It is appropriate for our story that the roots of 'lean' can be traced back to the Japanese and ultimately the Toyota Production System, self-evidently a success story. Lean thinking is primarily concerned with eliminating waste and improving flow via the application of Lean principles. Waste is defined as anything that is not necessary in the process of producing the product or service.
What is the connection with karate?
Karate is a process where we convert human resource (intellect, training, skill and stored energy) into a product (self-defence). The tools of self-defence consist of both physical and non-physical actions. For the purposes of this story, we will deal mainly with the physical tools (kicks, punches, blocks, holds).
By rigorously analysing the process of producing a punch, a kick, block or hold, we can begin to streamline the process, removing waste in the form of excess movement and unnecessary actions. The aim is to improve the efficiency of the technique, making us quicker and more effective and using less of our valuable resources (especially energy).
We have already touched on some lean principles for karate in previous articles including 'Effective technique through isolation' and 'Why you need a good crooked leg'. There are four fundamental principles to Lean karate that can be summarized as KEPI:
- Knee-over-toe
- Early preparation
- Posture
- Isolation
Knee-over-toe: Keeping the knee over the toe of the working leg eliminates waste by reducing the time taken to get moving (in any direction).
Early preparation: Early preparation allows enough time for a complete execution of the technique through its full range. This avoids wasted energy, motion and time by allowing it to be as powerful (effective) as possible.
Posture: Posture avoids waste in two ways: by maintaining awareness which allows us to apply the appropriate technique and by allowing for the full execution of the technique. Poor posture cramps the technique's proper range and upsets balance leading to poor performance.
Isolation: Isolation may be the key principle of Lean karate - it means recruiting only those parts of the body necessary for a specific technique. By definition it reduces waste by eliminating unnecessary movement. This improves speed of execution and reduces wasted energy.
In discussion, the term 'Trim karate' has also been used. The term 'Lean karate' is used here to extend the comparison with a recognized production process that has had enormous impact on the car manufacturing industry (witness Toyota's strength compared to the US 'Big Three').
What is important is the rigorous analysis of what constitutes the technique, identifying wasteful actions in the process of delivering the technique and refining our practice to the new more efficient way of performing that technique. This matches very well disciplined karate training where one of our maxims is to strive for perfection.
Early preparation: Early preparation allows enough time for a complete execution of the technique through its full range. This avoids wasted energy, motion and time by allowing it to be as powerful (effective) as possible.
Posture: Posture avoids waste in two ways: by maintaining awareness which allows us to apply the appropriate technique and by allowing for the full execution of the technique. Poor posture cramps the technique's proper range and upsets balance leading to poor performance.
Isolation: Isolation may be the key principle of Lean karate - it means recruiting only those parts of the body necessary for a specific technique. By definition it reduces waste by eliminating unnecessary movement. This improves speed of execution and reduces wasted energy.
In discussion, the term 'Trim karate' has also been used. The term 'Lean karate' is used here to extend the comparison with a recognized production process that has had enormous impact on the car manufacturing industry (witness Toyota's strength compared to the US 'Big Three').
What is important is the rigorous analysis of what constitutes the technique, identifying wasteful actions in the process of delivering the technique and refining our practice to the new more efficient way of performing that technique. This matches very well disciplined karate training where one of our maxims is to strive for perfection.
Alan King
14 December 2008
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