techniques and mass transitions, and can be showed and remembered. Memorising the form, its moves and body positions etc. is important. If the Form is compromised, the efficiency of the martial Power generation is low.
3.4 Forms, known as KIHON (基本, the fundamentals, the basic elements, the techniques) and KATA (形, the sequence of the transitions and techniques) are the primary goal of the practitioner. They should be brought to the level where the mind is free and not occupied with the performance. Instead it is the body that makes the forms and the body runs the flow.
3.5 Marital harmony is in a wave form. The wave takes and the wave receives. Inhalation and exhalation. Tori (取り) and Uke (受け) as from the strategic point of view one either takes (toru 取る) or receives (ukeru 受ける). Initiates and follows. Generates and disperses. Every Kata is a wave with at least one culmination point. Kata practice is the way of exploring and understanding forces, energy and power generation.
3.6 Martial way is a way of 3D-movements executed with regards to the timeline. A beginner learns forms with 2D and natural timing. Later advancing towards deeper meaning of the techniques and transitions between them he changes his martial art to 3D and efficiency dictated timing. This approach cannot be forced as it is a result of regular practice and sharp focus.
3.7 Ura is hidden and is difficult to describe. It is the invisible side of the Moon. It is invisible and yet existent and plays its role. The invisible forces that flow through the form are like water that is filling the bucket. If the bucket is of a wrong form or broken the water will leak. The Forces that run by the moves of the Form generate and direct Power. This concept requires a deep level of understanding which is coming from the regular and correct practice of the Form.
3.8 There are three main forces one should consider for his martial art:
- the gravity, the only free force on this Planet
- the centrifugal force based on rotation
- and the muscle forces.
Although scientifically speaking it might sound incorrect, they are in focus of a martial training. Forces are Ura. They cannot be seen or touched and yet they play important role in the power generation.
3.9 A combination of all three forces makes the martial force and creates martial power. In the beginning muscles forces play a big role in one’s development. The higher level of the martial arts practitioner the less is a need in a muscle forces. That correlates well with age of the one and hopefully wisdom. Only flowing within the correct vehicle, form, the forces can bring efficiency in power generation.
3.10 Similar to the wave concept, receiving is force that spirals down in and taking force is the one that spirals up. Together with a pelvic horizontal rotation these forces create a horizontally positioned twisted 8-shape, the so-called Möbius shape.
3.11 The main question of power generation is how to and how much one needs to spend in order to generate power in the most efficient way. This is a question to be answered with the form, Kata. Therefore Kata is the essence of the Way.
