In a Difficult Terrain Find Balance

           The name “Gankaku” translates to “Crane on a rock” due to the one legged stance called tsuru dachi (Crane stance) evident in the Kata. The Kata develops proprioception which involves good balance, proper joint alignments and awareness of body position in space. This is because it is believed to be used for fighting on treacherous grounds which maybe rocky, slippery or sandy, it is also believed to be used on uneven terrains like ramps, slopes or stairs. Those sequences moving away from the start line are believed to mean that you are above the stairs or on higher ground and your opponents are below. Those movements going towards the start line means that you are below or on lower ground.

Fighting on uneven terrain

        Though it is strategically advantageous to be on higher ground but that will not always be the case so it is prudent to learn how to fight on lower grounds. A strong core and balance is immensely important for a technique to be effective. In a Karate tournament a kick or a punch will not be considered a point if the player falls or gets off balanced. More so when it comes to fighting in difficult terrains, an off-balanced strike will not be as effective.                                                                                  

  Its original name is Chinto, believed to be the name of a Chinese martial artist shipwrecked in Okinawa. Because he was stranded he stole food from the locals. Sokon Matsumura was sent to deal with the thief and they fought. Legend says that they were evenly matched and so Matsumura made a deal with Chinto to teach him and in return he will provide for him and help him return home. Matsumura then formulated a Kata to serve as a record of Chinto’s techniques that he learned. 

During combat, it is very important for the mind and the spirit to be centered or balanced. Never be over confident nor too afraid, too tensed; too relaxed; too aggressive or too passive. In a very stressful and intense situation being centered means being calm and composed to be able to think and act accordingly. Achieving good balance is also a principle that we should apply in our daily lives. Most of the time, too much or too little of anything is not healthy for us. “Chudan”or  the middle is our target. Too much materialism would lead to greed and selfishness but at the same time understand that we need material wealth in order to live a descent life and be able to bless others as well. There are lots of different modern diet plans to choose from to achieve your health and fitness goals but the most basic principle of a healthy diet is a well-balanced meal. Over training leads to injuries and hinders your progress even more but very little training will not help you progress at all.

 People and corporations nowadays have become too competitive and because of technology everyone now demands speed and increase in capacity not just on machines but on people as well. A few companies nowadays have adapted the work to life balance principle. But work is part of your life as well and it should not be separate from what makes your daily life happy. Jim Bird publisher of WorkLife balance.com says that a good balance in life is that you are able to accomplish and at the same time enjoy something at work, enjoy something for yourself, with family and for the community.

"Gankaku Kata"

Too much or too little focus on one pillar of your life negatively affects the quality of your life. Too much work might lead to neglect of family, too much for yourself and relationships might suffer, too much for your community or friends then your work might suffer and so on. I am aware that in order to have achievement and enjoyment in each of the pillars one must have the most valuable resource of all which is Time. Just like money, time also runs out and just as you have to make money one also has to make time. Karate-do practice aims to develop self-discipline. To achieve balance we must have the ability to be flexible. Adapt to your circumstances and be able to make the time for each aspects of your life. Apply First thing first or prioritize. There are only two reasons you will make time for Karate training and anything else in your life, one is you need or have to do it, two is you want to do it.

 What is too much or too little will vary for every person. How much time to spend in an activity, how much effort to put in a project, how much alcohol is moderate. How much wealth is enough? Self-awareness and practical knowledge of things is important to determine if your daily life is balanced.

Mind, Body and Spirit as one