In this video, I will explain to you how to better manage distances during training sessions, thanks to the “RESERVE” principle which comes directly from the Street Karate method.
Table of Contents
That’s a concept!
You can quickly translate this concept depending on the disciplines you practice.
As I have been practicing karate for many years, I realized that too many techniques are done out of distance, especially in traditional karate. Today, I still practice karate, but one that suit my style, meaning that I mix several techniques from different martial arts, which results in Street Karate
In traditional karate, students are taught not to touch their partner, but rather to get close enough. Then, they say something like “that’s impressive, that’s great, he knows how to control” true, it is better than breaking his nose…
However, I believe that if you come with any technique in front of a partner/adversary at 5 cm from his face, and on top of that, you have your arm outstretched, then you are “hitting in the air”. The same goes for leg strikes. It’s excessive.
What is the “reserve” principle?
Let’s consider the example of a hook or a jab.
You’re looking for contact, you’re going to hit your partner, but you leave a margin with your elbow slightly bent (not fully extended). This is what I call the reserve.
Of course, if it is a partner, your goal is not to knock him out, nor to hurt him, so you stop once you touch his face, while keeping this margin at the level of the elbow: the reserve.
If he is an aggressor, the reserve allows you to stand at a good distance to cross and strike the outstretched arm. This is the main advantage of the blow, and it is very important to get that!
Even if the outstretched arm is very good to start with, it is necessary to quickly assimilate this reserve principle in order to have a better control of your strikes and of the “right distance”.
Learn to “cross over”
The reserve principle also applies to the legs. For instance, in karate, we see a lot of crushing kicks, like “Fumikomi” with the leg stretched out. Aesthetically, it is very beautiful when you touch the knee, but still, it remains on the “surface”.
Of course, your partner takes a “shoot” and you can hurt his knee a lot, but it is not enough.
What I want to teach you will be less pretty, less aesthetic. You are going to do the same technique as for a hook, that is to say go for contact, touch your partner with your crushing kick, but without crushing him. In other words, you leave a margin thanks to your bent knee that is not totally stretched. You will see that you’ll be much more efficient.
As you may have understood, you must not touch with your fingertips, your feet or your hands. Instead, you must cross yourself.
However, in training, you don’t have to do it every time to avoid injury. Simply make sure you know how to do it.
