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tony leith
3rd October 2002, 15:22
Just a few musings on training culture in Kempo - I have posted on related subjects before elsewhere on the Ebudo site. Kempo seems to me to strike pretty good compromises, in terms for example realism versus safety in training, traditional training ethos versus a progressive approach to the body of knowledge Kempo comprises - there are people like the Honbu instructors, Mizuno Sensei and other masters who are continually working to extend the frontiers of knowledge for the rest of us. We are also enjoined to understand the scientific principles behind techniques (you canna change the laws of physics or physiology after all).

My question is why we don't employ a similarly scientific approach to the structure of training as a whole? The particular issue I'd like to raise is the warm up - this serves a pretty crucial function in terms of enabling people to train safely. A couple of years back one of the Glasgow instructors started on a sports science degree, and one of the fruits of this endeavour was his advice that static stretching prior to kihon is ill advised.

This is primarily because it relaxes the tendons, ligaments etc which are needed to prevent joints overextending during the kind of rapid concussive movement Kempo requires. The alternative is active mobilisation of muscles, joints etc, essentially by reherasing the kind of actions which will be required during class. I'm not a sports scientist or physiologist, but I have found this beneficial for my creaking joints.

In the UK, this might more properly be the province of the Technical Committee, but I don't see the objection to us looking at what sports science might have to say about the way we train.

What does anyone else think?

Tony Leith

Tripitaka of AA
3rd October 2002, 23:49
You mentioned this on a thread elsewhere, and it got me thinking.

The standard warm-up + stretching is intended to do those two things together, prior to the real meat of our training class. I suppose the Sports Scientists would prefer that these activities be separated, with Stretching being done at some other time, away from the explosive dynamic activities of the main training - like on another day even (just guessing).

We run the classes this way because most Kenshi are just not as flexible as they could be and the Stretching is a requirement for most of us. If all Kenshi arrived at class capable of perfect splits and pike positions then we probably wouldn't spend any time on the Stretches, just on the Warm-Up.

Which is how it was at the Hombu training that I attended in 1985, which was quite a shock at the time. I had become so conditioned to my Taiso following the same basic routines, with the same solo and pair-form stretching, that I found it unsettling to be faced with a Kenshi carrying a Boogie-Box. He played a tape of vaguely Disco music, that featured Train Whistle toot-toots to announce the changes in exercise. We did a light skipping/jogging warm-up en masse like a thousand Jane Fonda clones sporting white pyjamas. I think the entire international contingent felt lost at sea, stripped of part of the training regime that we assumed to be almost as essential a part of Shorinji Kempo as the Chinkon or the Kihon. And we found out that we weren't very good at picking up new dance routines "on the hoof".

It seems that Hombu take on the advice of Sports Scientists when organising a training session. But I'd be surprised to find the Stretches removed from a mixed ability class. The requirement for flexibility of joints and increased range of movement is something that reinforced with every training session. It is necessary to increase the body's capabilities, but the average Kenshi will simply never find the time to do Stretches away from the class.

I suspect that the "standard" formula for stretches and warm-up is one that traces its route back to the Taiso exercises found in all Japanese Schools and many large businesses. For many years, groups of children, students and workers have started the day with a good hip-wiggle, touch-the-toes, side-stretch, sing-the-group-song, chant-the-group-ideals and raise the flag. They are standard movements and as far as I know, they work!

Technical Committee to make the decision, obviously, but I'd be inclined to avoid wholesale change without a good deal of opinion being sought. Hombu have no doubt got some views on the subject (and all the experience you could ask for). If you're in a position to experiment on a willing club then perhaps a word with a superior might be in order just to clear things.


Are those thoughts any good for you ;)

colin linz
4th October 2002, 01:26
From an exercise point of view static stretching can be detrimental, especially before training. The Australian Institute of Sport has done allot of work in this area over recent years. One particular test showed a loss of 7% strength in the Hamstring during an eccentric contraction post stretch.

Recommendations are that we replace static stretching with dynamic, and or PNF types of stretching. If you still wish to do static stretches you should do them at the end of the training session, or as a program on their own. I enjoy static stretching because of the relaxation I feel after completion, and they are good for increasing your ROM, but if we stick only to static style stretching we can run the risk of gaining good ROM, but lack strength and control towards the outer range.

It has been some time since my last visit to Hombu (1992) however I seem to recall that the warm up process was similar to what I have described. At the time I thought they lacked knowledge of the scientific principles of warm up, as the concept of static stretching before exercise was so entrenched in modern western exercise practises, now it seems Hombu were right all along. Warm up with dynamic exersise specific movements, and leave the static stretching for cool down.

In 1989 the Australian Soccer team took stretching out of their warm up procedure and replaced it with sport specific foot drills, while leaving the stretching for the cool down. This had the result of decreasing injuries by 50%. This was also retested around 1997, by using 2 groups of soldiers completing the same training phase, while one group stretched before exercise, the other did exercise specific movements, and stretched post exercise. The results showed a marked difference in injury rates, with the group that didn’t stretch before training having the least injuries.

Cheers
Colin Linz

Kimpatsu
4th October 2002, 03:11
I've always felt that stretching at the beginning was a bad idea, because the body just isn't warmed up. Stretching at the end of kihon would make more sense. Part of the problem, I suspect, that that kihon and kamokujutsu are the two crucial areas of training--after all, it's why we're there-- so within the confines of a 2-hour session, give or take, stretching tends to be skimped on. Really, we should be stretching on our own time as well, at home or in the gym, etc., but I know for certain that not everyone does so; they rely on their thrice-weekly Shorinji Kempo sessions alone.
One last point in response to what David wrote: At the Kokubunji Doin at least, Morita Sensei hs been complaining that the younger generation is less supple than before. This is due to the increased spread of Western furniture and seating. Sitting cross-legged on the floor is simply going out of fashion. The Japanese are eating more meat and less fish as well. I wonder what the future holds...