Derivative

 

A while ago early in my first year visiting Tris Sutrisno’s dojo he began teaching his senior students a new kama kata. Chosen No Kama Sho. He taught it to me at the same time; it was difficult with challenging handling as the kama shifted continually from open handling to close handling. I did my best to learn the form.

 

The next week I again attended his dojo. That time he was teaching his senior students the 2^nd kama form, Chosen on Kama Dai. He also shared it with me.

 

That was possible because in many of his kobudo forms, they built upon the previous form, often with the same or similar embusen for the new form.

 

As was shown to me, the forms were mostly identical with the Dai version just using some different technique selection. The changes were logical, making retaining the two forms easier.

 

Then one day Tris competed with the kama at a tournament, He used a 3^rd version (which I was never shown.) Chosen No Kama Dai-Ichi. Way beyond my abilities. I know many people were impressed.

 

In both forms there was a complex set of kama strikes, the pattern identical in each form. Sort of a way to use the kama for slice and dice. At least that is how I described it.

 

Several years later I learned the Bando Short Stick form and then discovered I could use those movements with anything I could place in my hands. My experience with derivative technique really started then,

 

I realized those movements could also be done with double sticks, with no changes to the movement, another exercise in derivation.

 

As the years passed, and I continued to work the form the kama shifts did not grow easies, which I chalked up to aging. Still I continued to work the form.

 

Then one day almost a decade later, Tris had come up to Derry, to give a clinic for my students. Before that clinic he wanted to review my kama, (a small portion of that review was captured on video below).

 

 

 

When he got to that kama pass in the form, he changed it for the Dai form apparently this was not first taught, to better allow the student to work on the other changes. But when that slice and dice section was sufficiently performed (one way of looking at it was 7 continuous strikes) the movements were changed to a section of 5 double continuous fluid strikes. Which of course became another study.

 

Beyond that I realized those strikes could also be performed with double sticks, not just the kama.

 

I choose to only share these kama kata with the instructors I developed, as extreme drills to continue to push their skills. Even more so as my own skill handling was declining.

 

Now much in my own dotage I have found another derivative use for those kama passes. I can do them with double very short sticks in my hand. I can still function with some skill at very close range. This increases my short range defensive ability.

 

More so, as it is much unexpected.

 

Age we must, but surrender Never!