Chambering

By Victor Smith and Christopher Caile

If you are a karate student you probably chamber your non-striking hand. But why do you do this, and what is the position of the chambered hand? Also, why do different systems do things differently, and why isn’t chambering explained by instructors? There are many who disbelieve the worth of traditional technique, including chambering. For in many fighting arts and styles the non-striking hand is kept up to protect the head. Within their narrow vision of combat, their interpretation is quite correct.

In this historic photo Gichen Funakoshi, considered by many to be the father of Japanese karate, demonstrates how a chambering action by one arm pulls the opponent into his punch.

So in explaining chambering it should be noted that there are vast differences between fighting an opponent (practice fighting or in competition) and the use of karate as self-defense against a random attack. Also, there are vast differences between what is taught to beginners in terms of technique and its use, and more advanced understanding of technique and applications. Unfortunately the latter has been largely lost as karate has expanded and evolved world-wide. The result is that entire generations of students never learned, or looked to uncover, applications of chambering.

Why do students just accept chambering? In my mind, if you as a student do a technique and it isn’t effective, or the technique itself can’t be used in the way it is practiced, you should view the technique as wasted effort. My own assumption, however, is that there is a value to everything within the ‘traditional’ karate vocabulary, regardless of whether my instructor could or did tell, show or teach me. So let’s amble through the layers of what I see as the value or uses of chambering. But, first it should be noted that pulling back one arm into chamber as done in practice as well as kata only indicates the direction and method of an application. When actually performed as part of a technique the chambering arm may only pull back partially.

1. Against a sudden grab from the rear. Every kata technique where you move forward with one technique (including those where you move rearward) and chamber one hand is building an automatic response against a grab from the rear. The sharper you chamber, the sharper you strike back (a rear elbow can be combined with a rear leg foot stop to the attacker’s instep). Likewise double strikes become double rearward elbow strikes. They don’t necessarily finish an attacker, but they have the potential to create an opening for further response. The rear elbow attack is often a staple of many jujutsu and self-defense systems against a rear attack, or to create a momentary opening. Thus chambering should be re-examined by karate-ka for similar potential applications.

2. Against a sudden wrist grab from the front or the side. Traditionally the first self-defense technique taught by Isshinryu karate’s founder was to counter a wrist grab by sharply turning the arm over (against the thumb which is relatively weak) to release the attacker’s grip and then pulling the arm back into a chamber position. Here the defender add a powerful knife-hand strike to a pressure point on the attackers inner arm (very painful and can numb the arm) to assist in the release.

3. Destroying an attacker with one technique. Here, chambering often implies a technique using the retreating hand. This is a concept many have a real problem with today. It’s often corrupted to “one punch won’t stop a real attacker.” Of course they ignore the reality in boxing, where, on occasion, a fight is finished with just one punch to the jaw. So, one technique can stop a fight in the right circumstances.

Of course there is the issue of what is “one technique.” A piece of a movement, one movement or one series of movements all can fit that quantification. One’s intent should be to: (1) try and do it with one technique, yet (2) be instantly ready to go the distance if you’re less than perfect.

Here it should be noted that chambering is more than just retracting the hand. It’s retracting the hand while using correct body mechanics and then looking at the rest of the body’s technique. Thus, if you chamber one hand while punching with the other, chambering (pull back of one hand and shoulder) can add power into the punch. But the chambering movement also promises much more.

Hence if you grab somebody’s jacket collar, or wrist (of an opponent who has his arms raised in a fighting position, as shown in this illustration) and then sharply chamber that hand (pulling back) as you strike them with a reverse punch or backhand into the jaw/neck/side of the head, you first pull the person off balance, into your zone of attack, and use the grab as a force multiplier to the strike. Your opponent’s body isn’t free and can’t move away from the force of the punch, so more of the impact is imparted into his body, creating more shock.

This applied force multiplier has as much to do with chambering to create stronger strikes, as the reciprocal nature of the chambering motion. This force multiplier may not result in finishing an opponent with one technique, but it certainly goes a long way towards that goal.

4. Another view of chambering is in conjunction with a block and punch, something found in many Chinese arts as well as some older forms of Okinawan karate. (1) For example, in Northern Mantis (Tai Tong Long), Northern Eagle Claw (Faan Tzi Ying Jow Pai) and in the tuite (the art of grasping and grappling) taught in Okinawa by Hohan Soken (2) and others, their methods include simultaneous blocks, grabs and restraints. (3) For example, a block is often used to parry and set up a grab (immobilization or pulling-in) before a strike. The hand returning to chamber after a block simply slides down the arm to grab it and yank backwards, or locks an arm in place as seen in this illustration from the Bubishi. (4)

In another illustration the defender first traps the attacker’s punching arm between his own (the forward arm moving inward and the rear hand moving in and back toward a chamber position). This scissoring action can break or injure the attacker’s elbow. The defender then opens his forward hand to grip pressure points on the attacker’s bicep (seen from the opposite side) while also pulling that arm backward (toward chamber). The other hand attacks the aggressor’s eyes using a finger technique.

The difference between those arts and modern karate is that the manner in which they grab is more defined. Where in modern karate simply grabbing and pulling is used, many Chinese arts and Okinawan Tuite practices use more specific grabbing techniques (the fingers of the grabbing hand attacking pressure points to create pain as well as to create a stronger grip) to help maneuver or immobilize the opponent into a better lane or position for striking.

5. Based on the above Chinese and/or Okinawan tuite model, I believe that chambering in kata is used as a strength building tool. There are several forms of strength being used. First, there is strength from using the body in a more coordinated manner. A weight lifter needs correct technique to lift heavy weights as well as body power. Likewise precise kata practice enhances strength.

The second more hidden strength building technique is actually the way you tighten the hand as you chamber. This builds a stronger grip. This, it should be noted, is not simply pulling your hand back. If you ever had the chance to train with somebody doing Eagle Claw for many years, you discover the great hand strength they have in their locks (grips). Here a double hand Eagle Claw grip is shown. One of the primary training tools is actually the correct use of the hands in their complex forms. Correct use of chambering can strengthen the grip. (5)

In the same manner, those karate systems which include Kobodu (Okinawan weapons such as the sai, tonfa, bo and jo) have actually followed the Chinese model (likely unknowingly), as the practice of weapons actually is also an incredible grip development tool.

Of course there are other ways to enhance kata practice. Drills with partners, up to free sparring practices where grabbing and pulling while striking are permitted, do so too. The study of karate isn’t as simple as one tool; instead there’s an entire tool box involved.

6. Likewise, a great range of karate’s potential block, grab and chamber while striking moves don’t involve striking into the body. Instead the strikes can be shearing planes of force across the tricep’s insertion to become variations of arm bars, attacks to the ribs, or as shearing planes of force across the neck. Each of these examples strike with the forearm sliding across the target instead of the punch into the torso.

For example, the opponent might punch at you, and you as a defender might respond with a technique that redirects that force in such a way as to control the opponent and his attack. The result may be a projection technique or one where you control the arm (as in the arm bar illustration here) or head of the opponent.

This article represent only a small step into a very large body of material.

Many don’t see these things, or won’t address these possibilities. Perhaps, it’s simply that most students become comfortable in their own practice or beliefs. This makes things easy. You aren’t challenged and forced to stretch.

In my opinion, however, you can eventually see the Okinawn arts as a vast grappling system of study (where chambering points the way) if you choose to see what is actually there.

Footnotes

(1) Speaking of the Chinese systems, Northern systems like Northern Shaolin (Sil Lum), Northern Mantis (Tai Tong Long) and Northern Eagle Claw (Faan Tzi Ying Jow Pai), all chamber at the hip. But there are other systems of Chinese combat which don’t use it, such as Yang Tai Chi Chaun which has no chambering and uses a different paradigm for their combat practices (review Dr. Yang Jwing Ming’s work on advanced Tai Chi for ideas on how this is done). Likewise from what I’ve observed Chinese wrestlers don’t chamber either. But the Chinese, with thousands of systems, likely run the entire gamut of possibilities.

Some of the Northern System usage can be clearly seen in Tuttle’s publication this year of Shum Leung’s work on Eagle Claw.

(2) Hohan Soken, the great Okinawan karate pioneer and kobudo expert (Okinawan weapons), was the sole student of Nabe Matsumura who in turn was the inheritor of the Bushi Matsumura’s family system of Shorin-ryu karate. His best known Okinawan students include Nihihara, Kise Fuse, Kuda Yuichi and Nishihira Kosei. Many US students also trace their training to Soken, including Roy Suenaka and others. The system is unique for having a system within a system. In addition to Shorin-ryu karate, Soken also taught senior students White Crane kata (Hakutsuru) and techniques as well as tuite techniques inherited from the Matsumura system.

(3) Tuite (sometimes spelled Torite) was usually taught parallel to the practice of karate and to more advanced students. In this capacity tuite served as an adjunct art, something that could be applied in conjunction with and added to standard karate skills to multiply the karate’s effectiveness.

(4) For more info on this ancient text see the FightingArts.com articles on this subject: “Enter The Bubishi: Part 1- Introduction & Origins” and “Enter The Bubishi: Part 2- The Text & Its Impact On Okinawa”

(5) For more information Eagle Claw Kung Fu see these following FightingArts.com articles: “Inside the Eagle’s Claw” (http://fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=131) and “Making The Eagle’s Claw (http://fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=132).

Victor Smith
Victor Smith is a respected teacher of Isshinryu karate (6th degree black belt) and tai chi chuan with over 26 years of training in Japanese, Korean and Chinese martial arts. His training also includes aikido, kobudo, tae kwon do, tang so do moo duk kwan, goju ryu, uechi ryu, sutrisno shotokan, tjimande, goshin jutsu, shorin ryu honda katsu, sil lum (northern Shaolin), tai tong long (northern mantis), pai lum (white dragon), and ying jow pai (eagle claw). Over the last few years he has begun writing on, researching and documenting his studies and experiences. He is the founder of the martial arts website FunkyDragon.com/bushi and is Associate Editor of FightingArts.com. Professionally he is a business analyst, but also enjoys writing ficton for the Destroyer Universe.

About the Author Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile

Christopher Caile is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of FightingArts.com. He has been a student of the martial arts for over 65 years.

He first started in judo while in college. Then he added karate as a student of Phil Koeppel in 1959 studying Kempo and Wado-Ryu karate. He later added Shotokan Karate where he was promoted to brown belt and taught beginner classes. In 1960 while living in Finland, Caile introduced karate to that country and placed fourth in that nation’s first national judo tournament.

Wanting to further his karate studies, Caile then hitch hiked from Finland to Japan traveling through Scandinavia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia — living on 25 cents a day and often sleeping outside.

Arriving in Japan (1962), Caile was introduced to Mas Oyama and his fledgling full contact Kyokushinkai Karate by Donn Draeger, the famous martial artist and historian. Donn also housed him with several other senior international judo practitioners. Donn became Caile’s martial arts mentor, coaching him in judo and introducing him to Shinto Muso-ryu under Takaji Shimizu.

Caile studied at Oyama’s honbu dojo and also at Kenji Kurosaki’s second Tokyo Kyokushinkai dojo. In his first day in class Oyama asked Caile to teach English to his chief instructor, Tadashi Nakamura. They have been friends ever since. Caile also participated in Oyama’s masterwork book, “This Is Karate.”

Caile left Japan with his black belt and designation as Branch Chief, the first in the US to have had extensive training in Japan directly under Oyama Sensei. As such, Oyama Sensei asked him to be his representative on visits to his US dojos to report on their status.

A little over a year later, Nakamura, Kusosaki and Akio Fujihira won an epic David vs. Goliath challenge match against Thailand’s professional Muay Thai Boxers in Bangkok, Thailand, thrusting Kyolushinkai and Nakamura into national prominence.

Back in the US Caile taught Kyokushinkai karate in Peoria, Il while in college and later in Washington, DC. while in graduate school. Durimg this time Shihan Nakamura had moved to New York City to head Kyokushinkai’s North American Operation.

In 1976 when Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura formed the World Seido Karate organization, Caile followed. Living then in Buffalo, NY, Caile taught Seido karate and self-defense at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) for over 15 years where he also frequently lectured on martial arts and Zen in courses on Japanese culture.

Caile moved to New York City in 1999 to marry Jackie Veit. He is now an 8th degree black belt, Hanshi, training in Seido Karate’s Westchester, NY Johshin Honzan (Spiritual Center) dojo. In Seido Caile is known for his teaching of and seminars on kata applications. He also produced a 14 segment video series on Pinan kata Bunkai currently available to Seido members.

Caile is also a long-time student and Shihan in Aikido. He studied in Buffalo, under Mike Hawley Shihan, and then under Wadokai Aikido’s founder, the late Roy Suenaka (uchi deshi under Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido and was Shihan under Tohei Sensei). In karate, Suenaka (8thdan) was also an in-house student of the Okinawan karate master Hohan Soken.

Having moved to New York City, Caile in 2000 founded this martial arts educational website, FightingArts.com. Twenty-five years later, in 2025, it underwent a major update and revision.

For FightingArts.com and other publications Caile wrote hundreds of articles on karate, martial arts, Japanese art, Chinese Medicine and edited a book on Zen. He also developed relationships with a cross section of leading martial arts teachers. Over the last four decades he has conducted extensive private research into karate and martial arts including private translations of the once secret Okinawan hand copied and passed on Kung Fu book, the Bubishi, as well as an early karate book by the karate master Kenwa Mabuni. He periodically returns to Japan and Okinawa to continue his studies and participate Seido karate events. In Tokyo he practiced (with Roy Suenaka Sensei) in a variety of aikido organizations with their founders – including private interviews and practices at the Aiki-kai Aikido Honbu dojo with the son and grandson of aikido’s founder, Doshu (headmaster) Kisshomaru (an old uchi-deshi friend) and his son, Moriteru Ueshiba and in Iwama with Morihiro Saito. On Okinawa he studied Goju Ryu karate under Eiichi Miyazato, 10th dan founder of Naha’s Jundokan, and also with Yoshitaka Taira (who later formed his own organization, who specialized in kata Bunkai. While there Caile also trained with Hohan Soken’s senior student, Master Fusei Kise, 10 dan as well as with the grandson of the legendary karate master Anko Itosu.

Caile’s other martial arts experience includes: Diato-ryu Aikijujitsu and Kenjitsu, kobudo, boxing, Muay Thai, MMA, Kali (empty hand, knife and bolo), study of old Okinawan Shoran-ryu & Tomari body mechanics, study of old Okinawan kata under Richard Kim, study of close quarter defense and combat, including knife and gun defenses, Kyusho Jitsu and several Chinese fighting arts including 8 Star Praying Mantis, Pak Mei (White Eyebrow), and a private family system of Kung Fu.

Caile is also a student of Zen as well as a long-term student of one branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chi Kung (Qigong). As one of two senior disciples of Chi Kung master Dr. Shen (M.D., Ph.D.) Caile was certified to teach and practice. This led to Caile’s founding of the The Chi Kung Healing Institute on Grand Island, NY. In Western NY, he also frequently held Chi Kung seminars, including at SUNY Buffalo and at the famous Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. His articles on Chi Kung also appeared in the Holistic Health Journal and in several books on alternative medicine.

Caile holds a BA in International Studies from Bradley University and MA in International Relations with a specialty in South and Southeast Asia from American University in Washington, D.C. While in Buffalo, NY he also studied digital and analog electronics.

In his professional life Caile also worked in public relations and as a newspaper reporter and photographer. Earlier he worked in the field of telecommunications including Managing a Buffalo, NY sales and service branch for ITT. He then founded his own private telephone company. This was followed by creation of an electrical engineering company that designed and patented his concept for a new type of low-cost small business telephone system (which was eventually sold to Bell South). The company also did contract work for Kodak and the US space program. Simultaneously Caile designed and manufactured a unique break-apart portable pontoon boat.

Most recently Caile co-founded an internet software company. Its products include software suites with AI capability for control and management of streaming media, such as video and music, an all-in-one book publishing software product for hardcover, eBook and audio book creation and security software for buildings and government use.

For more details about Christopher Caile’s martial arts, work experience and life profile, see the About section in the footer of this site.