KYUDOKAN’S RICE CAKE PRINCIPLE

We discussed ‘Mi O Mamoru’ as the first technical principle of Kyudokan in a previous article. Today we will take a look at the second technical principle of the Kyudokan school called ‘Marumi Muchimi.’

‘Marumi’ literally means roundness. So, in Kyudokan, ‘Marumi’ can be explained as circularity of the movements.

Then, what is ‘Muchimi’?  ‘Mochi’ is a Japanese rice cake.  In old Okinawan dialect, ‘Uchinaguchi’, rice cakes are called ‘Muchi.’  Therefore, in Okinawan karate, ‘Muchimi’ literally means ‘Mochi -like body.’

Mochi-like body?  Hmm… Delicious! But, what does it have to do with karate?

Japanese rice cake has a sticky, elastic, unbreakable nature.  

So, in karate the term ‘Muchimi’ is used to describe the heavy, sticky, unbreakable, flowing nature of the movements. 

Mochi

Accordingly, ‘Marumi Muchimi’ can be translated as ‘circularity and fluidity’,‘ if you simplify the meaning into two words. But why do we consider Marumi and Muchimi as one single principle in Kyudokan?

Just take a pencil and a paper.  Now try to draw a square with 90 degree angles at each corner without stopping.  Can you keep the continuity of drawing at the corners?

At each corner you have to stop drawing for an instant or break the rhythm of the movement in order to take a sharp 90 degree turn.

Now try to draw a circle without stopping.  You can change the speed at any time without losing the continuity.

Higa Oscar Sensei explains these two types of movements as a circular movement and a square movement in karate.

Now go back to ‘Marumi Muchimi.’  Circularity leads to continuity and fluidity of the movement, while square movement has breaks and stops.

Got it now? Marumi leads to muchimi and that’s why we consider ‘Marumi Muchimi’ as one single principle in Kyudokan.

Continuity of the movement is preserved not only in a circle, but also in elliptical or figure 8 shapes, spirals, etc.  You can draw a figure 8 or an ellipse without stopping the movement.  But, all such shapes have a circular base.  Further, circular movements can be 2 D or 3 D.

So, if your movements are circular, your karate will have unbreakable, continuing and fluid movements.  Though one cannot see the circularity in Kyudokan at once due to the speed of the movements, with the understanding of the principle you will be able to find ‘Marumi Muchimi’ in Kyudokan.  Try to view a kata of a good Kyudokan practitioner in slow motion, and you will definitely feel ‘Marumi Muchimi.’

(a) Gedan barai (Square technique) (b) Gedan barai (Circular technique) 

(c) Soto uke (Square technique) (d) Soto uke (Circular technique) 

Circularity is hall mark of Tai Chi, the Chinese Martial Art which is well known today for its health benefits. That’s why anyone sees Tai Chi as an exercise with smooth, fluid beautiful movements. According to Tai Chi theory, circularity of the movements helps in cultivating ‘Qi’ (Ki), the internal energy, and to boost health.  The rhythm of the most natural phenomena are circular, such as revolution of the earth, sun, moon, galaxy, blood circulation, respiration, etc.  You can see that circularity is the base for a smooth, unbreakable flow of nature making circularity and fluidity its universal principles.

However, many people misunderstand Marumi in Tai Chi and Kyudokan to be  circular movements made by hands.  But, in both Tai Chi and in Kyudokan, the true circularity should come from the body. Consequently, hands follow the circular movements of the body transferred through the relaxed body muscles. That’s why ‘Yin,’ the soft half of the movement, should be seen for ‘Marumi Muchimi’ followed by ‘Yang’ at the last instant with ‘Kime.’

Master Liu Yong performing Chen STyle Tai Chi Form, 'Lao Jia Yi Lu'

 

Kyudokan Hidari soto uke and Hidari gedan barai with Marumi muchimi

 Central axes along with the center of gravity of the body play an important role in generating circular movement of the body. Kyudokan practitioners find their central axis through repetitive makiwara training, posture training and renzoku tsuki. Central axis is not only important in circularity, but also in balance, correct body alignment and proper execution of power.

Technically the circular movement can generate a tremendous force through the angular velocity and use of body weight. Initiation of the movement from ‘hara’ (lower abdomen) and center of gravity allows you to use the body weight in the technique effectively.

You can find a similar work of hara (gamaku) n Okinawan kobudo, the art of Ryukyu weaponry.  But, do you know that Yuchoku Higa Sensei, founder of the Kyudokan school, played the leading role in adding ‘gamaku’ to kobudo?

Shinken Taira Sensei was systemizing kobudo by collecting kata spreaded over Ryukyus, and making a proper syllabus for kobudo. Taira Sensei found that kobudo is lacking hip work. So, he sent his main student Eisuke Akamine Sensei to learn ‘gamaku’ from Yuchoku Higa Sensei and consequently added it into kobudo.

When the circles are larger, the movements are primarily generated though the ‘koshi’ (hip/waist).  A beginner should start training using the easier movement with larger circles to understand the circularity and body dynamics.  A large wheel makes it easier to rotate a shaft.  But, the movement takes a longer time due to its larger circumference. Therefore, with time and understanding, the practitioner should reduce the radius from the central shaft, hence he can execute techniques with smaller circles, instead of having coil-in, coil-out type of movements.  When the circle becomes smaller, it becomes more internal and closer to the center of gravity and the central axis.

When you reduce the circle further, finally you end up with a point where a circle not exists anymore. At this instant, the circular movement becomes a vibration, completely internal, super fast and powerful.  This is explained as a large circle, a small circle and a big circle in martial arts. This vibratory initiation of techniques leads to whip-like snapping techniques which can be rarely seen from a mainstream  sportive counterpart of karate.

Gamaku, the more internal movement with the work of the pelvis, connecting muscles, and the center of gravity where you feel a soft heavy ball in your lower abdomen, becomes much different from the work of the sides of your ‘koshi’ (waist) as you can see in many mainstream schools. Over time the practitioner will understand the use of different circular movements giving proper tension, power, speed, and shape in each technique by use of different parts of the lower abdomen and related muscles.  At this point all techniques start when generated at hara, where hara becomes the engine of your karate while hands and legs become wheels.

Until the next article posted, try to drive your karate vehicle with the engine of ‘hara’ and eat more rice cakes to understand Marumi Muchimi!

A bonus video at the end!

We extend our sincere gratitude to Ms. Ingrid Rowden for proof reading.