sen is a strategy, one of the three basic strategies, which can be loosely translated as ‘counter technique’.   It has three recognized levels of combative initiative (sen): 1) go no sen, the ‘late’ form of attack initiative, usually characterized as a defensive move or counteraction; 2) sen, the attack initiative that is also defensive but launched simultaneously with the aggressor's attack; 3) sen-sen no sen, a supraliminal attack initiative, also defensive but appearing to be offensive, through which the aggressor's attack is anticipated and "beaten to the punch" by an appropriate action

 

Opportunity remains a moment and flies away. You think that the moment has come to apply your tricks, but you often find it too late. If you would therefore seize a good opportunity, you must be ready to seize it practically before it appears, and apply your tricks, anticipating the chance. In order to do so, your eyes alone are not enough. You must rely on the sense of your muscles. For instance, acting by go-no-sen, it is the work of a moment to change failure into success

Kumite Strategies

Sen Sen no Sen (Superior initiatory)

In this situation both you and your opponent are ready and willing to attack. Your attack must be made first in a split second between the time yoiur opponent mentally commits to the attack and the moment he begins his actual movement. His commitment to attack will prevent him responding with a defense.

Sen or Sen no Sen (Initiatory)

In Sen or Sen no Sen you and your opponent begin to move simultaneously. Your awareness of his intention to attack allows you to attack just slightly faster, making your strike just before his, 

 

Go No Sen (Initiatory of defense)

You must remain calm and watch your opponent very carefully. Your block should be an automatic response to his attack and you should attack him before he is able to recover from his initial movement. 

 

(1) go no sen, (2) sen no sen, and (3) sen-sen no sen.

(1) Go no sen means "late initiative," blocking and riposting after an enemy has already attacked. This is the method that new practitioners are initially taught. It means to receive or block a blow and then to strike back. It is a great learning method because it breaks advanced techniques down into small movements but it is not practical on the street where you are likely to become overwhelmed by a determined aggressor. This is elementary karate, abandoned quickly once any significant level of skill has been achieved.

(2) Sen no sen means "simultaneous initiative," intercepting the adversary's blow just after it begins. This is an intermediate form of karate, using quickness and power to simultaneously attack and defend, cutting off the opponent's strike before it makes contact. This is where we begin to find street-worthy application.

(3) Sen-sen no sen means "preemptive initiative," cutting off a blow before it even starts. Practitioners sense that an attack will be forthcoming and then cut it short before the aggressor has the chance to transform the mental desire to attack into the physical movement necessary to execute that desire. This is the ultimate goal of martial training insofar as self-defense is concerned, advanced karate.

Sen-sen no sen, cutting off an attack before it is fully in play, looks an awful lot like a first strike yet is still a defensive movement. This is what Funakoshi really meant: striking to cut off an impending attack is okay while instigating unwarranted violence on your own initiative is not. If you can walk away from a confrontation you absolutely should do so. It is not only morally the right thing to do but it also allows you to avoid serious legal, psychological, and/or medical repercussions as well. Most rational people would agree that picking fights is simply a bad idea. In fact, the more dangerous you really are the less you should feel a need to prove it.

 

GENERAL TERMS

 

MAJOR CONCEPTS