Young Samurai_ The Way of the Sword - Chris Bradford [64]
‘Chi sao?’ queried Yamato. ‘What does that mean? It’s not Japanese.’
‘No, it’s Chinese. Chi sao means “sticky hands”,’ explained Sensei Kano. ‘It’s a technique I learnt from a blind Chinese warrior in Beijing.’
Jack nudged Yamato and whispered, ‘The blind leading the blind, eh?’
They both laughed. Yamato, apparently over his disappointment at not being selected for the Circle of Three, had apologized for his behaviour the day before and their friendship was back on solid ground.
‘You could say that, Jack-kun,’ Sensei Kano continued, giving them both a sharp rap on the head with his staff for their impudence, ‘but chi sao is your gateway to understanding the internal aspects of martial arts – sensitivity, reflex, timing, coordination and positioning. It will teach you to undo your body’s natural instinct to resist force with force and you will learn to yield to an attack and redirect it. Most importantly, you will learn to see with your hands. Come here, Jack-kun, and stand opposite me in fighting stance.’
When Jack was in position, Sensei Kano knelt on one knee so they were more or less of equal height. He then rested each of his hands on the outside of Jack’s guard, so that he mirrored his stance.
‘I want you to attack me. Any kick or punch will do. You’re at zero range so you should be able to land something on an old blind man.’
Jack wasn’t so sure, but he gave it a go anyway. He went for a basic jab to the face, direct and quick.
Instantly he found himself off-balance, his lead hand trapped and Sensei Kano’s own fist in his face, the knuckles pressing against the tip of his nose.
‘Try again.’
This time Jack kicked, a roundhouse to the ribs, but before he had even moved Sensei Kano had pushed against his shoulder. Jack had to step backwards to regain his balance. At the same time, Sensei Kano had thrust a spearhand strike directly at a pressure point in his throat, stopping just short.
Jack swallowed in astonishment.
He had lost before he had even started. It was as though Sensei Kano could read his mind.
‘How do you do that?’ asked Jack, amazed.
‘I’m hearing you with my hands. I use my fingers to feel where your power is and as soon as you start to move, I counter by redirecting your energies then striking in retaliation,’ he explained. ‘You will learn this technique too. With time, you’ll be able to intercept an attack before your opponent has completed a single move.’
Sensei Kano stood up and indicated for Yamato to take his place.
‘To begin with, I want you to simply maintain contact with one another. Push and roll your forearms in a circle,’ tutored Sensei Kano, guiding them in their initial circular movements. ‘Stay relaxed. You’re trying to feel the movements of your opponent and find gaps in their defence. The main principle in chi sao is to greet what arrives, escort what leaves and rush in upon any loss of contact.’
Jack and Yamato were clumsy at first and had to restart several times before they managed to achieve any kind of fluidity.
‘No, don’t lean into it, Jack-kun,’ Sensei Kano instructed, his hands resting upon their shoulders so that he could judge their progress. ‘The key to chi sao is to keep your centre and stay relaxed. Think of yourselves as bamboo shoots in the wind. Be rooted yet remain flexible. Then you will grow to be strong.’
The winter sun was low in the sky by the time Sensei Kano called an end to their training. Jack and Yamato had continued with the same drill all afternoon until Jack thought his arms were about to drop off, but gradually the two of them had found their rhythm and the circular motions had become faster and more fluid.
‘Excellent work, boys,’ commended the bō master as they wended their way through the snow-laden gardens and icy waterways in the direction of the Niten Ichi Ryū. ‘In a few more sessions, I’ll teach you how to trap one another’s arms and spot the gaps you can attack into.