Life experiences provide us with basic skills to anticipate and avoid some potentially violent scenarios. However, note that it is unusual for one technique to follow another 100 percent of the time. Instead, two related techniques may follow one another at some probability level that is less than 100 percent but higher than random chance. This can be shown graphically by means of the Markov chains, which illustrate Kumite sequences. In a Markov chain, arrows indicate transitions between techniques.
Transition frequencies are percentages that indicate how frequently one technique follows another.
Note that each technique may be followed by more than one other technique. In such cases, two arrows should be drawn from Gyaku-Zuki to the other two techniques. Figure 1 below, shows a more detailed Markov chain diagram which includes transitions and transition frequencies among five different Karate techniques. Only five techniques have been chosen with the purpose to illustrate this example in a simple manner. Oi-Zuki is the technique that initiates most of the attacks, while Uraken is preferably used for connection between attacks.