Where we Exist in Time and Space

Anybody who has trained with me for any length of time at all, has heard me say, “Everything you do affects everything else you do.  If you want to be a good fighter, do your kata. If you want to be a good weapons person, do your jumping kicks.  If you want to be a good kata person, devote time to your one-steps.”

All of those activities affect proprioception.

Proprioception is the sense that lets us feel the location and movement of the various parts of our bodies. It’s what allows us to sense stimuli taking place in the body regarding position, motion, and equilibrium.

Proprioception plays a vital role in sports and fitness, and especially in martial arts:

1.    Body awareness in space and time, and control of movements.

2.   Efficiency in changing direction and “sticking” the landing.

3.   Helps us to prevent injuries.

 Here are some exercises you can do to improve your proprioceptive skills:

A.    Stand on one leg and try to maintain balance. Make it tougher by closing your eyes or standing on an uneven surface, or both. Also try practicing your kata in the dark, or in a pool.

B.   While balancing on one leg, do a front kick, side kick, back kick, and roundhouse kick with the other leg. This will improve balance, stability and control.

C.   Do your kata slowly, especially focusing on the transitions to different stances.  (Hey, maybe there is something to Tai Chi?)

D.    Stand in a short zenkutsu (forward walking stance) and do the Standing Post meditation. Try to really “see” the post.

E.   If possible, set up an 8 foot 2 x 4 (or longer) and walk it. Take slow steps, paying attention to your balance. When you are comfortable, close your eyes and walk the board. If you cannot find a plank, you can do the same thing with painter’s tape (the blue stuff). Mark out a strip from 8-12 feet long on the floor.

F.     When you put on clothes or shoes, try fastening the buttons, tying shoelaces, and zipping up zippers, but with your eyes closed or in the dark. Try it with only one hand. Try tying a tie in the dark. (If you figure it out, please help me learn how to do it, as I rarely get it right even in the light!)

If you have any more examples of exercises that can assist with improving proprioception, please add the to the comments section.