How do you explain "chinkuchi"

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

Those who practise Okinawan karate and might have heard about the concept of "chinkuchi". It is difficult to accurately translate, but it is an Okinawan language word to describe an essential key point in generating power and speed without compromising balance.

The shortest explanation is that "chinkuchi" is explosive power from the core of the body. It is generated by contracting the core muscles as one moves or strikes while maintaining balance by keeping tension. Tension must be constant in the upper sides near the armpits, all around the lower core, as well as in the legs.

For those who have heard the term/concept what is the best way to explain it and easiest for people to understand if you are an instructor?

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Lupin1 · Black Belt

My instructor wrote a pretty good blog post about it-- http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2012/01/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

His instructor, Charlie Murray, studied it with the founder of Isshinryu's son on Okinawa. Mr. Murray visited and trained with us a few times in the past few years and spoke on Chinkuchi. The best I got out of it was that breathing and focusing on bringing your power from your core allows you to develop more power with less momentum needed.

I'm still don't fully understand it, but it seems like one of those things that just takes time and experience.

Spartacus Maximus · Black Belt

It is very difficult to apply correctly and even more to accurately explain in words. The best way to get an idea of it is to learn to feel it and that requires good knowledge of anatomy. One must be made aware of exactly where the tension should be and what muscles are involved.

The most common way instructors teach this is by demonstrating themselves while getting the student to press/strike the tensed area. In training, the instructor might test this by slapping, striking or pressing the appropriate areas while the student executes kihon or a core kata such as Naihanchi or Sanchin.

From personal experience, the most difficult part is synchronizing breathing with movement without losing the tension. One must constantly struggle against the body's reflex to release all tension from one move to the next. It makes kata exhausting and very difficult in the beggining. So far 3 times in a row is the limit. Skilled karateka can do it almost indefinitely after years of training this way.

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

Chinkuchi belongs to a high level of martial art understanding.

High level of Synchronized body mechanics.
Balance of Yin/Yang in a instant.
Combined Internal/external power.
Coordinated use of relaxation and tension.

Ultimate spontaneous perfection created in a moment using minimal effort.

Zen martial arts.

Taoist naturalness.

Poetry in motion.

Perfection in an instant.

The "art" in martial arts.

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

strangepair03 · Blue Belt

My Sensei helped explain it to me saying sanchin kata as an example of "prolonged chinkuchi", using the kata as a tool to feel when and how to relax/tense your body. How to flow till the second of impact then using the dynamic tension of the whole body to release the power thru the strike.

Don't know if that helps, I didn't realize how hard it is to put it in words till just now!!!

_________________
A punch should stay like a treasure in the sleeve. It should not be used indiscrimately.
Kyan Chotoku Sensei

sensei8 · KF Sensei

How do you explain chinkuchi? Carefully and slowly!!

An intriguing, as well as vital element, of any Okinawan MA. Difficult to grasp at first, but with a solid and well versed Sensei, the obstacles are minimized, but evident, yet learnable in due time.

Over and over and over, we heard these words from our Dai-Soke...

"To learn, and to appreciate, the many aspects of Shindokan, learning them isn't enough; one must experience them for themselves!!"

Chinkuchi is no exception! It must be experienced!! That means, hands-on tutelage from ones Sensei as a student is ushered in and through the techniques. How can something be appreciated from afar?? It's possible to do so, but the intimacy of the experience is lost, and therefore the aspect of the technique is lost as well.

Trust must be established first between Sensei and student! Once trust is established, the pot-holes within ones training is minimized drastically. This allows the Sensei to teach, and the student to learn; but they must be one.

Chinkuchi is difficult aspect for the beginner, but in time, that beginner is no longer that beginner; the dawn of experiencing chinkuchi is just over the horizon, but again, only in time!!

This is for certain, chinkuchi can't be learned or appreciated or experienced through this forum/thread!!

_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!!

strangepair03 · Blue Belt

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