March 23rd, 2014

From Emiliano Mazlen Yon-Dan Shihan, Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club

"Defining The Techniques Precisely"

In our karate practice, we must define our techniques with precision - that is, we must hit the exact, proper target.

A punch one inch off target may well miss or merely bruise a potentially lethal attacker rather than disabling him.
A block an inch off target may well, when it is cut short, fail to protect a vulnerable part of our body that is under attack or, when it flies past the target,
will likely add a potentially critical delay to the next move.

While defining the technique is always crucial, it is a particular challenge in multiple moves. Not only are poorly defined techniques in multiple moves problematic for the reasons
already discussed, but, particularly when we cut them short, we move one dangerous step closer to diminishing, distorting or – over time - forgetting that move, which threatens
part of our core mission of propagating the art of Shorin-Ryu Karate USA, its kata and techniques, as handed down by our founder Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro.

As Hanshi has described it, a poorly defined technique is like a “0,” a missed basket or a strike out – we can expect no partial credit.
But in his generosity, Hanshi, reminds us that while constantly striving and insisting on perfection as a goal we need not dwell on our 0s or strike outs
(as the home run kings struck out more than they hit home runs).

Let us strive to define our techniques perfectly.

Domo arigato gozaimasu to all.

Emiliano Mazlen

Yon-Dan

Shihan, Boston Chinatown Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate Club