To Teach of Not to Teach

 Older photo of me for illustrative purposes.

Being an instructor can be a two edged sword, one that cuts both ways.

I was just reviewing a marvelous clinic we hosted for Sherman Harrill bach in 1997. It is something to view him effortlessly shift from one potential application to another and another. When I hosted clinics with Sherman, he always asked be what I was interested in.

As I have over 25 years into my own Isshinryu study, I was always interented in the more advanced kata (perhaps a distinction more in my mind than reality). So at the clinic we held his focus was on Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, Sunsu and a Bo vs. Bo drill. My students had been around a while to, and I was more focused on those kata.

(I attended others clinics with Sherman were the focus was more on the Charts, Seisan, Seiunchin and Naifanchi).

Now at that clinic in 1997 Sherman showed one application for a middle section of Sunsu (SunNuSu), and his explaination was 100% the kata. It was most interesting to me.

One of my dans could not attend, so I used him for uke my next class, I wanted to practice the application. I did so moving at very slow speed. Wanting to focus on doing it exactly as I recorded it in my notes (I had not yet reviewed the video of that day yet.)

And moving at very slow speed, I almost tore his arm off. No kidding.

That was never my intent. Just the reality that that application is that powerful.

Of course that is not the first time that happened, both trying to use applications Sherman showed, as well as my own researches into potential kata applications.

By choice I never used that movement on another student again. I choose not to teach it.

I never had a shortage of things to work on. And many of them were very powerful techniques too. Just in this case I choose to keep it in the holster.

Now I have not seen anyone else use this. Not saying they do or don’t. I am sure Sherman’s students know it well.

It is not a secret. Just I wonder (doubt) many take the time to practice it that way.

I have shared it with the instructors I have developed. They will have to decide for themselves if they will choose to share it or not.

There are so many places application study can go. I doubt anyone does everything.