Friday, January 27, 2012

“Judo InsideOut , a Cultural reconciliation” by Geof Gleeson



In 1983 “Judo Inside Out” was published, the book the creation of English Judo-ka and Psychologist Geof Gleeson. It is one of the marital texts of the modern era that offers insight and wisdom for the instructor. Not a Judo-ka, not an issue the book can be restated to whatever art you practice and it retains all of it’s value [Note: this does take work!]

I’ve been through the book many times and each time it offers great value. For an example from the chapter ‘Some Differences between Skill and Technique’, page 21.

1. An efficient fighter always assumes he is the weaker in skills (not the weaker in determination to win). It may not be true, but in this way he will not underestimate his opponent.

2. Accepting an inferior – but temporary – relationship makes the necessity of correct analysis more pressing and essential to get right.

3. Being weaker than the opposition is a common relationship often found in any fighter’s career, yet seldom discussed. For some strange reason it is always suggested that the fighter should assume he is the better in any championship there is only one winner, the rest are losers, so there must be a lot more ‘weaker-relationships’ than ‘stronger-relationships’.

Because by definition skill is the adaptation to an ever changing set of circumstances, it is impossible to describe any specific skill in general terms…..

It’s chapters include:

Chapter 1 Some Differences between Skill and Technique

Chapter 2 Countering Skills

Chapter 3 Let’s Start Again

Chapter 4 The Psychology of Competition – or How to Make the Most out of Very Little

Chapter 5 A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Chapter 6 A Summing Up

I would suggest if you can find a copy it will be worth your effort.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Some of the Gang

Don, Mike, Victor and Rabiah

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Bushi No Te Isshinryu Technical Studies - Kicking techniques


Note; most of the following kicks work to a wide range of targets of opportunity. Nor are the set up techniques described, nor angles of entry, etc.
 
Isshinryu basics
  1. Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ball of foot
  2. Rear Front Snap Kick (side) ball of foot
  3. Front Front Thrust Kick (front) heel thrust knee high
  4. Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ripping toe kick
  5. Rear Front Thrust Kick (on the floor on your back) - heel
  6. Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees front – blade of foot
  7. Side Snap Kick knee height to side – blade of foot
  8. Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees rear – blade of foot
  9. Side Thrust Kick (on the floor on your side) – heel
  10. Bottom foot hooks behind leg and Top foot Side Thrust Kick to the knee (on the floor on your side)
  11. Cross Kick (stomp) – heel
  12. Cross Kick (stomp) - instep
  13. Crescent Kick Inner (front) – shin
  14. Crescent Kick Inner (front) - instep
  15. Knee Strike to front
  16. Knee Strike to front cat chambered first
  17. Rear Kick with heel (foot vertical) to groin
  18. Jump Knee Strike then Opposite Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
  19. Double Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
  20. Step to Side Squat Kick (roundhouse kick 45 degrees off the floor) – ball of the foot
  21. Roundhouse Kick (old style) ball of the foot
  22. Roundhouse Kick (new style) ball of the foot
  23. Back corner side kick with one foot followed by a rear kick with the other foot
  24. Back corner side kick with one foot followed by rear kick with the same foot
Isshinryu advanced
 
  1. stepping – on top of opponents foot / stomping
  2. stepping – hooking behind on the interior line of defense
  3. stepping – hooking behind on the exterior line of defense
  4. stepping – stepping on the opponents instep
  5. stepping – hurried stomping on the opponents instep
  6. stepping – sweep
  7. stepping – inner knee check/thrust
  8. Front Kick – striking behind the calf on a returning heel
  9. Front Kick – shin kick to the inner thigh
  10. Front Kick – instep kick with the ball of the foot
  11. Front Kick – striking with the inside ball as the foot retracts
  12. Naifanchi – inner foot slice to inside of leg
  13. Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – inside to outside
  14. Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – outside to inside
  15. Naifanchi – outside ball of foot reverse round strike to outer calf
Other kicking
 
  1. Front Kicks top of the foot
  2. Round Kicks top of the foot
  3. Ankle Kicking with Toes in shoes (Tam Tuie)
  4. Inner Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
  5. Outer Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
  6. Lower Abdomen Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
  7. Uechi style Toe Kicks
  8. On Floor, rolling scissors to leg – trap – takedown
  9. from Seiza – front thrust kick and return to Seiza
  10. Outer Crescent Kick
  11. Reverse Roundhouse Kick
  12. Jumping Front Front Kick
  13. Jumping Outer Crescent Kick
  14. Jumping Inner Crescent Kick
  15. Jumping Outer Front Crescent Kick followed by Jumping Inner Rear Crescent Kick
  16. Jumping Inner Rear Crescent kick followed by Jumping Inner Front Crescent Kick
  17. Step and Crescent Kick
  18. Rear Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
  19. Front Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
  20. Back Turning Rear Kick
  21. Back Turning Side Kick
  22. Back Turning Inside Round Kick
  23. Back Turning Outside Crescent Kick
  24. Back Turning Jumping Rear Outside Crescent Kick followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
  25. Back Turning Jumping Knee followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
  26. Axe Kick (heel striking outside crescent kick)
  27. Back Turning Jumping Axe Kick
  28. Turn away – drop to knee and place both hands on the floor – rear foot back turning side kick from the kneeling position – return kicking foot to original position – rotate and stand to original position
  29. Spinning Wheel Kick
  30. Turn away – drop to knee, and place both hands on the floor – spin counter-clockwise with a wheel kick (calf high)
Sparring kicks
 
  1. The normal range of sparring kicking and combinations
Specific Combinations
 
  1. Cross over stomp kick followed by front kick with the other leg
  2. Front Shin Kick followed by Rear Shin Kick
  3. Rear front Thrust to inner thigh and retract with cut kick to inside of other knee
  4. Squat Kick to outside ribs and follow with cross stomping kick on their inner knee
  5. Step in spin counter-clockwise and Swing Kick directly to rear hooking their ankle
  6. Step outside spin clockwise and Swing Kick directly to the rear hooking their ankle
  7. Back Side Kick to Front follow with back turning side kick to the front then place foot down and rear leg outer crescent kick
  8. Step Past the attacker and rear leg chamber heel pawing strike to groin
Ghost Techniques
 
  1. Private range of Chinese lower body maneuvers for evasion and turning using the stepping as an attack
Kicking Drills
 
  1. Kihon Ni-Dan
 
Beginning LFF Left Front stance and a Left middle double guard
  1. Left middle roundhouse kick
  2. Left high round house kick
  3. Right reverse punch
  4. Right front kick (place foot down in front)
  5. Spin 180 to the left in horse stance and deliver a left neck high spinning shuto to the front.
  6. Pivot into kusanku block and strike
  7. Right roundhouse kick (place foot down in front)
  8. Spin 180 to the left on the right foot and deliver a right low open hand parry
  9. Right low side kick, end in horse stance
  10. Right open side parry from horse stance, step in with the left and right side kick followed by left hook punch
  11. Turn left and left open side parry from horse stance, step in with the right foot and left side kick followed by a right hook punch
  12. Step in with the left foot (alongside the right)
  13. Pivot to the right on the left foot and right outside crescent kick
  14. Jump double front kick (left then right)
  15. Jump off the right foot, spinning 360 to the left with a left outside then right inside crescent kick
  16. Land in horse stance
  17. Jump up jumping right front kick
  18. Drop to the floor (a collapse) with a right front kick
  19. On the floor right thrust side kick.
  20. Turn over to the right (Scissoring the legs) and then left side thrust kick
  21. Rise on the left foot (sitting on the right knee)
  22. Double jumping front kick from the kneeling position
  23. Turn and close.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Time Travel Agena 1972

There’s a lot of history on a concrete floor that no longer exists.

When Charles Murray trained in Agena in 1971 he kept some memories that I’m sharing so we don’t forget.

The difference from the days when my original instructor, Tom Lewis, trained in Agena, a roof had been added to the dojo. The broken bottles were still atop the wall.

So here are a few photographs and video’s of Agena.

A painting of Shimabuku Sensei hanging on the wall.


The desk of Shimabuku Sensei.

The Agena dojo wall.


The Agena dojo training facilities.


Isshinryu Kata Chart

Upper and Lower Body Chart

The most important dojo notice!



Agena Dojo in 1972




Working the makiwara in Agena.



A big thank you to Charles Murray for sharing these memories with my students.