DEVELOPING SHIKO DACHI

By Sensei Paul Fretter

The prevalence of Shiko Dachi within Kata indicates the martial importance of this stance within Goju Ryu Karate Do, and the Junbi Undo and Hojo Undo make extensive use of it for lower body conditioning. It is a foundation for the development of other stances, such as Neko Ashi Dachi (cat's foot stance) and Zenkustu Dachi (forward leaning stance), and is the basis for a variety of strength, breath training, stability and rooting exercises.

The Shiko Dachi development exercises can be divided into three groups: Static practice - Standing still in Shiko Dachi Dynamic practice - The "raise and drop" exercises Resistance work - Hojo Undo and partner work (pulling/pushing) Of these, the static practice is the most fundamental and most of this article will be devoted to it. To discover the benefits of practising the static posture it is necessary to go through the discomfort and observe how your mind and body behave. Unfortunately there really is no shortcut and, even if there were, then surely we'd already be using it! The physical ability to stand in Shiko Dachi for four, five or even six minutes can have a liberating effect on the performance of Kata and Bunkai. The benefits will also be manifested in the other basic stances.
	Sensei Bob Honiball demonstrating a Shiko Dachi posture from Suparinpei Kata.

HOW TO DEVELOP SHIKO DACHI

At it's simplest, the standing practice can be just a matter of enduring the discomfort. However, to improve beyond a mere facsimile of the posture, and to derive tangible benefits for the rest of your Karate, it is necessary to analyse your practice and discover the principles and their meanings for yourself. The following should serve as a guide:

• Get the structure right
• Develop strength and stamina
• Learn to relax, without losing the structure
• Control the mind
• Regulate the breathing
• Develop a strong connection with the ground (root)
• In the dynamic exercises generate the power in the hands from the ground
• Study the Kata Bunkai which involve Shiko Dachi
• Enjoy the practice!

GETTING THE STRUCTURE RIGHT

Although it is not practical to fully describe the posture in writing (this is best done in the Dojo), there are a few key points to consider.

• To get into the posture, start with the spine upright, the feet in the right place and the legs straight. Lower yourself into the posture whilst keeping your back upright, and then check your structure.
• Your feet should be the correct distance apart, with the foot at the same angle as the thigh. The shins are (very) slightly inclined forwards over the feet.
• The back should be upright, the chin drawn in and the crown of the head drawn upwards. There should be a slight hollow in the lower back (the lordotic curve), allowing the hips to open properly and the shoulders should rest in the most natural position.
• Set the correct height by holding both arms in the Gedan Barai Uke (lower sweeping block) position. The knuckle of the index finger should be one fist width above the knee (not the thigh!).
  Make sure that your hand position is correct (i.e. the index and middle knuckles in line with the forearm) otherwise you could be up to 4 or 5cm too high or low. This may seem "picky", but even this small change can significantly alter the dynamics of the posture.
• The eyes should gaze horizontally forwards, whilst maintaining your peripheral vision.
  

To come out of the posture, push firmly into the ground with the feet to straighten the legs and, as you begin to come up, tuck in the tailbone to straighten the lower back, keep the spine upright and resist the temptation to lean forwards. This should be practiced slowly, whilst maintaining the push agains the floor. After prolonged periods of standing, you may find that your leg muscles shake as you stand up.

The geometry of Shiko Dachi is fairly simple, but note that even a small adjustment can make a big difference.

DEVELOPING YOUR STRENGTH AND STAMINA

Practice standing still in Shiko Dachi every other day, which will allow your body time to recover, but not so much of a rest that it forgets what you've done!

Plan to build up your stamina gradually, since your body will need time to adjust. A method I use is to set a target time, in minutes, and break it up into manageable chunks by inserting rest periods. As your stamina improves, the rest periods can be shortened, until eventually they disappear altogether.

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE

Set a target time.
For a beginner this should be 2 minutes. More advanced students should work progressively towards 3, 4, 5 or even 6 minutes (Ouch!).

For this example we'll set a target time of 3 minutes.
Break the time up into three 1 minute stints, separated by 30 second rest periods:

• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 30 seconds Stand in a good
• Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving

Practice this for a few weeks, until you are able to maintain good form throughout each stint; especially the first two.

• Then you are ready to shorten the first rest period to just 20 seconds.
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 20 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving

After another week or two, shorten the first rest period to just 10 seconds.

• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving

Soon enough you will be ready to remove the first rest period altogether, so your schedule now looks like this:

• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 2 minutes, without moving
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 1 minute, without moving

It only remains for you to gradually reduce the last rest period to zero (in the same way as before), to reach your target:

• Stand in a good Shiko Dachi for 3 minutes, without moving

Obviously you can adjust the duration of the standing and resting periods to suit your ability.

Perhaps pain is merely an illusion caused by a lack of comfort!

LEARN TO RELAX

Use only the muscles appropriate to the needs of the posture and with only the appropriate amount of tension required to support it, since otherwise you will needlessly waste energy. Well, it's easy to say that, but actually trying to work out which muscles are relevant and developing the ability to switch off those which are not needed is not so easy, so let's break it down .

Unless you've just finished a hard aerobic workout, your static shiko dachi practice will be mostly using the anaerobic energy delivery systems in the muscles. Lactic acid is a by-product of the anaerobic process and at lower exercise intensities it is easily flushed out of the muscles by the blood. However, as you use more muscles and apply more tension, there will be a corresponding increase of lactic acid released into the muscles and you will eventually reach a point where the acid is accumulating faster than it can be flushed away. If allowed to build up like this, it produces the painful burning fatigue in the muscles with which we are all familiar.

One way to delay the onset of lactic acid "burn" is to slow the production process by relaxing all the muscles that are not needed to maintain the structure of the posture. In other words, use only the appropriate muscles. Worse still, if you contract opposing muscles they will work against each other needlessly and you will rapidly become fatigued. You can discover for yourself, which muscles you do/don't need.

Pay attention to relaxing the hips and shoulders, and opening the chest when doing the standing practice. When the leg muscles start to ache our natural reaction is to tense these areas, which causes the stance to lift and the upper body to bend forwards, in an attempt to reduce the pain. Try not to do this. Instead, you must try to maintain good posture and endure the discomfort. This is not easy, and we all have our limits, but if the posture is correct you are in no danger of injury - only tired legs! Once the legs become tired it can be difficult to remain in the posture because of the muscular discomfort, so there is now a need to consider the role of the mind.

THE ROLE OF THE MIND

Distraction vs mindful practice
Which is easier to do:

1. Stand in Shiko Dachi for two minutes, in front of your favourite television program.
2. Stand in Shiko Dachi for two minutes, in a quiet room facing a blank wall.

If you have tried it, then I think you will agree that the first option is probably the easiest, perhaps because the television is a distraction from the discomfort. So, why is it more comfortable when there is a distraction? I would suggest some of the discomfort you are feeling is apparent, not physical, and exists only in your mind. When the discomfort becomes unbearable (to your mind) you then straighten your legs. The fact that such a difference exists at all, clearly indicates that we are not in complete control of the mind and the body. The body will do what our minds tell it to, but if we are not in control of the mind how can we hope to control the body?

So, in theory at least, if you can control your mind then you can also control your body.

Shiko Dachi is a very safe method for learning about this, since there is very little risk of physical injury.

Using the mind to increase your grounding
Aside from dealing with discomfort, your mind can also be used to reinforce your training by developing the intention to be heavy and rooted using visualisation techniques.

Visualise yourself being like a tree, with roots extending deep into the ground. Bring your mind (awareness) from the crown of your head, down through the body, into the feet and through the floor. Then keep repeating this visualisation over and over again. It may not be easy and during the first few weeks you may not feel any difference or benefit, but eventually you should feel some of the discomfort in the thighs easing off. You will also feel the pressure between your feet and the ground increasing (you may get the sensation of your feet being much bigger - don't ask me why!). Now, try to imagine you are so heavy and relaxed that, if someone were to try and lift you, they wouldn't be able to.

You can test the results of this by getting a partner to try and lift you from behind, with a bear hug just above your elbow height. If you first tense the legs and hips as much as possible, your partner should be able to lift you because your own body tension will actually assist in pushing your weight off the floor. Now return to your posture and concentrate on relaxing and visualise your body weight sinking through the floor. Once you are able to maintain the visualisation continuously, your partner will find it much more difficult to lift you! This can also be performed in Sanchin Dachi, although it is a bit more difficult.
Note: If your partner lifts you from below the elbow line, or lifts you with a sudden jerk instead of smoothly, you will have much more difficulty in maintaining your grounding.

BREATHING

As with all of our Karate, breathing is an integral part of Shiko Dachi practice. Correct breathing will oxygenate the blood and help the muscles to operate at maximum efficiency and delay the onset of fatigue. You will then be able to remain in a good posture for longer, thus extending your training limits.

In the static practice even though you are apparently motionless, your body will undergo waves of expansion and contraction in relation to your breathing. As you breathe in, your thoracic diaphragm will pull down, pushing out the Tanden, inflating the lungs and opening the ribcage. When you then breathe out the diaphragm liftss, the tanden flattens and the ribcage closes as the lungs deflate.

The raise-and-drop exercises emphasise coordinating the breath with vertical motion and the expansion and contraction of the body and limbs (opening and closing). In particular breathing in as you push into the ground to raise up (floating), and breathing out as you drop (sinking).

As your practice improves, you can visualise yourself getting lighter as you inhale, and then heavier as you exhale even when you're in the static posture.

USING THE GROUND TO GENERATE POWER

To develop power for striking, lifting and pushing, practice the raise-and-drop exercises, bearing the following in mind Maintain good form throughout. When driving upwards, push down into the ground with the feet and ensure the back is upright. If your back is upright you should be able to transmit power up the spine. If the back is bent or tilted your lift will be weak. When dropping, ensure the knees travel in a straight line over the feet. A common mistake is to allow the knees to move forwards and then pull them outwards. When dropping, the feeling should be one of heaviness, rather like the weight of someone who has fainted. Practice the Shiko Dachi Chishi exercises, bearing the following in mind Maintain good form throughout. This is as important for generating power as is for preventing unnecessary injury. Try to lift the Chishi by pushing the feet into the ground and sinking your shoulders into the body. On the downward movements drop neatly into Shiko Dachi by relaxing and almost getting under the Chishi before it is lowered. Aside from one or two exceptions, most of the Chishi exercises should be performed with the back upright throughout .

Good postural alignment and secure grounding give rise to stability and power.

To develop power for pulling and sinking (e.g. blocking)
Find a partner and stand opposite each other in Shiko Dachi - you will both perform the exercise at the same time. Both of you simultaneously perform a strong right-handed Hike Uke (open-handed pulling block) so that your forearms hit. Now each draw in your right elbow and grab your partner's forearm just above the wrist, then slowly but firmly try to pull your right elbow beside your ribs. As you feel your partner's strength and weight in your arm, try to sink your weight (as in the visualisation exercises) to add power to your own pull and avoid leaning forwards.
You should endeavour to perform these exercises with correct form and appropriate muscular tension and relaxation.

THE APPLICATION OF SHIKO DACHI IN KATA

Shiko Dachi appears in most of the Kata, and with various principles of application. I have tried to identify the different aspects involved and in which Kata they can be found, although my interpretation will be influenced by the Bunkai I understand. This has opened my eyes to just how versatile this stance can be.

Evading - Gekisai Dai Ichi/Ni, Saifa, Seiyunchin The sudden dropping of body weight significantly increases the power available when blocking or striking. Entering - Seiyunchin, Kururunfa, Seisan, Suparinpei Dropping low whilst stepping in close to your opponent allows you to operate beneath his/her guard. Escaping - Seiyunchin, Kururunfa The raising and/or dropping of body weight helps to break your opponent's hold on you. Crushing - Seipai When striking a downed opponent from Shiko Dachi, you can put the force of your entire body weight accelerating downwards, through your hands. Jamming - Sanseiru, Kururunfa Unless you are much bigger than your opponent, you will only be able to jam a kick properly if you are stable and well rooted. Pulling - Seipai By stepping back and dropping you can effectively yank your opponent forwards with almost your whole body weight.

Throwing - Seiyunchin, Sanseiru, Seipai Shiko Dachi allows you to bring your centre of gravity underneath that of your opponent. Coupled with the superb stability it affords, you can easily displace a heavier opponent.

The attacker (my Sensei in this case) attempts a "full nelson". The sudden raising, and then dropping, of body weight is what makes this "escape" application from Kururunfa work.

Interestingly, Shisochin is the only "open" Kata that does not use Shiko Dachi.

If you have read Patrick McCarthy's translation of "The Bubishi", you will also notice numerous depictions of Shiko Dachi in the "48 Self Defence Diagrams".

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

There is no shortcut to developing Shiko Dachi. Sometimes, like many other things, it will be uncomfortable whilst it is unfamiliar and you must try to endure it, then capitalise on the discomfort to improve yourself physically and mentally.
If you use your intelligence to analyse what is happening and discover for yourself how and why things work, your understanding of Karate Do will improve. With each discovery and improvement, the form of Karate Dowill come alive in new and subtle ways.

Most of all, enjoy your Karate.

Paul Fretter (Paul.Fretter@jundkan.org.uk)