by Bill Handrin

"Before you try anything else in the way of attempting to improve your results from exercise, try doing ‘less’ exercise; not more, less. If and when that simple point worms itself into your brain, then I have probably taught you the most important thing that you will ever learn about exercise.".......Arthur Jones

Last month's seminar notes by Mr. Zak Zaklad reminded me of something I learned a few years back; movement, not exercise is the key to feeling well. I can honestly say I have never once felt better after a workout.  Relieved I have finished perhaps.  Pleased I did not back away from the hard work.  But better?  Never.  Slamming a few hundred full power kicks into a heavy bag will make me feel well?  Placing a crushing weight across my shoulders and squatting rock bottom will energize me?  I used to jog three miles every morning and if you have ever experienced an Illinois winter you will appreciate the dedication it took.  And despite visions of Rocky Balboa as I plodded along, the "benefits" of running never quite happened.  Hard exercise wasn't what the doctor ordered.

by Rich Stamper

An Excerpt From: The Character of Goju-Ryu
Kata Implications for Experienced Practitioners

Chapter 12 - In The Beginning -  Movement

Movement is pretty basic to martial arts practice and often taken for granted.  By movement I mean stepping from stance to stance, but I will also discuss movement within a stance.
     
We tend to emphasize the completed stance – the posture, balance, weight distribution, being locked in, being rooted and so on.  We tend to neglect the transitions from stance to stance or within a stance, and tend to view these as simply the movement required to get from one good stance to the next.  When doing this we severely limit our effectiveness for practical, actual application.  
     
Most instructors teach a smooth, quick transition from stance to stance.  This is good and appropriate.  But then many of the instructors insist upon a fully established stance prior to executing a hit, kick or block.  This becomes a sequential action and the momentum of the stance movement does not carry into the technique.  This reduces the effectiveness because it uses strength only, not a combination of strength and momentum.