Junbi Undo part 2

The late Seikichi Toguchi Sensei, a student of both Chojun Miyagi Sensei and Seiko Higa Sensei, further developed the junbi undo he taught within his Shoreikan dojo, adding several yoga like exercises to form what he called, Daruma Taisho.

The junbi undo is the first in long process towards martial arts proficiency. It is critical, at the beginning stages of training, for a student to attain a full understanding of his or her body. Further, it is essential that a practitioner adapt his or her body to meet the particular requirements of the art, which they have chosen to study. The warm up, when performed correctly, is an ideal training tool to accomplish these needs. Put simply, the warm up contains a methodology for training a student in the ways of their chosen art.

You should remember that before you can exert yourself, you must warm the body up. When exercising, do so correctly and with purpose. Your frame of mind here will affect the rest of your training for the session. If a particular exercise causes pain to an injury, seek out Sensei advice on how to modify it. Remember each person has different levels of fitness and flexibility. Listen to your body. This is especially so as a beginner and after an illness.

Stretching must be done in the following order

1-body joint mobilization

2-static stretching (floor first, then standing)

3-developmental stretching (done after body temperature has risen, i.e., after exercises)

During junbi undo, movements should be slow and with maximum control of body weight and movement; slow, passive, controlled three stage breathing should be used. Stretching should be stopped immediately if any sharp pain occurs.

To me, Junbi Undo is very wonderful contribution to the art that evolved from Naha-te. Miyagi Sensei was way ahead of his time when he developed Junbi Undo. Even when I do not feel well, or my batterd body is revolting against me, I can alsway count on junbi undo to get me on the right track. To this day I still do these exercises regularly (every day); I love the way it makes my body feel. Starting from the feet, making their way up the body and up to the neck, loosening the joints, stretching the muscles, coordinating the movements with the proper breathing raises the pulse and it opens the body so one is ready for Karate training or any kind of training. Particularly as we age it is important to keep the body fit for life. Junbi undo can be a great contribution.

I was suprised that Glyn Jones on his Shinkenkan Blog also was writting about Junbi Undo, his is an excellent article and I recommend that you give it a read. Glyn Sensei was kind enough to point out that I had not cited some of my source. In my defense I had written the junbi undo article as a whole and at the last minute decided to split it in half. The article is taken from my book "Entering Through the Gateway of Gojuryu" and in the book I did cite my sources but I failed to do so when posting here, so please accept my appologies, part of the article is from (and credited too) Higaonna Morion Sensei - Traditional Karate do- Okinawa Goju Ryu- Fundamental Techniques 1.

While I am on the subject there are currently two other books that give a detailed explination of Junbi Undo those are "The Art of Hojo Undo" by Michael Clarke Sensei and "The Essence of Gojuryu Vol. 1" By Richard Barrett Sensei and Garry Leaver Sensei. 

Junbi Undo part 1

準備 運動

Junbi Undo (preliminary exercises) is the warm up exercises of Goju-Ryu Karate-Do. It consists of a full body series of exercises systematically designed to warm up, strengthen, stretch, condition, co-ordinate and prepare the Karate practitioner's body and mind for the challenges of traditional karate training.

The Junbi Undo exercises were compiled and developed from 1917 to 1921 by Master Chojun Miyagi after years of research and consultation with physicians and other sensei (14). Contained within these exercises are a variety of methods to further develop karate kihon (basics). Junbi Undo exercises also develop Qigong, pronounced "Chi Kung" (practice of internal and external universal energy) and Kokyu-Ho (inhale/exhale breathing method).

These preliminary exercises serve not only to limber up the muscles but also serve as a basis for perfecting the student's karate techniques. Moreover, these exercises were developed with a great deal of consideration for the needs of the human body. Doing strenuous karate training without the preliminary exercises could cause damage to the muscles. The student will also lack speed and flexibility of movement.

It is important to start with light exercises to warm up the muscles, to limber up all the joints of the body, and to get the blood circulating. After these preliminary exercises, your body is prepared to start hard training. These simple exercises help to improve one's karate techniques and also to arouse one's enthusiasm. These exercises are meant to serve as a lifelong form of mental as well as physical training.

The preliminary exercises begin with a stretching of the joints of the toes, and then continue with stretching exercises for the ankles, exercises for the Achilles tendon, moving up through the legs, the torso, and upper limbs, finishing up with exercises for the neck.

The latter exercises are to build up physical strength and stamina. Students who find themselves lacking in physical strength and/or stamina should do these exercises repeatedly to help them develop their muscles, physical strength, stamina, and also to help them strengthen their joints. Students should make sure to exhale and inhale correctly while doing each exercise. Doing the exercises with correct breathing helps to improve the blood circulation and strengthens the internal organs, as well as aiding muscles development. Thus, for these reasons, doing the preliminary exercises before starting the formal karate training is important.

More to follow.....

Keep on Keeping on

I must apologies to those of you that follow the blog, I have been MIA as of late. While I have been busy at work, with some cases and investigations, I have also just been busy training and working on my own karate-do. While I use the blog to express my thoughts and own opinions about karate-do and my own training, and also to update those people that belong to my dojo and inform interested parties about my books and other activities, sometimes you just have to take a break and do your own thing.

With all of that being said, I have found that the last few weeks, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about what it is that I am doing. Where I came from, where I have been and where I am going, as far as, my karate is concerned.  While I am still thinking over some things, I have also decided a few.

In the next few weeks, I will redesign the Yushikan website and move it over to a new server, I may even see about merging the blog into the new site, but am still up in the air on that.

As for karate-do, I have been spending time working on the applications from Sanseru and Seisan, mostly in the context of how to use them in relation to my job. In class we have worked on some kata and have spent a great deal of time working on the tuite and shime-waza found with-in some of the kata.

In the past 34 years, I have trained in many different systems; Judo, aikido, Jujutsu, Kobudo, and several different styles of karate-do. My first style and the one I train in constantly is Okinawan Gojuryu, even gojuryu is divided into several kai-ha (association/factions) and I have cross trained in many of them, but the main lineage I have studied in the most is the Miyazato (Jundokan). 

The older I get and the more years I spent training, the more I find that I could spent another 30 years and probably still not understand everything that is contained in Gojuryu.  If one were to really think about it, it may seem a daunting task, seemingly impossible and you might say, why would you subject yourself to such things? All I can say is that I cannot imagine not doing it.

I am sure that it drives my students crazy that we still do junbi undo, kihon, kata, kumite, kakie in the same manner and that I continue to train in the same things they learned on day one.  Just the other day, I was going through Gekisai Dai Ichi, and one of my son’s said to me “Dad, you have been doing that kata for over three decades, it might be time to work on another one”, I simply said your right but I’m not sure I understand it yet, I thought his jaw was going to hit the floor.

While it may be true that I have learned a lot since I first stepped in the dojo in 1977, I still feel like I have a long way to go, so I guess for now, I will just keep on, keeping on.