Back on July 2/2002 Malcom Wagner posted to the thread "leg positioning".
In his reply he mentioned the word "Chinkuchi", referring to Okinawan-style "full-body flinching" as opposed to "hip rotaion" which he says is Japanese-based and "totally unnecessary for power".
This concept got buried in the reply but sure got my attention. I've never heard of the phrase or concept, at least not by name.
Mr. Wagner if you're out there can you please elaborate on this? It sounds to me like a very important and basic concept and I would be VERY interested to know all you can tell me (us!).
If Mr. Wagner does not reply, could anyone fill me in on this? Eagerly awaiting...NM
Chinkuchi
Moderator: Available
-
Malcolm Wagner
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 6:01 am
- Location: Maurepas, La., USA
Chinkuchi
Chinkuchi...
The words of others are much more adequate than my own.
HIGAONNA MORIO "TRADITIONAL KARATEDO - OKINAWA GOJURYU VOL. 2"
Published by Sugawara Martial Arts Institue in Tokyo, 1986
page 27
"CHINKUCHI KAKIN"
This expression is used to describe the tension or stability of the
joints in the body for a firm stance, a powerful punch, or a strong
block. For example, when punching or blocking, the joints of the body
are momentarily locked for an instant and concentration is focussed
on the point of contact; the stance is made firm by locking the
joints of the lower body - the ankles, the knees and the hips - and
by gripping the floor with the feet. Thus, a rapid free-flowing
movement is suddenly checked for an instant, on striking or blocking,
as power is transferred or absorbed. Then the tension is released
immediately in order to prepare for the next movement. Sanchin kata
is an example of prolonged chinkuchi kakin - all of the joints in the
body in a state of constant tension.
------------------------------------
ARAKAKI KIYOSHI "OKINAWA BUDO KARATE NO GOKUI"
Published by Fukushodo in Tokyo, 2000
page29-30
This "chinkuchi" is sometimes written as "one cun power" and is a
principle of movement related to the "cun-power" of Chinese Quanfa. A
simple explanation is, when punching for instance, to contract the
muscles used when punching (especially the triceps and the
trapezius), increasing the speed of the punch or block from within
your own body.
------------------------------------
TOKASHIKI IKEN "OKINAWA KARATE HIDEN: BUBISHI SHINSHAKU"
Published by Gohakukai in Naha, 1995
page 142
When punching, the most important thing is that the "koshi" are in
it, and that chinkuchi is being utilized. Chinkuchi, in a word, means
to contract the trapezius, the triceps, the pectoralis major, etc.
when thrusting ths fist out. At that time, the armpits must also be
closed when punching or blocking. This means that a punch with
chinkuchi has an instantaneous increase in power. This is called "one
cun power" and causes a great destructive power upon the opponent's
body.
Charles Boyd
Calgary Alberta Canada
The words of others are much more adequate than my own.
HIGAONNA MORIO "TRADITIONAL KARATEDO - OKINAWA GOJURYU VOL. 2"
Published by Sugawara Martial Arts Institue in Tokyo, 1986
page 27
"CHINKUCHI KAKIN"
This expression is used to describe the tension or stability of the
joints in the body for a firm stance, a powerful punch, or a strong
block. For example, when punching or blocking, the joints of the body
are momentarily locked for an instant and concentration is focussed
on the point of contact; the stance is made firm by locking the
joints of the lower body - the ankles, the knees and the hips - and
by gripping the floor with the feet. Thus, a rapid free-flowing
movement is suddenly checked for an instant, on striking or blocking,
as power is transferred or absorbed. Then the tension is released
immediately in order to prepare for the next movement. Sanchin kata
is an example of prolonged chinkuchi kakin - all of the joints in the
body in a state of constant tension.
------------------------------------
ARAKAKI KIYOSHI "OKINAWA BUDO KARATE NO GOKUI"
Published by Fukushodo in Tokyo, 2000
page29-30
This "chinkuchi" is sometimes written as "one cun power" and is a
principle of movement related to the "cun-power" of Chinese Quanfa. A
simple explanation is, when punching for instance, to contract the
muscles used when punching (especially the triceps and the
trapezius), increasing the speed of the punch or block from within
your own body.
------------------------------------
TOKASHIKI IKEN "OKINAWA KARATE HIDEN: BUBISHI SHINSHAKU"
Published by Gohakukai in Naha, 1995
page 142
When punching, the most important thing is that the "koshi" are in
it, and that chinkuchi is being utilized. Chinkuchi, in a word, means
to contract the trapezius, the triceps, the pectoralis major, etc.
when thrusting ths fist out. At that time, the armpits must also be
closed when punching or blocking. This means that a punch with
chinkuchi has an instantaneous increase in power. This is called "one
cun power" and causes a great destructive power upon the opponent's
body.
Charles Boyd
Calgary Alberta Canada
-
Malcolm Wagner
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 6:01 am
- Location: Maurepas, La., USA
Chinkuchi
Chinkuchi
The following explanation of the term 'chinkuchi' comes from the collective
information
of the Isshinkai Group composed of Isshinryu Karate Instructors and
practitioners.
Contributors to this description include Tom Saunders, Carol Womac, Jeff
Perkins,
A.J. Advincula, Sherman Harrill, and others from the group.
Chinkuchi is a physical conditioning process and focus of mind and body, which
employs the skeletal muscle system, sinew, connective tissue, and balance
to hasten and strengthen the striking velocity or absorbtion of a karate blow.
The
physical act of employing chinkuchi in karate moves is to help enable the
practitioner
to brace himself for the impact of a blow, protect his joints from
hyperextension, and add
strength and speed to the technigue.
Chinkuchi is both an offensive and defensive focus of the mind and body which
adds
physical strength to the economy of human motion. The technique can be applied
to the
entire body as with the practice of dynamic tension kata such as Sanchin, or
learned to
be applied into individual parts of the body. It is a mental and physical
process which
is learned in stages and degrees and can be applied with weapons.
The learning and application of chinkuchi in karate technique is viewed to be a
vital
asset in the application of karate for self defense. It adds power, and
supplies added
stregth, and speed which is not seen in all karate systems. The application of
chinkuchi in the
execution of a karate technique is visible to those who practice this
application. It
is characterized by the audible snapping from kicks and punches in the
execution of
techniques by advanced practitioners. Techinques can be seen as being executed
from a soft to hard form of delivery which prevents the joints from locking,
but adds
velocity to the blow in aggressive moves.
Chinkuchi is learned as an applied theory of karate directly related to many
hard-soft
theories of martial arts. It is meant to be applied as an integrated part of a
technique.
Many instructors use the aid of analogies and visualization to help apply
chinkuchi to various applications. The process is best learned from
instructors, and
is learned mostly from example.
Chinkuchi is taught as part of the overall development of techniques in
classical karate
systems of Okinawa, such as Isshinryu, Go-ju, and others. Like applications in
other martial
arts may exist in whole or part and may be known by other names. Many
practices in the
application of classical karate may contribute to the development of chinkuchi
in the karate-ka.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
The following explanation of the term 'chinkuchi' comes from the collective
information
of the Isshinkai Group composed of Isshinryu Karate Instructors and
practitioners.
Contributors to this description include Tom Saunders, Carol Womac, Jeff
Perkins,
A.J. Advincula, Sherman Harrill, and others from the group.
Chinkuchi is a physical conditioning process and focus of mind and body, which
employs the skeletal muscle system, sinew, connective tissue, and balance
to hasten and strengthen the striking velocity or absorbtion of a karate blow.
The
physical act of employing chinkuchi in karate moves is to help enable the
practitioner
to brace himself for the impact of a blow, protect his joints from
hyperextension, and add
strength and speed to the technigue.
Chinkuchi is both an offensive and defensive focus of the mind and body which
adds
physical strength to the economy of human motion. The technique can be applied
to the
entire body as with the practice of dynamic tension kata such as Sanchin, or
learned to
be applied into individual parts of the body. It is a mental and physical
process which
is learned in stages and degrees and can be applied with weapons.
The learning and application of chinkuchi in karate technique is viewed to be a
vital
asset in the application of karate for self defense. It adds power, and
supplies added
stregth, and speed which is not seen in all karate systems. The application of
chinkuchi in the
execution of a karate technique is visible to those who practice this
application. It
is characterized by the audible snapping from kicks and punches in the
execution of
techniques by advanced practitioners. Techinques can be seen as being executed
from a soft to hard form of delivery which prevents the joints from locking,
but adds
velocity to the blow in aggressive moves.
Chinkuchi is learned as an applied theory of karate directly related to many
hard-soft
theories of martial arts. It is meant to be applied as an integrated part of a
technique.
Many instructors use the aid of analogies and visualization to help apply
chinkuchi to various applications. The process is best learned from
instructors, and
is learned mostly from example.
Chinkuchi is taught as part of the overall development of techniques in
classical karate
systems of Okinawa, such as Isshinryu, Go-ju, and others. Like applications in
other martial
arts may exist in whole or part and may be known by other names. Many
practices in the
application of classical karate may contribute to the development of chinkuchi
in the karate-ka.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Chinkuchi
Great stuff, Malcolm. Thanks.
What you describe is extremely important. There's been a great deal of discussion - some calm, some heated - on the subject of power generation in Uechi Ryu. Most assuredly folks like Van Canna are correct in pointing out the lack of life in some practitioners' waza - hence the expression "dead fish kata." But how we put the life back in... That's where the heat begins to generate.
Here we see a description of power that seems unique to sanchin-based systems, and is of Chinese - as opposed to Japanese - origin. It is one important view of how to put the life in the movement.
I find the following statements very interesting. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote
You know it when you see it.
- Bill
What you describe is extremely important. There's been a great deal of discussion - some calm, some heated - on the subject of power generation in Uechi Ryu. Most assuredly folks like Van Canna are correct in pointing out the lack of life in some practitioners' waza - hence the expression "dead fish kata." But how we put the life back in... That's where the heat begins to generate.
Here we see a description of power that seems unique to sanchin-based systems, and is of Chinese - as opposed to Japanese - origin. It is one important view of how to put the life in the movement.
I find the following statements very interesting. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quoteThis means that a punch with chinkuchi has an instantaneous increase in power.
Van has also used the analogy of the whip, which I think aptly describes the transition from relaxed to tense, and then relaxed again.Thus, a rapid free-flowing movement is suddenly checked for an instant, on striking or blocking, as power is transferred or absorbed. Then the tension is released immediately in order to prepare for the next movement.
You know it when you see it.
- Bill
