In this episode of "Great Karate Myths," we strip away the dogma surrounding Hikite (the pulling hand). 🥋

Is the retracting hand truly responsible for 50% of your power, or is that just "pseudoscience"?. We dive into Gichin Funakoshi’s original writings to understand how a tool meant for grappling and weapons became a standardized punching mechanic.

We discuss:

🥊 The Power Myth: Why boxers don't need Hikite to hit hard.

📜 Standardization: How antique forms were changed for mass teaching.

🧠 Concept Creep: How modern bunkai invents meanings that didn't exist.

⛩️ Ritual Combat: The difference between dojo aesthetics and real fighting.

Join us as we debunk the legends!

In this episode of Great Karate Myths, we tackle the controversial concept of Kime (decisive focus). Is it the secret to a one-hit kill, or an overemphasised aesthetic that actually slows you down? 🥋🚫

We explore:

• The definitions by Masatoshi Nakayama
• Why professional boxers don't use the "snap"
• The theory that Kime comes from Chinese Opera choreography
• How Kime distorts antique weapons forms

Join us as we determine if you should be pumping the brakes or hitting through the target! 🥊

🥋 Can a single punch truly end a fight? We're diving deep into the powerful and pervasive concept of One Hit, One Kill, or Ikken Hissatsu. This doctrine had a huge influence on modern karate's development, but where did it come from?

Most likely source: the fierce Japanese swordsmanship school, Jigen-ryu, whose philosophy is to kill with a single, decisive stroke. We trace how this singular focus shaped modern kihon , competition scoring , and the methods of pioneers like Gichin Funakoshi.

We debate the value of Ikken Hissatsu as a principle of total commitment versus its misapplication to the continuous, positioning-focused methods of the antique kata.

Tune in to learn where Ikken Hissatsu belongs in your training - and where it doesn't.