Speed and Power...
why train at that level?

Be "Cobra Like" in your attacks!

Speed and power are extremely important if your goal is to end a fight quickly. One goal of the warrior is to learn to end the fight with a single blow! That's exactly where speed and power come in! Basically the more you practice your particular techniques, the more your nervous system becomes familiar and you will naturally get faster.

When you train at home, it's a really good idea to use mirrors because you can self-coach, so to say, and strip away wasted movements as well as to learn to utilize power centers (like the hips and legs). Very occassionally, we will train using video tape of your kata and basics. Then, you will see how much power you use and how good your stance and techniques are. Mirrors and video tape are only a snap shot of where you're at in your training. What is important is regular attendance, hard training, and improving difficult moves, or techniques in the dojo and at home.

As an example of speed and power training, you can immediately make your punch twice as powerful by springing off the slightly bent legs when you execute. BUT DON'T SLIDE... SPRING OFF YOUR BACK LEG, STAY ROOTED AND SOLID IN YOUR STANCE. Think of your body like a coiled up snake about to strike!

Sounds simple... but when you start thinking you are fast... you will actually start moving faster!

Get over any thought limitations you may have thinking you're slow. Keep the thought of speed on the forefront of your mind.

As you train at the dojo, to do those skills you wish to be faster and stronger at, make a conscious effort to do them with your best speed and power efforts all the time! Don't cheat yourself, by "dogging" it.... train hard for the hour you're at the dojo and improve at home on your own.

Time yourself. Count down how many strikes, front kicks or roundhouse kicks you can land on a target or heavy bag in a 10 second period. Seek to improve your numbers every session when you train at home.1965 JKA-USA(AAKF) Championships. Kenneth Funakoshi. Hawaii (left) meets James Yabe.JKA (center), 1962, 1963 and 1964 AAKF Grand Champion, in the semi-finals match. Funakoshi won the match with two mae geri's. Referee is Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki (right), )KA Chief Instructor for lTKF.