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Kime

Kime (決め) is one of the most important concepts in traditional karate, referring to the decisive focus applied at the moment of impact. The term comes from the verb kimeru, meaning to decide or to fix, and captures the idea of committing total force and intention to a single point at a single instant.

In practice, kime is not simply hitting hard. It describes the quality of a strike in which the entire body, from the feet through the legs, hips, torso, shoulder, and arm, is momentarily unified in delivering force to a precise target. The muscles tighten at the exact moment of contact and immediately relax, allowing for both maximal power transfer and rapid recovery for the next technique. A strike with poor kime may be physically forceful but structurally diffuse; one with good kime concentrates that force with accuracy and intent.

Kime is traditionally developed through tools like the makiwara, which provides the progressive resistance needed to feel and refine structural alignment under load. It is also cultivated through kata practice, where techniques are performed with full commitment to each movement. In sport karate, kime is evaluated as a judging criterion in kata competition, reflecting its central place in defining technical quality.

Related article: The Makiwara: Okinawa's Striking Post and Its Place in the Modern Dojo

Karate cannot be adequately learned in a short space of time. Like a torpid bull, regardless of how slowly it moves, it will eventually cover a thousand miles. So too, for one who resolves to study Karate diligently two or three hours every day. After three or four years of unremitting effort one's body will undergo a great transformation revealing the very essence of Karate.
Anko Itosu

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