4 fast ways to getting fast karate, and one big idea. Getting fast can be about getting stronger and working with a coach. Make no doubt about it a professional athlete can jump high, run fast and bench press until the sun goes down. That is a high level of output.
These skills are based on the physicality of the person. Physical prowess will fade. Boxers fade, football players fade, even professional pool players can suffer from age. Cataracts restricting sight or Parkinson’s disease can rob a pool player of their calm hand.
Every day you get older. Age is a fact and you can forestall the inevitable but every day without exception, you get older.
You say “I am older and I need to know the four points of being as fast as I can.” Or you are younger and want to be as fast as you can be – this is how using 4 fast ways to getting fast karate, and one big idea get you to that place.
The Big Picture – Make Contact
Poor contact is a failure and slow because it wastes time. Poor contact does not weaken your opponent, and you expend energy for nothing.
If you were keeping score the scoreboard would read your score a “-1” the opponent has not lost anything “0”.
Hard contact rocks the opponent. Hard contact takes the opponent out of balance, especially the unskilled opponent. This rocking of the opponent means they are in a defensive position.
A strong initial strike can and should rock your opponent. The test is are they on their heels, bent over, turned, or twisted. These positions are an outward expression form the body things are not going well. The body senses the bad position and corrections are needed.
The Body Will Try to Stabilize Itself
The body will try to stabilize itself. A skilled opponent knows better and can countermand the bodies’ natural tendency, or build off the action. The opponent must adjust their body, regain their balance. In this short window of opportunity, the opponent has difficulty generating a strong counter-attack. The formula reads this way:
You: a strong strike = Them: unbalanced = Them: rebalance and use a counteraction.
The chart below shows the green “rebalance” this rebalance, or righting of the body is an action that takes time away from the opponents to respond, this is when and where your attack is continued. The ability of the opponent to get a counteraction quickly on you is not good – hence red.
4 Fast Ways To Getting Fast Karate
Closest available weapon
The closest weapon means shorter distance, shorter distance is less time. It is that simple. If your lead hand is the closest weapon then you should use that lead hand for the first contact. This means that even if you have your non-dominate hand forward that it the hand to use. Shorter distance means less time. Less time is faster.
Driving in makes you faster
Moving into your opponent shortens the distance and therefore time, and on your terms.
Small Mass v. Large Mass
A large roundhouse kick takes more time than a short front snap kick. Argue about the effectiveness of one versus the other. The laws of physics tell you the leg is big and it takes time to move. Moving the leg from the back to the front of your body takes time. With the circular path of a roundhouse kick, you need superior timing and above-average athleticism. The less mass you have to move the faster you can move it.
No Delay
A delay created by leaving the mind in and on a technique makes you slower. No Delay becomes deceptive; deception equals the appearance of more speed.
These rules are seen as obvious, yet often we ignore the apparent. We are familiar and the familiar we tend to take it for granted. Like the concrete sidewalk, you use instead of a muddy path.
Don’t get bogged down in the muddy path. Use the 4 fast ways to getting fast karate, and that one big idea.
A few other posts along the same line you may enjoy
In Kata Useful In Fighting? 
I Lost My Karate Teacher 
Karate Move Too Risky
for the NFL
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KRIS WILDER
Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington. He has authored many martial art books, including the classic, The Way of Kata. Making no apologies for his obsession of Football he can be found telling any who will listen about the nuances of the Canadian Football League.