Pressure Reaction

[HanshiClayton]

Pressure reaction is the sudden, sharp push down and back into the floor that precedes or accompanies a technique. It seem to be fundamental to just about everything.

The pressure-reaction “spasm” occurs at the same time as hip vibration, and I suspect the two “principles” are opposite ends of the same phenomenon. You can’t have one without the other.

Both occur at the last instant before impact and the whole-body internal focus lockdown. As such, they make a natural bridge from the subject of power generation to the subject of impact.

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I had some success last night teaching pressure reaction to a class of first-year students. I want to get the notes down while it is still fresh in my mind.

I stood in a high/short front stance and explained about gathering in energy and compressing it down into the hara, then letting it explode down the power leg (the rear leg), making it bounce off the floor through heel contact, and reflect back up through the hips/torso and into the hand technique, with appropriate demonstrations. The hand technique was usually oi-zuki but sometimes gedan barai or age uke.

First drill: From this “high” kamae, shift the front foot forward a few inches while driving off the power foot; time the hand technique to match the forward footfall, as is usual for beginners. Kiai! Emphasize really kicking that pressure reaction down toward the power foot and “bouncing” it off the floor and into the punch. The major discipline was to make a strong, snappy technique WITHOUT letting the rear foot break contact with the floor. No point in a punch that isn’t braced. They didn’t have too much trouble with this simple shift/punch from anchored foot. We worked on it until I could see some pressure reaction and hip vibration happening with most of the students. “Feel how STRONG that is?” Most people grinned and said yes.

Second drill: From the first position, take a step back so the formerly front foot is in the rear. Now step forward and punch, ending in the same position as before. The drill is the same as before except that one has to make a full step. The students were chagrined to discover that they couldn’t keep their connection... kept pulling power foot off the ground at first. However, by alternating drill 1 with drill 2, they got the hang of it in short order! Suddenly they could step forward and punch without losing their base. And they liked it.

Third drill: From the first position (just finished stepping or shifting to do oi zuki), bring the rear (power) foot forward to stand in natural stance (yoi position). Now step backward with the power foot into the original position, plant the foot, and do drill 1. That is, step back and do oi zuki. Students were very frustrated to find that their initial attempts were so uncoordinated as to be pitiful and weak. The reason was... timing! Could not launch pressure reaction until the power foot was rooted, but previous drills had launches PR when or before front foot hit the ground. Going backward, however, the power foot has to reach the floor and dig in before PR can be launched. This gives a 1-2 feeling to the technique, although just a little practice compresses it into what looks like a single action. It took a while to get this working, but they finally got it.

Then we did the Fourth Drill, which was the first few cycles of San Ten no Kata. Step back in front stance and downblock. No! Not like that! Use PRESSURE REACTION! Oh. Hey! Next thing I knew the whole class stepped back in unison and snapped out a row of powerful downblocks. OK, step forward and block, but don’t lose your connection! Wow. They did it. Again! Again! Now we’re going to turn... but use PR as you come out of the turn. Wow! Bang on the technique on the first try!

I was practically giddy watching these beginners starting to do real karate right before my very eyes.

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ISKA just did their annual seminar with Master Nishiyama, who spent some time working through this topic. If the previous message was the “elementary” treatment of pressure reaction, this one raises the bar to the intermediate level.

To prepare for an explosive technique (think of a punch or block) one performs a two-stage exhalation. The first stage is “reverse” exhalation, and then the second stage is “forward” or just “normal” exhalation. Reverse exhalation is the key. This is the exhalation where you compress pressure into the tanden (lower abdomen) as if compressing a balloon or a spring. There is a sense of pressing power into a ball in your abdomen, pressing back from the front toward your spine. Once all this power is compressed into a tight ball, you release it suddenly, using normal exhalation (and usually a kiai). This release is part of the sense of “bouncing” the power off the floor mentioned in the previous message. It explodes, ricochets off the floor (via your rear heel and hip) and shoots out into your arm/hand.

It sounds like spooky hocus-pocus, but somehow it creates a faster, harder technique. We won’t apologize for the spooky part if it works.

The more advanced level involves a reverse-inhalation compression and opposite kiai explosion tailored to the specific technique. For instance, for inside block or knife-hand block, the compression presses your elbow against your chest, like somebody was pushing your whole arm against your chest to push you backwards. Then it explodes into the block.

For upblock, the pressure sensation presses your arm down and back into your abdomen before releasing in the upward direction. The pressure builds up opposite to the direction you need the power in and then releases.

I suppose you can’t get this just by reading it. My greater hope is that I’ll remember what I meant when the time comes to formalize this discussion.

All I can tell you is that you can feel the difference. That’s worth a lot.

[HanshiClayton]

I really don't think so, since the first half of the cycle is entirely imaginary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyometrics