A major reason that students never change the angle of their approach is teachers who insist that they don’t. This applies, not just to karate, but to all domains of learning. This is why teachers like you are so valuable.
Every single video you've ever posted (that I've seen) has ALWAYS given me something to walk away pondering. I truly love and appreciate your spirit and dedication to mastery and instruction. Thank you so much for all that you share. You are a gifted teacher with a brilliant mind and fantastic insight. God bless! Ooss!!
This is the very first time I've sen a Karate teacher that understands this very advanced concept. Momentum is a wave. And relaxation allows that wave to travel out the arm and into the opponent. It tok me over 20 years to learn this concept he is clearly explaining here. Eventually your body will teach you. It's why great strikers move the same way. Different paths, one destination.
I've been following Sensei Hotton here on RU-vid for awhile at this point and every time he post a video, his approach is very valuable for all karatekas on fundamental techniques, how to use your body for moving basics, kihons, e.t.c.. without moving like a robot. I for one would like to go to his seminars one of these days. From a Kyokushin karateka, keep up the good work sir.
Yes, so important not to do 1-year of karate 20 times, but to do 20 different years of karate. And Hotton Sensei is so right about allowing your mind-set to redirect (or redefine?) the physical expression of your karate. Such valuable lessons for dan grades particularly, as they progress from mere movements, no matter how impressive, to art.
Sensei Hotton describes what many Japanese JKA Instructors have described before him; I am convinced that much of their explanation was lost to poor translation - 'pigeon English' esp. back in the day. Bruce Lee also talks of the loose >chain and ball< analogy of the aggregate of motion connection with the target. At 57, I have long since discontinued active Shotokan but would pick it up again tomorrow with the like of Hotton Sensei advancing the western understanding of traditional martial art. Wonderful stuff.
I trained Wado-ryu in Finland, sport karate. Then I moved to Uruguay where I trained Goji-ryu and then switched to traditional Shotokan. My current sensei has been teaching this since I've met him 2 years ago, so I thought that's traditional style as opposed to sport style. Now I see it is not as widespread as I thought. I like how clearly he explains it in the video, basically pushing down and gather the kinetic energy from the ground, transferring it through your body and finally releasing it from the tip of the fist (or whatever the end point of the strike/kick) is. I've seen this animated in various anime, so I had an idea before getting a real-life application of it. It is very important to visualize it clearly before doing it. Similarly, I practiced skateboarding tricks as a teenager, because if you didn't play the whole trick in your mind, from start to finish, it was very hard to actually perform it successfully. Then is just practice and practice until you get a feel for it and you internalize it. The problem I have with my traditional Shotokan sensei when he expects us to stop thinking and just do it, without an extensive period of practicing slowly and methodically.
Sensei Hotton do you ever come and seminars in Chicago its where I currently live because I've always been impressed with the way you teach and how you communicate to where everyone from all backgrounds can understand you.
Thank You Hotton Sensei! In Aikido we have a term when doing a technique "weight underside". This seems to be the same principle that you just communicated. Side note: I went to a demonstration years ago and the floor the Senseis were demonstrating on was very springy like a wrestling ring(WWE) and they had problems breaking the bricks and wood. Perhaps it was because the floor because it was dissipating their energy?
It is interesting that he fully subscribes to our Wado-Ryu's "Jodan Uke" in favour of the standard Shotokan Age Uke explaining the advantages there: DEFLECTION THAN HEAD-ON BLOCKING
Something Instructors such as Hotton Sensei have, over many Japanese karate teachers, is linguistic skills. I feel that some Japanese Sensei are either reluctant to 'step out of line' with the organisation narrative / doctrine, or they simply feel incapable of expressing themselves in for example the way that Hotton Sensei can and does. Even when Japanese Sensei have an interpreter, often that person isn't able to even understand never mind translate, just what it is that's being said. As a result many Japanese teachers 'play safe' and just keep going through the same old, same old. They will demonstrate it amazingly well. But the eyes can only pick up so much information.
Shotokan needs modern heroes like loyto machida who make karate work in the MMA arena. I am also an ex - shotokan black belt and bjj belt belt, evolving is about recognizing flaws as well as polishing strengths.
Rick Goju Ryu karate ka here Our first junbi undo exercise is toe grasping leading to grounding. What are junbi undo in Shotokan? PS Funikoshi text are fascinating!
Well he makes it very easy to understand, explains it very great. But my critique as a biomechanics major is, hiw he waters it down, explains it too easy. Great teaching tho
