Shigeru Kimura Sensei 9th Dan Tani-Ha Shitoryu Shukokai punched out like being hit by a cannonball.

Kimura Sensei had won the All Japan Karate Championship two years in a row. His technique was incredibly fast, sharp and decisive. However, there was a problem. Tani Sensei, the best student of Mabuni Kenwa and founder of Tani-Ha Shukokai, was a firm believer in the ancient concept of IKKEN HISSATSU or “One Fist – Certain Death”. Kimura Sensei was not sure if the technique he possessed would be capable of that in a SHINKEN SHOBU or a REAL life and death battle.

He and others of the Shukokai began experimenting with Bogu (Bogu is body armor, similar to Kendo, but modified for Karate). Kimura was appalled that his punches and kicks lacked TRUE stopping power when he applied his full force against real resistance. Now Tani Sensei WAS an innovator and had “changed” the traditional Shitoryu Karate waza to impart MORE strength, speed and power. Tani was the FIRST person to coin the term “double hip” in reference to the twisting motion used to create increased ballistic force.

Kimura Sensei went BEYOND. He developed other concepts based on modern sports science, training techniques and exercises. This continued until his eternal death at the age of 58.

When Kimura Sensei first came to the US and began teaching at Yonezuka Sensei’s Dojo around 1970, he was interviewed by a well-known local sportswriter. This gentleman commented in print that Kimura had a punch as HARD, if NOT HARDER, than any of the many PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS, including HEAVYWEIGHTS, this sportswriter had met over the years. HIGH PRAISE INDEED, considering most martial artists would assume that boxers pack the HARDEST punches of any fighting method.

The FOUNDATION of Kimura’s Shukokai training was the use of the “piercing” block, now known as the “impact” pad.

The originals we used were simply 14″ X 14″ cut Styrofoam squares stacked 8-10 inches thick and wrapped with a Gi belt. Three techniques were practiced CONSTANTLY for HOURS AND HOURS at a time. They were the “gyakuzuki” or reverse kick, the “maegeri” or front kick, and the “mawashigeri” or roundhouse kick. Using the principles of “double hip twist”, “muscle recoil”, “whiplash”, “total body lockout” and other concepts ingrained in modern sports, the dynamic speed and tremendous power one could develop made such a training was worth much MORE than the usual “monkey” exercises found in most other Dojos.

The use of drilling blocks developed BOTH the ability of the hitter to give a massive shock AND the ability of the “hitter” to RECEIVE a massive shock.
Punch pads WORK. Since blocks allow you to really work to get INSIDE the target, you can develop the ability to get excellent “feedback” on how effectively you’re attacking.

ONLY ONE PROBLEM! You NEED a training partner. Your training partner is the one who HOLDS the block and GIVES you VISUAL feedback on the effectiveness of your punches. Over time and with the proper development of skills, another “problem” arises. You, when all is well, will be able to hit SO powerfully that after two or three “gut” blasters your partner will have NO interest in continuing. On a really “good” day, you can even do it with ONE take.

A big, powerful individual (about 220lbs) known for strengthening and conditioning his body and a black belt in a system KNOWN for his conditioning exercises, who trained with us LASTED for only THREE punches. On the third reverse hit, he dropped the bag and almost knocked the “cookies” out of him. He admitted that without the pad, the FIRST punch could have “killed” him. Another big, powerful bodybuilder was punched ONE (through TEN inches of dense foam) and turned WHITE, lost the ability to breathe and speak, and fell to his knees. When he recovered several minutes later, he said he felt as if an electric shock had “turned off” his HEART. He admitted that for a second he really thought he was going to die. The “kicker” in both cases was about 150 pounds.

So here is my solution for training without a “partner”:

Do any of you “veterans” remember Frank Smith? During the 1960s, Frank Smith WAS the “powerhouse” of American Shotokan Karate. He was a TANK and perfectly executed the powerful direct shotokan style.

His trademark was the REVERSE PUNCH! He developed the technique from him in a specially built “makiwara”. This is what WE will use for our BASE.

This is how we started: one 6″ x 6″ x 6″ block of wood attached to the floor or wall (post or concrete) another block attached to the angle of the wall and ceiling Four eye hooks, each attached on the SIDES of the blocks

One inch pine board extending from floor block to roof block approximately 8 feet long and 8 inches wide. TWO elastic cords. One goes from hook to hook on the BOTTOM block securing that end of the board, and another does the same on the top block.

There is YOUR BASE “makiwara”. NOW, as your punching improves, you can KEEP ADDING TABLES! And replacing the ones you break!
NOW here is OUR addition! Get TWO more bungee cords. Get an IMPACT PAD from KAM Industries in NJ. Secure the pad at solar plexus/chest level with the elastic cords.

There you go! You can use the Impact Pad and see and feel the speed and power developing WITHOUT a training partner. As your technique develops and gets STRONGER, you ADD boards! Supercharge training for your PUNCH!

The only HARD part here is “developing” the RIGHT and proper technique.

Kimura Sensei always said that YOU DO NOT “train” or “practice” Karate as much as you STUDY IT. Think about it. Each repetition of EVERY technique is a COMPLETE STUDY of body mechanics, speed, power dynamics, balance and EFFICIENCY itself.

EVERY technique should always TEACH YOU SOMETHING!

Kimura Sensei went on to totally revamp his “style”. It was then that Kimura-Ha Shukokai really came into its own. He developed a system based on what he called “Left Gear”. Although I have trained in this method, I am NOT from the “new” school. My Shukokai technique is based on the study with the four Sensei mainly: Kimura, Yonezuka, Kidachi and Ishihara. I have trained with Nanbu but this was very limited.

In fact, the LAST black belts promoted at the Cranford JKC by KIMURA SENSEI, KIDACHI SENSEI and YONEZUKA SENSEI at TANI-HA SHITORYU SHUKOKAI were as follows: Mr. Anthony LaForte, Mr. Daniel Chin and myself. The black belt certificates issued were from the Hombu Dojo in Japan, signed directly by Chojiro Tani and under the direct auspices of the Shukokai World Karatedo Union.

Last comment: Training in a “traditional” makiwara is great for developing hand and wrist strength, as well as fist and hand strength. The “makiwara” as described above is the BEST way to develop the IKKEN HISSATSU concept or even better the “ICHIGEKI-HISSATSU” concept (an ATTACK – certain death).

Old methods (Okinawa styles) made heavy use of hanging sandbags (probably Chinese influence) and the makiwara.

REAL makiwara training develops great attributes. True Okinawan experts use weights suspended from a rope 8 to 10 inches behind the board and the same distance from the wall.

When striking with “chinkuchi” or “kime” similar to “fa-jing” the transfer of energy to the weight THROUGH the makiwara is OBVIOUS. This is responsible for developing the TRUE “tsuki” where energy is poured INTO the target, NOT just THEM.

The real “Ryukyu-Ken” or Okinawan fist (also known as Daikento) is misunderstood. Proper alignment is 70-40 or 80-30 in the KNUCKLE INDEX (SOMETHING EXPLAINS THE MOTOBU-KEN). You can only REALLY train this in a makiwara.

I have several different “types” of makiwara. Some imported from Okinawa. Each one has a different “feel”. My MAIN is constructed from thick, rough hemp AND finished off with a makiwara leather cover from Shureido. Why? I use the hemp wrap for KNUCKLES and EDGE of HAND. I use the LEATHER pad for phoenix eye “Ipponken” or a knuckle, “Oyayubiken” or thumb knuckle and similar single point weapons.

The base for this was CUSTOM made in a welding shop.

One of the Gungfu Wusu “pai” I studied was an offshoot of what could best be described as a combination of bakmei, five ancestor fist and phoenix eye. SO……………. Yes, you guessed it! Great confidence in the INDEX KNUCKLE strike. The conditioning of this weapon for this style was SANDBAG training (AND push-ups with one knuckle on concrete blocks). This was essentially a heavy bag filled with sand. Pretty brutal to begin with, BUT here’s what I thought was really GOOD about it compared to a “normal” heavy bag:

I could drive to the same place with CONCENTRATED force over and over again. Little to ANY rocking or movement and NO worry about spinning or whatever will cause you to slip off the mat and rip or scrape something!

I AM ASSUMING we are talking about BARE HANDS, WITHOUT gloves.

When the real Korean Karate (MooDukKwan) expert Ki Chung Kim was teaching at Yone’s Dojo, the heavy bag that was used was ALSO full of sand! I asked Mr. Kim that day and he gave me the same answers that I posted earlier.

Heavy bags filled with sand VERY VERY WELL develop momentum, penetration and discharge energy or “sinking” energy.

For my money, I hit EVERYTHING. Each will develop a different and important attribute.

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