Kevin L. Chalfant
The Essence of Karate-Do
is written for the serious martial artist who wants to improve their understanding of their forms and sparring. This book is a non-style specific approach to martial arts. It talks about the universal principles behind all martial arts forms and sparring. The principles written about in this book are easy to understand and apply to your training. They are demonstrated with photos, which clearly show what is being talked about.
It shows how certain moves in forms are used and encourages the reader to develop their own use for these movements. It has a section in which Mr. Herb Johnson an 8th black belt demonstrates knock-out points from forms and shows how to do them. It ends this section with charts to record the location of the vital points that you learn about and a place for your own notes about your forms.
In the sparring section it defines different aspects of sparring and shows you ways to use them. It has a section in which Mr. Glenn Keeney a 9th degree black belt, and President of the PKC, demonstrates how to use feints and setups to invite certain attacks so you can execute preplanned counters. Mr. Keeney also tells how to mentally prepare for competition, which can be applied to anything you want to do well at. Mr. Eddie Bethea Jr. a 8th degree black belt shows you how to keep rhythm and timing as well as talking about the "The Three Strategic Barriers of Kumite: Distance, Rhythm, and Timing." It ends this section with a place for your own notes about your sparring.
It shows you drills to reduce your reaction time and demonstrates them with easy to understand pictures. In the final two chapters it explains how to set up a proper training system to gradually get into the best shape you can and how to train. This book will help the reader become a better martial artist and deepen and enrich their understanding of what they are doing and why.
Kevin L. Chalfant is a 6th degree black belt under Mr. Glenn Keeney. He is one of Mr. Keeney’s highest-ranking students. He began his martial art training in 1978 while attending a Free Methodist Church camp. When camp ended, this brief encounter left him with a lifelong desire for more knowledge of karate.
He continued practicing what he had learned as well as wrestling in high school.
He began studying in Springfield, IL, driving 140 miles round trip 3-4 times a week from Rushville, IL. He continued training there until he moved to Anderson, IN, to study karate with Mr. Keeney. By August of 1984 he moved into the dojo and was studying and teaching full-time. He was promoted to 6th degree black belt on July 10, 1999.
In 1990 he opened his karate school in New Castle, IN. He is a full-time karate instructor with 150 active students.
He is a seven-time winner of the prestigious USKK Grand Nationals in Kumite {fighting}.
Listed in American Karate Magazine, 1989.
Listed in US of A Martial Artist Magazine, 1st place black belt Kumite {fighting}.
Winner of the USKK Grand National Grand Champion {winner of both fighting and forms}.
In 1995 inducted into the "International Large Axe Society" by Mr. Koeppel at the USKK Grand Nationals.
In 1996 inducted into the "International Bushido Society."
He is one of a dozen people to receive the Small Double Bladed Axe award from Mr. Keeney.
Author of Karate Articles, co-author of Continuous Kumite Rules for the PKC, and author of a study and training book on karate.
Instructor of international champions.
2 Time PKC Indiana State Kickboxing Champion Middle Weight Division.
1 Time PKC Indiana State Kickboxing Champion Heavy Weight Division.
Held the record for the fastest knock-out in the PKC Kickboxing for 6 years.
CHAPTER TWO
The Golden Beast, The Animal Within
HOW TO TRAIN
Within each person is a power unknown to them that can emerge in a time of crisis. Everyone has heard tales of remarkable feats of strength done by people in duress. The stress of a crisis draws out of a person some powerful "animal" capable of doing things that only a moment before they were incapable of doing. Unfortunately this "animal" cannot think or feel maturely. Its purpose for existence is the achievement of its desire, self-preservation. Having achieved its desire, it vanishes leaving one shaken, dazed and confused. The power of this "animal" is staggering. When a person can call upon this "animal", and keep it under their control, it can become their "golden beast."
Present day humankind is a product of their ancestors who where survivors. Their successful ancestral survival behaviors survive today as their survival traits recorded in every cell of one’s body. Although not needed as they were by their ancestors they still exert their influence on people in a time of crisis. Why for example does one person stand and fight when another in the same situation runs? This fight or flight syndrome is the successfully executed survival traits of a person’s ancestors passed on to them as a survival desire. More than the fight or flight syndrome a person’s "animal" is the total of their survival traits. The "animal’s" training, education, and emotional maturation are the function of kata.
Advanced fake with a kick followed by a reverse punch
"A fake to a good sparring competitor in the advanced division is something that he thinks is going to hit him. The only good fake that’s going to score you points on a black belt, a decent competitor is you have to throw something that he thinks is going to hit him. That will fake him, he will attempt to block it. When the beginning student does their fake, as soon as they see it’s working and the opponent is reacting to it, then they throw the technique and try to score with it. An advanced student has the entire technique from the time the opponent flinches until the time the point is scored as one single technique. He continues regardless of what the other guy does."
Fade and Go
Shifting or moving back to the limit of the attacker’s reach and then as the attacker withdraws their technique, one follows it back in with a technique striking the attacker.
