Black Belt Class Log 01/28/2003
It’s been a while as I’ve focused on documenting my Sherman
Harrill experience. The winter’s been snow filled, with brutal temperatures,
yet our Karate training continues.
First I’ve completed my Sherm-pedia. 210 pages, +800 techniques and lots else. I
suspect it may be one of the most complete analysis of any system in writing,
and I know it’s only a fraction of Sherman’s teachings.
Anyhow with some new beginners in the adult program they
were being worked on basics (and and foot) as well as beginning Kata Sho
studies.
For the adult program I focused on several Wansu series from
Sherman’s teachings.
First, I’d like to distinguish between techniques that would
be directly used against an attacker, as opposed to studies on Kata sequences,
as precise two person drills, containing much more material and emphasizing
various self defense themes, in addition to a more focused simple response.
The first one we focused on was the parry, punch through
front kick sequence of Wansu.
Attacker Right Foot Forward, with a right punch or grab
1. LFF
Left Open hand outer parry (counter-clockwise)
Attacker then throws a right punch
2. Right
rising punch, rotating to 1 o’clock to slide the attackers strike off to the
left as you strike into their jaw
3. Right
front kick, directed perhaps towards their left inner thigh.
4. Place
the right foot down in front, and execute a simultaneous left high block and a
right low strike into their abdomen.
5. Chamber
your right hand and then strike into their upper/inner thigh followed by a
strike into their groin.
6. Your
left hand slides down and grabs their left wrist, and you pull them slightly
forward.
7. Turn
and step with your right 180 degrees counter-clockwise, as you do so, pulling
your left arm to the left, your right forearm (often incorrectly called a right
rising forearm strike) presses against the attackers triceps insertion. This
forces them forward, and as the step and turn progresses drives them over and
down with an arm bar.
So the drill was to have the group work on doing this a
precisely as possible, not working variations.
This re-enforces a theme, where you use the kata for two
person skill drills, as well as for the combat principles contained therein.
After this drill ,we concentrated on several kata, Wansu and
Nihanchi.
Finally I took another drill from Harrill Sensei’s
offerings. Where over 90% of his drills and work are following the kata
directly, occasionally he’d change the sequence of techniques a bit looking at
their offerings. From the Side Kick,
Kamae, forward Elbow strike and turn section:
Attacker LFF left Punch
1. LFF
Left Kamae, both hands held at guard position in the kamae.
a. This
is an example of how the kamae is not a hold position but actually an active
strike, but with no motion involved. The attacker applies the motion, you
assume the kamae at the right time, to insert it within their attack, and that
insertion of assuming the kamae, is the attack.
b. Another
point, if you touch the inside of your left elbow with your right open hand, you
magnify the power of the kamae position. That touch aligns your outside (or
right in this case) more strongly, creating a more powerful technique.
2. Left Side kick to their left knee.
a. This
kick will drive them clockwise, and begin to drop them on their left knee, at a
90 degree angle from where you are.
3. RFF, with the right elbow strike
a. In
this case you’re using the inside of the elbow strike to roll around their
throat, in a basic choke position., but as their head is likely pushing back
into your abdomen, you really don’t have the ready room to insert your left
hand behind their head.
4. So
at this point, use the Wansu shift to Cat Stance to simply take your left and
step down on the attacker’s left calf, when their knee is on the floor, and
their toes are bent underneath.
a. This
has the real potential to rupture their Achilles tendon. If you do this, there’s no stepping back, as
this is a potentially crippling technique.
5. Now
their head rolls forward from the pain, and you can insert your left arm behind
their head, to grab your own right forearm, and at the same time your right
hand grabs their collar high up, to roll your thumb into the tendon insertion,
on the rear of the midline of the neck at the side.
6. Obviously
the completing chambering both hands at your right side would manipulate their
neck back and twist it.
Be aware that you’re not working
the carotid sinus with this position, but a tendon insertion on the back side
of the side of the neck, which is quite painful. There may be other
implications between that neck snap to the side too.
Following this we began a spirited
discussion on the stark nature of these techniques. If attacked the Kamae
assumption and the side kick would likely drop most individuals. Then there is
no moral reason to go further. But as a drill to consider other options in
different situations, the drill has merit, great merit.
Finally we completed
with some focused work on the first series of Tokomeni No Kon techniques and
corrections.
As I move forward, I don’t doubt I’ll continue to move on in
my own application analysis. But Sherman’s lessons will always provide a
template for analysis, great technique source, and a base to work from.
Victor
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