Shotokan Myth #1 Hikite

A good hikite is necessary to make a powerful punch.

Hikite is a Japanese word consisting of 引 “hiki” meaning pull or draw and 手“te”, a hand.

When I started karate training in 60’s, my first instruction was given by a senpai and he showed me how to do chudan zuki from a natural stance.  I never forget him, Kato senpai.  He was barely 5 foot tall but was as fast as a lightening (as I remember him doing Enpi).   Anyway, Kato senpai said “Put your left hand out and set your right fist at your right hip. OK that is where you start a punch.   Now, draw your left fist to your hips very quickly and at the same time you punch with your right fist, like this.”  He showed me the impressive chudan seiken zuki several times in front of me.  Though it looked quite simple and easy to imitate, I found the turning of a punching fist was difficult and so was drawing the other fist to the hip (hikite).  He explained “You need to pay more attention to your hikite than to the punching fist.  The faster and stronger you draw your hikite so will your punch become”.  As it was my first day at karate training, his statement made a big impact in my head.

A few months later, when I learned a kihon kumite of 5 attack (Gohon kumite), I had a problem with hikite again.  As we all know after the fifth block the defender needs to throw a counter punch.  As a defender, I kept my blocking hand out (rising block, down block, etc) as I delivered a counter punch.  My senpai said “No! No! No!  You need to do your hikite as you counter punch.  Your punch will be much stronger with a strong hikite”.  I thought I did a good counter punch but, no hikite was a big mistake which I had to correct.  To be honest, it was difficult not only because the coordination of two arms but more so because I was afraid to lower my block hand from jodan age (rising block) as the opponent’s fist was near my head.   I feared that his fist might hit my face but I later found the opponent was nice enough to hold his fist above my head.

I suspect this kind of experience described above is very common for most of the people when they start karate training.  I must emphasize that the correction and change forced by that senpai were right thing to do and I would have done the same thing in the same situation.  In punching with a hikite two arms move to the opposite directions simultaneously.  This process must become as natural as two feet move in harmony while you are walking.  If you drag one foot behind and try to walk with only one foot, it will not be a smooth walk and the movement is not natural.  Walking mechanism is very natural to us and hikite mechanism can also be natural to karate-ka after a year of practice.  After it becomes a part of your natural move, no one thinks too deeply about it and you will have a powerful punch accompanied by a good hikite.  Here one has mastered a karate technique.  This is great.  We are all happy.  Now I can almost hear you say, “Well then, what is the problem?” (read more..)

Shihan Yokota has published numerous articles and books: