Just a few quick friendly thoughts....
So, yesterday we sat down and had a chat with a potential student, and today we welcomed him and trained together for the first time. Going through general warm-up exercises, basic stretching, and one or two stances (including shikodachi – wide squatting stance), usually allows me to quickly gain an idea of whether or not that person has the physical potential to do kata in a competent manner. Nonetheless, superphysical ability equates to nothing if genuine intentions and the heart are not in the correct place.
But am I making assumptions about one's karate potential prematurely simply by observing the way in which they can and can't move, bend, and stretch? Maybe, but let’s go back to our beloved extra wide toilet squatting stance, shikodachi. On social media, whenever I stumble across a video or photo of some random karateka including your Tom, Dick and Harry Sensei, as well as Grandmaster Master Sensei Great Shihan Oss Sensei etc doing kata, my natural reaction is to instantly 'judge' them based on that one stance. Age and injuries aside, but an unstable and weak looking shikodachi is outright blasphemy and ought to be punished by 150 lashes 😳😳
One kata often taught quite early in Okinawan Goju Ryu named “Seiyunchin”, is predominantly all executed in shikodachi – 13 times to be exact. In my eyes, it is the most physically challenging kata to perform well due to the need to remain low and stable element, a lot more so than the later taught ones. Seiyunchin and the shiko factor appears to be one component in determining who can really do karate as opposed to those who think they can really do - just my 2 cents.
(BTW, how many times have I typed ‘shikodachi’ now.. Apologies)
And so, it is now time to leave you all with a powerful Haiku composed by
Sensei Shi Ko Da Chi himself...
Shi-ko-da-chi Lowww
Shi-ko-da-chi Back Straight-o
Shi-ko-da-chi Arghhhhhh
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