BLACK BELT KUMITE SEMINAR

The Black Belt level ingredients of a dangerous fighter are Power, Combinations, Speed, and Strategy. These elements are composed other attributes which we will discuss below. Of course there are other elements such as Physical Fitness, Aerobic conditioning, proper technique, and emotional discipline which are required to be a dangerous fighter but you should have achieved a level of mastery of these elements at the Kyu level. What we will do during this seminar is to add to the elements you have already mastered.

Power

Power is composed of four main ingredients:

      1. Enduring Focus 
      This is the ability to throw 20 repetitions
of a technique and have the 20th repetition 
be as focused as the first repetition
      2. Coordinated Focus 
      This is the ability to throw a four or five
move technique and have the last move 
in the technique be as focused as the first move
      3. Accuracy 
      This is the ability to hit what you aim at when it
it is moving around
      4. Strength 
      This means muscle mass. Especially strenght at the 
extremities
      		 
	Don't confuse Strength with Power. Strength is based on the muscle mass. Power is strength multiplies by focus.
Power is the ability to focus any spectrum of your individual strength from none to all at a point on, in, or behind a 
target. This ability allows individuals of any size or body shape to overcome much larger opponents.

Enduring Focus: Perform 20 repetitions on a bag of a four move combination until your 20th repetion is as focused as your first repition.

Coordinated Focus: Perform 20 repetitions on a bag of a four move combination until the fourth move in each repetition is as focused as the first move.

Accuracy: Shadow box a moving pad for 10 sixty second rounds

Strength: Perform any isometric drill with the arm or leg starting at 75% of the range of motion.

Combinations

How many combination techniques do you throw in kumite? Any trained fighter will stop a one move technique. Answer the question "do you have a killer technique" i.e. a technique you could depend upon end a fight? What is it? At the Black Belt level you should have six four move techniques that you are comfortable with, can throw routinely in your kumite, and you throw well enough to knock someone unconscious with if the last move connects. You should be working on adding one move to each of these techniques and developing six more four move techniques that you are comfortable with. The drill is to throw your six four move techniques 25 times each.

Speed

Speed has three components:

1. Mental speed i.e. reaction: Throw objects (such as pads) at the student and let the student practice strike the objects while in flight with a given technique.

2. Emotional state i.e. relaxation: Thow pads at the student and do not let the student block them. Ensure that what you throw at the student is soft enough not to injure them.

3. Muscular conditioning: Have the student perform a technique as fast as is possible 25 times on each side.

Strategy

Strategy is the most important component of any contest. This is especially true when you and your opponent are equally matched or when you must fight a superior opponent. John Wayne said it " Life is hard, its harder when your stupid".Of course the question is how do we avoid being stupid. You can best answer that question by learning the answers to the following questions and incorporating those answers into your kumite:

How do you deal with a Brawler?

How do you deal with a Boxer?

How do you deal with a Kicker"

How do you deal with a Counter Fighter?

How do you attack someone is bigger and stronger than yourself?

Can you use your environment as a weapon?