How?

[JasonASmith]

Hey folks, I need some advice please...
One of the major critiques that is given to me by my Sensei and the senior students is that I'm too tense...In Kata, in Kihon, in general...
The problem lies in the fact that I don't realize that I'm tense...I just feel like I am putting as much effort as I can into whatever we are doing at the moment...During Kata(and Kihon, for that matter) I am always visualizing what's coming at me...What attack is being directed at me that I have to stop, etc...
I have spoken to my Sensei about this, and he has given me some tips on relaxing, but I am curious to hear what all of you have to say...
Fire away, and help me relax, please!

 

[HKphooey]

I know this may sound strange, but I have specific songs in my head for each kata. I will sing them in my head. It helps me with my speed and relaxation.

 

[Grenadier]

My advice is this:

When teaching people how to relax, you can't really force relaxation on many parts at one time. It's the same thing as trying to correct a student's mechanical mistakes when performing a technique.

Let's say, that a student has several flaws in his punch. Suppose I then say the following:

Squeeze your fist. No loose fingers.
Straighten your back.
Bend your knee.
Tense your stomach.
Tuck your chin.
Squeeze your toes.
Square your shoulders.
Focus your eyes.
Don't hook your punch.

If I did that all at once, I'm just going to end up with a student who will probably miss most, if not all, of the suggestions.

Instead, it's best to focus on one things at a time. Leave the other parts out of it. So, I may start by telling this student just to bend his knee, and keep it bent.

Once he gets comfortable with this, then move on to the other parts.


When it comes to making people relax, start by focussing on one part of the body. A good place to start is the shoulders. Keep your mind focussed on relaxing the shoulders throughout the entire session. Once that part is taken care of, and your body "remembers" that the relaxed position is the "normal" position, then you can try to relax other areas.

 

[The Kidd]

I agree that saying it is alot easier than doing it. I use a baseball analogy that when your at the plate you have to stay focused but you have to stay loose or you cannot swing the bat quick enough. The same with Katas, you much have focus but stay "loose", when you strike or kick in the form do it hard but then relax, it makes your transition easier and you dont look like "frankenstein" doing a Kata. Your body will naturally relax after you tense up, so when you punch in the Kata you use intense force then relax the muscles, transition, then next punch or kick, relax, and so on. Start on a simple Kata you know very well do it in front of a mirror or even use a video camera and look at yourself. Hope this helps.

 

[CoryKS]

For me, relaxation is an advanced technique for any new physical action, MA or not. I have to know the movements well and then I have to determine which muscles need to be tense and which do not. Skiing is one example. It was a battle with my mind to make my arms relax and to use my hips. Once it clicked it was great, and my skiing improved. But it was hard to get them to relax the first time. Try doing the kata with your awareness on where and how you are tensing up. Focus on one area and decide if that tension is necessary for the move and if not, try doing it with that muscle loose. It's harder than it sounds, until you can convince your mind that it's okay.

 

[WyldFya]

What I teach all my students which has had great success, is to stop focusing. Start with a really easy kata, and don't focus on what you are doing. Instead, focus on a fresh warm apple pie. Do this with no power, or speed on your part. Now gradually speed your movements up. As you speed up, be careful not to try to exert more force. Your power will come from your technique rather than your muscles.

 

[Flying Crane]

Learning some Tai Chi might help that...

learning to relax is probably one of the most difficult things to do, ironically enough. We always want to rely on our strength to accomplish things, and this shows a superficial understanding of the art. Once you understand proper technique, you realize that you can hit just as hard, or even harder, by relaxing. More damage done, less effort.

Think about your shoulders. If they are pulled up and tense, you will become tense all over. Relax and drop you shoulders. Let them hang naturally, by gravity. Focus on this throughout the day. It takes a long time to reall become aware of this, and begin to change it with any consistency.

Keep at it, the fact that you are aware of it at all is important, and means you are on the right path.

 

[Robert Lee]

Some people are more tense it takes time to learn not to try to force power into your kata. Let the movement be smooth relaxed in a way, Then after you have smoothed out the movements try to show some power at the end of your strikes with a snap of the sudden tences then relaxing of the kick or strike. In a GI this will cause a popping of the Gi if done right. But mostly train first for smoothing and proper understanding then bring in power. I have known people that just can not do kata good because some how they just will not relax the movements. Think of a punch as reaching for a glass of tea. Try to hard you spill the tea.

 

[JasonASmith]

Think of a punch as reaching for a glass of tea. Try to hard you spill the tea.[/quote]
That's ****ing profound!:idea:
Thank You...

 

[Shotochem]

This may sound a little strange.

Try not to think so much.

Often when you are concentrating on perfecting every movement that you are learning you will tense up even more.

Work on your mechanics and back off on the power while doing your kihon. You can work power when you are on the heavy bag and shields.

Once you are used to the correct fluid motion you won't think about it as much and it should relieve some of the unneeded tension in your techniques. It just takes time.

It took me a few years before I really started to lose all of my tension.
Now that I started a new system (new stuff I had to think again ),I actually started to tense up a bit without realizing it until someone mentioned it to me. Now I'm conscious of it and I have made the proper adjustment. It can happen to even an experienced Kareteka.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Study body mechanics. Work on keeping your shoulders down.
Sean

 

[Andrew Green]

The problem lies in the fact that I don't realize that I'm tense...I just feel like I am putting as much effort as I can into whatever we are doing at the moment...

Relaxing and in a sense putting "less" effort might actually make you hit harder

An example there is the Aikido "Unbendable arm" trick. If you relax and do it properly your arm is strong, if you tense up it is weak. Remember you got muscles on each side of a joint doing opposite things. If you tense up they both work against each other and you muffle your own strikes

 

[twendkata71]

You have to work on not tensing your muscles until the moment you perform the block or strike. Drop your shoulders and stay loose until the moment of impact. It takes time and practice to get it right.
You have to get out of the habit of being tense in your movement. If you stay tense throughout your movements you will slow your reaction and striking time. This can have serious consequences in a real attack.

 

[JasonASmith]

You have to work on not tensing your muscles until the moment you perform the block or strike. Drop your shoulders and stay loose until the moment of impact. It takes time and practice to get it right.
You have to get out of the habit of being tense in your movement. If you stay tense throughout your movements you will slow your reaction and striking time. This can have serious consequences in a real attack.

For some reason, I am having a hard time with that...
I'm guessing it's because I am still a novice at Karate...
It's hard to wrap my head around tensing JUST at the moment of impact...Practice, practice, practice...

 

[Cthulhu]

I do FMA, but the problem you describe is universal. I've had problems with relaxation myself, and have students with the problem.

What I did to rid myself of the tension, and what I try to get others to do, is to go through the motions of the technique with no power at all...just doing the motions slowly, completely relaxed, without any power or strength. Ideally, first do it in this manner solo, and then with a partner. The point is to feel the technique out and get an understanding of when the power needs to come. Your mileage may vary.

Another thing is that the FMA has LOTS of partner drills requiring lots of repetitive motions...if you can't relax doing these drills, your arms will very quickly feel like they're falling off.

Cthulhu

 

[Boomer]

being relaxed will come with time as you begin to make new postures and movements part of your own muscle memory. Once they are natural for you, it is much easier to relax. Focus on posture and form...just remember to breathe!

 

[JasonASmith]

being relaxed will come with time as you begin to make new postures and movements part of your own muscle memory. Once they are natural for you, it is much easier to relax. Focus on posture and form...just remember to breathe!

Breathing has turned into a REALLY big deal for me...I've also noticed that if I try to put any SERIOUS power into the movements, my back automatically tenses up...As long as I concentrate on just getting from point A to point B with as good of form as I can, I'm much more loose...