Basic #4 - RIKI （力）Technique/Power Karate 4 Life

In the episode we going to wrap up our mini-series about ichi gan, ni soku, san tan, shi riki as we take a deeper look into the forth and final element riki: technique & power.



The forth element, is literally power, but is often referred to as technique. This alludes to the fact that real power is created from correct technique, rather than physical strength.



This final principle relies on the correct application of the preceding principles first, without proper use of eyes, legs & attitude, the opportunity to generate natural power through correct technique is lost.



---- Transcript ----



Martin: Hey everyone, this is Martin & Sandra Phillips and welcome back to the Karate 4 Life Podcast.



Sandra: Today we want to dig a bit deeper into the basics of karate and life...



Martin: ...taking a closer look at the forth and final element of ichi gan, ni soku, san tan, shi riki - technique and power.



We've noticed that everyone faces challenges in life, some big some small. But not everyone has a way to navigate these problems.



Sandra: It’s not always easy, but we’ve found that we always keep coming back to what we’ve learned from our years in the dojo.



Martin: And that’s what this podcast is all about...



Sandra: Helping us all find the solutions to life’s problems. Or even better yet, to remove the problems before they arise.



Martin: This is Martin & Sandra Phillips and welcome to the Karate 4 Life Podcast.





Sandra: Getting a bit excited today, Martin, as we come to a close with our Ichi Gan Ni Soku San Tan Shi Riki series. How are you feeling about this?



Martin: It's really good to get it wrapped up. It's been a bit of a mission, hasn't it, to get through all of these? It's quite a lot of ground we've covered.



Sandra: There's been some great feedback though. It's really been helping some people in their dōjō but also in their lives as well. We're learning that quite a few people are also having chats with their kids about this sort of stuff.



Martin: Yes, it's really good to see how especially the parents, they listen to this and they take it in themselves as the parents of the training course, they take it in themselves and they're sharing with their kids and it's creating a bit of a conversation point. This is what we're doing this for in the first place is to hopefully get a bit of that happening.



Sandra: Yes, it's fantastic, isn't it? Well, look, let's just get ourselves moving into this last episode for this particular series and see how we go.



Martin: Ichi Gan Ni Soku San Tan Shi Riki. What's the saying Soke's Kyohon (Soke's teaching manual)?



Sandra: We have Riki is technique. "Through diligent training of Kata and Kumite, technique will develop naturally."



Now I know this disturbs you just a little bit. Do you want to share why it disturbs you certainly it gets you questioning?



Martin: I'm always a little bit disturbed by this but it's okay, that's a good thing.



Sandra: It gets you thinking deeply.



Martin: It makes me think and I love that, I love that. Again, the character that's used to describe this Riki is literally power and yet in that description there, there's no description of power at all and I asked myself that question if the character says power, why are we not talking about power? This is technique, we're talking about technique. I did come up with a bit of an answer to this but I don't know you....



Sandra: Yes, but I mean we're having a chat a bit earlier as well and we both reflected on our journeys. We both agreed that when we first started our training, we focused on trying to be really powerful and being strong.



Martin: That's the mistake that everybody makes, if the focus is on power, yes through the process of developing good technique you will generate natural power and that's the goal. If you focus on developing power, most people will misinterpret that and think physical strength which is the opposite of what we're