Ken Ki Tai Ichi: How to Have a Perfect Strike in Japanese Martial Arts
- Dave Lowry
- 20 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Many Black Belt readers may be familiar with the Japanese phrase ken ki tai ichi.
It means that one’s weapon (ken, which can be written to refer to a sword or a fist but which really applies to any weapon), one’s spirit or energy (ki), and one’s body (tai) must all be ichi – “one.” All must be employed in coordination and at the same time. If your weapon reaches the target but your body positioning is poor, it’s unlikely your strike will be immediately or convincingly effective.
If you have a strong spirit but lack the proper weapon – let’s say you cannot make a solid fist – once again, the chance of failure is significant. It’s very common to see less-skilled karateka poke or jab at their opponents in sparring. They’re delivering weapons, but their bodies remain unconnected, so it looks more like a slapfest than a fight. All three elements must be present; all must work together.
Let’s look at the other side of the coin of ken ki tai ichi. That other side is the idea that not only must your strikes have all three of these elements, but it also must destroy all three of mine. It’s worthwhile to think about this because there are many ramifications.
One of the problems faced by the samurai in duels and even more so in battle was one faced by all pre-modern warriors.
Weapons, unlike the high-impact ones we have today, didn’t possess a lot of stopping power. An enemy could, when sufficiently energized by adrenaline, absorb half a dozen arrows and keep coming at you. A spear thrust or a sword cut could be gruesome and lead quickly to death – but not before the wounded man got in his own strike against you.