What is this mysterious ‘tanden’ we so frequently hear about in martial arts?



In many traditional Japanese arts – shakuhachi (Japanese flute), shodo (calligraphy), kyudo (archery), kendo (swordsmanship) and even chado (tea ceremony) – students are taught to act from the tanden. This area also serves as a focus point in Taoist and Buddhist philosophy and Zen meditation and is believed to help center one’s mind and aid in controlling thoughts and emotions.

In martial arts, internal power is believed to originate from the tanden and is often expressed in a kiai, which must be synchronized with physical techniques and kimei (a moment of full body tension) to deliver maximum power. Sensei frequently refers to the importance of the tanden in this way:

“External power ashi kara (comes from the feet); internal power tanden kara (comes from the tanden). Kimei and kiai must together!”

Whether you’re a believer of chi and internal energy or not, most martial arts practitioners acknowledge the importance of tanden as the body’s centre of gravity and the role it plays in initiating movement. Martial arts historian and practitioner, Charles Goodin recently described his experience with generating power from the tanden or koshi (hips) and it’s role in preventing the telegraphing of movement:

“When power comes from the koshi (the core of the body), it is much harder to anticipate a movement... When you pull back your right arm, the odds are that you are going to throw a right punch (or some other right handed technique). When you "squeeze" or "twist" your koshi, a movement could come from anywhere” (Goodin, 2009).

Whether it’s using dropping or winding power, or pulsing from the feet, it's worth concentrating on pivoting and moving from the tanden. I think overall this focus may help to generate power while giving stillness, silencing the body, and improving overall efficiency of movement.

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Hanging up in the front of Sensei’s dojo is a famous series of eight poems – the Kempo Hakku (Eight Laws of the Fist). The poem comes from article 13 of the bubishi – an historical text recording martial knowledge and techniques from South China (mainly Fukien) and Okinawa.

Apparently, the Kempo Hakku was a favourite of Kanryo Higaonna and Chojun Miyagi Sensei and the third line actually served as the inspiration for the name Goju-Ryu. In training, Higaonna Sensei frequently points at different kanji characters when explaining principals and techniques. I finally managed to track down the Japanese and English translation. Has a nice ring about it when you read the Japanese...

From top to bottom, right to left it reads:

1. Jinshin wa tenchi ni onaji.
The mind is one with heaven and earth.

2. Ketsumyaku wa nichigetsu ni nitari.
The circulatory rhythm of the body is similar to the cycle of the sun and the moon.

3. Ho wa goju no donto su.
The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness.

4. Mi wa toki ni shitagai hen ni ozu.
Act in accordance with time and change.

5. Te wa ku ni ai sunawachi hairu.
Techniques will occur in the absence of conscious thought.

6. Shintai wa hakarite riho su.
The feet must advance and retreat, separate and meet.

7. Me wa shiho wo miru wa yosu.
The eyes must not miss even the slightest change.

8. Mimi wa yoku happo wo kiku.
The ears listen well in all eight directions.

In the past when learning ‘bunkai’ applications (self-defense techniques from kata), I've often caught myself thinking “that’s a little convoluted isn’t it... surely it wouldn’t work in a real life scenario…”. However, in training at the Honbu dojo I've since learnt not to be too hasty in tossing aside bunkai. Every technique from the kata really does have an effective application (or many as the case may be). It’s often just a matter of executing a technique correctly with appropriate timing, power and speed.

Rather than being 'helpful' partners, in the Honbu dojo, applications are practiced more realistically – your partner won't move or be taken down easily and you want to make sure you're blocking properly because they really will hit you otherwise! When I first started training this way I was almost a little affronted by how uncooperative everyone seemed to be. Part of me felt like saying... "no.. but you're meant to move this way...". The irony of this is Bunkai are self-defense techniques and honestly, who's going to be less 'cooperative' than the person trying to attack you.

It’s funny how we often think we’re being nice when we make it easy for our partners to carry out their applications - aiming punches and kicks to the sides of the body and falling to the ground with ease. While all this might make our partners ‘look good’, in actual fact we’re preventing them from learning how to do the applications effectively. Instead, we’re teaching bad habits and helping them pattern in techniques that only work with other ‘helpful’ and ‘cooperative’ partners.

Such half-baked techniques would probably be quite dangerous if someone tried to use them for self-defense. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a difference between making it virtually impossible for your partner to deliver a technique (especially when you know what’s coming) and delivering strong, straight, realistic strikes with intent. In any case, if you find yourself doing applications in training, go ahead a really try and hit your partner. They'll get the message. And at the very least, they’ll probably try and hit you back, which is just what you need for some realistic bunkai training!