Insights
Float your Kamae - Ground your Waza!
In Wado we need to be able to move quickly and efficiently. This can only be achieved if we have a ‘mobile’ initial prepared stance (Kamae).
Kamae also translates to ‘attitude’, so even our thoughts must be that of flexibility and manoeuvrability. In all our initial Kamae, such as fighting stances, relaxed stances, etc., the mind and body should be mobile and responsive. Our attitude to movement should be spontaneous and explosive, and this can only be achieved through a ‘light & flexible’ Kamae.
Do not ‘ground’ your Kamae, prior to your technique, as you need this flexibility of movement to pass up to the striking technique. However, even here, allow yourself the ability to recover from your grounding and return to a ‘floating’ attitude as quickly as possible. Ground only when you strike but ensure that that this grounding is only limited to the strike. This concept of motion is promoted within the Tai-sabaki of our Kihon-gumite and Ohyo-gumite.
Our initial fighting stances ‘float’ (which is also reflected in the reasoning for our Nijiri-ashi aspects) until we need to initiate the strikes/counters. Once this has been achieved we return to the natural relaxed fighting posture upon completion of the technique/s.
Gary E Swift Kyoshi.