At the time I
began to go out an train when possible with many other martial instructors,
nobody expected that I would gain anything from it. For myself I just wanted to
work with adults (none available for me at that time and I knew I needed adults
to have some work with) and none of those instructors were but being nice
allowing me to train with them. They never attempted me to learn their systems.
But learn I did,
for I had been taught by Charles Murray’s instruction to learn and then work to
retain what I was shown even once. And in some part I did.
I saw many
things which were not shown in the Isshinryu I studied. Found them interesting,
and then worked to understand how they worked on my own to make them my own. No
doubt not always the same as the original, but if I could make them work that
was more than enough for me.
Let me give an
example during the time I was studying t’ai chi and some Chinese forms with
Ernest Rothrock, one Saturday afternoon I was at his school working on my
forms. While there I saw him working with one of his students for a demo they
were to do. Now applications of those forms were not what I was studying and
found his demo interesting.
I vividly
remember one attack where he just walked into the attack, spun taking his
attacker down and ‘completing’ his defense on the floor ending the attacker. I
had never seen anything like that before. I had no idea what happened and right
before my eyes. But I did know it occurred.
I did not
immediately work on it. Years later I retained the memory of it happening. Then
I went towork as to how he could have
done that. We were close friends by that time, I could have asked, but I wanted
more than works, I wanted to know it, own it, and be able to perform it. In
time I worked out an answer for myself.
And at that time
that was all it was.
Several years
later he was in Derry along with a group of martial artists who then worked out
together and shared. That afternoon I saw him perform that defense again, and
what I worked out was pretty much the same thing. It was part of my personal
understanding of how things worked.
I have so many
examples of my working out things I did not understand from him, Tristan
Sutrisno and many other people. What things, my own memories after all. Some
shared with my students when it made sense, some never shared because the right
time never came up. But that is just what happened.
The real lesson is that I saw, I thought
and then went to work
to make what I saw possible for me.
What you gain by
working it out for yourself, is more valuable than just hearing the answer. You
took the effort to make it yours.
I was not a
student of Dr. Yang Jwing-Mang. But I observed his influence on many martial
matters over the years, and thought a reminiscence of what I saw might be
useful.
First off Dr.
Yang came to America to study engineering and became a Doctor of Engineering I
believe at Perdue. He had served in the Taiwan
armed forces and had been a student of several martial arts there. I believe on
viewing the American martial arts seen he likely felt he could offer
information that many would find valuable. He taught Yang Tai Chi and other
Chinese arts.
He worked to
contribute new martial information than many might find useful. So he began
publishing books on what he knew. And as time went on more and more of them.
When I saw his Advanced Tai Chi 1 @ 2, what attracted me was not the historical
tai chi knowledbe, rather his description of the martial use of t’ai chi and
the manner in which he presented that information.
IMO he set the template
many could use for their own martial investigations. Every movement was shown
from 3 different uses contained there in:
1.How that
movement could be used to down an enemy.
2.How that
movement could be used to strike in a cavity (I understood that as a vital
point)
3.How that movement
contained chin na control over an opponent’s attack.
It made a great
deal of sense to me.
My own studies
in the Chinese Arts was more a study of forms, including my T’ai Chi studies.
Never deep enough to study such matters. O’ I was shown how to apply some
movement at times but that was not the focus of my own studies in the early
1980’s.
His books and
then video’s on Chin Na became more involved. I think he rethought how to
present Chin Na knowledge. He logically restructured what he was presenting in
a manner in which an engineer might think.
Chin Na for the
fingers, for the wrist, for the forearm, for the elbow and so forth. Grouping
those studies by area to be affected. Extremely logical and not necessarily in
the same order the original art(s) presented that material.
Then the books
got more involved, and video tapes to become dvd’s followed. A very impressive
body of knowledge.
I had noted how
there was a similarity to the aikido I studied (aikido studied to prepare for
advanced karate application studies. Then as I lived somewhat in the neighborhood
of his school outside of Boston, I was able to see him perform a few times.
From my wife’s studies with him, I got to feel his Chin Na on the receiving
end.
Several years
later I was able to attend a 2 day weekend seminar with Dr. Yang in his school.
It was on Tai Chi Sword and Chi Kung. The sword he presented was not what I had
studied and I am sorry to say that did not stick with me. But he also talked
about what he as doing with his books. Many of them on various Chinese aspects
of the arts. What he did whenever he returned to Taiwan, was to buy as many
Chinese original books as he could afford, those books became the source of
much of his translations on many topics.
I got a bit more
out of the Chi Kung presentation. For I recognized several of the drills,
except what Ernie taught them to me, they were linked together. Then it was a
drill his eagle claw instructor, Sheum Leung, used to being and end every
class. I just did not know that drill was Chi Kung [Side noteI still practice that drill to this day, in
fact several times a day as it is incredible to loosen my shoulders.]
That was the
extent of my meetings with Dr. Yang.
But there is an
alwful lot that pertains and appends to our study of karate, should you use it.
Without question it is difficult to obtain information from books. I never truly understood many of them. For example it is said a great book on T'ai Chi can contain 50 years of information, but it can take 50 years to understand what is in that book.
But I suggest that Dr. Yang has tried his best to make so much available to use, even if we can't be his students.
I have written
about Dr. Yang several times before on my blog.
First make it
clear I am not a Chin Na expert by any means.
For about 5 years
after Shodan I trained with as many people to learn a bit about their arts.
Among my studied I
trained with Ernest Rothrock first to learn the Yang Long Fist T’ai Chi Chaun
form, and then to study a variety of mostly Northern Chinese forms to better
understand what their forms were doing. Studying those systems applications was
not my focus with him. I did learn a few things but that about sums it up.
I also trained
with Tristan Sutrisno in his family Shotokan, his use of aikido principles to
prepare for his Shotokan bunkai and a few other things. This presentation of
aikido for karate did give be a basic understanding what aikido could do.
At that same time
I became aware of the writings on the Chinese arts by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming .His texts on T’ai Chin Na were so well
donethat it is likely he set the
template for many to follow in their own application work (a different use of
bunkai than I had been taught from the Sutrisno tradition. Even more impressive
were his works on Chin Na, where he incorporated the Chin Na of several
different systems and then presented the material in a very progressive manner.
So many books he
wrote, so many video tapes then dvd’s on so many things. He recognized karate
could use what he was presenting.
Most if not all, Chinese
systems have their own chin na aspects. Some more and some less. But they are
all ways to work an opponent’s openings against the opponent.
After I moved to
NH and had reestablished my program, a friend invited me to a 3 style clinic
where Dr. Yang was one of the presenters. I recognized what he was showing
because of my earlier aikido studies. ( That is not to suggest aikido is chin
na, rather they share some similarities.)
My wife, Maureen,
was partnered with my friend. He was having difficulty understanding how to
perform the tecunique. Dr. Yang was wandering around assisting various peoples
when he saw his difficulty. He came to attempt to show the lock more detailed to
assist, and he asked my wife to try and apply in on him, so he could explain what
was happening. My wife had been trained in the Sutrisno Aikido version of the
technique. Dr. Yang had huge, quite red, forearms and wrists from decades of
work at his own chin na. My wife applied the lock and Dr. Yang immediately
dropped to his knees.
Now long story
short, my friend, contracted to have Dr. Yang teach two courses (each one a 9
month course once a week in Yang Tai Chi and Chin Na. My wife signed up for
both of them. Because of work I could not be home in time for the classes. The
first class was Chin Na, and when Dr. Yang saw my wife come in, he laughingly
backed away from her.
She enjoyed those
classes immensely. And as I was home when she came from class, I was nominated
as her practice dummy. (Not that I had any choice.) she learned to apply those
moves with extreme pain, mine. But I came to really appreciate what Chin Na
study was about. Especially learning not to ever grab
my wife.
But I also found
that from his books and videos, the techniques were so clearly shown, I could
immediately apply them.
I always had so
much to teach there was no time in include formal chin na study.
But once a year,
in my adult class, with long term students, I would take the Comprehensive
Applications of Shoalin Chin Na to class. Then randomly select a page, and we
would work whatever techniques were on that page. To let everyone see and feel
they could also use that for a reference for other study. My idea was not to
have them self study Chin Na, rather to intimately understand what else there
was, to feel how much was in common with our training. And an idea where
self-growth could come from.
Caveat emptor (/ˈɛmptɔːr/; from caveat,
"may he beware", a subjunctive form of cavēre, "to beware"
+ ēmptor, "buyer") is Latin for "Let the buyer beware".
Generally, caveat emptor is the contract law principle that controls the sale
of real property after the date of closing, but may also apply to sales of
other goods. The phrase caveat emptor and its use as a disclaimer of warranties
arise from the fact that buyers typically have less information than the seller
about the good or service they are purchasing. This quality of the situation is
known as 'information asymmetry'. Defects in the good or service may be hidden
from the buyer, and only known to the seller.
I have been and will be sharing old
magazine articles from the 60’, 70’s and 80’s with martial artists kata
performances.. About a decade ago a friends pointed out to me something you
should keep in mind.
When those magazines were published it
was well before videotape, dvd and all current internet resources. When you saw
them, you had no other convenient reference to check them against.
What was explained to me that some of
those presenting those kata, were following an older Okinawan tradition for
public performance. That being of intentionally altering a kata performance in
public, so one watching that performance could not learn the ‘real’ kata. After
all the performance was for enjoyment not for instruction.
On Okinawa after all instructors had no obligation
to give the crowd but a performance, not the real kata after all.
What my friend explained was this was
done to enable them to identify at tournament who learned the kata from the
magazine as opposed to those who received actual instruction.
Of course the technique execution of the
presenter is still real, if only inspiration is derived there is value to such
articles. But I would suggest if you are driven to attempt the form itself
perhaps you might check a half dozen versions on You Tube from that performer’s
system to try and make sure the form shown is not an altered version.
So when you see these articles now or in
some future, remember Caveat Emptor. Let the Buyer Beware.
Back
when I was a beginner I used to enjoy reading Destroyer Novels (written by
Murphy and Sapir), in fact I still do. In one of those books the hero (an
American assassin) declined to shake hands with someone,my paraphrase of that was’ he statedshaking hands means I trust you and that was something he did not do.’
I
always remembered that and several years later when I began teaching karate to
the young through the Scranton Boys Clubs it remained in my mind.
To
begin with I understood the underlying theory behind that statement. When we
learn most movements we are young, have some difficulty learning them, often
falling when we were little, and then when we got it down that motion became
automatic. Meaning that after that we would most often do that motion without
regard for our surroundings.
One
of the oldest jokes (of course funnier for the observer than the object of the
joke), was when someone was going to sit down and then their chair was pulled
out from under them. No chair…fall down…go boom… observer laughs (of course
often because it was not them who were made the target of the joke).
The
fault of the target was they were sitting down on automatic, not being sure the
chair remained where they thought it was.
Now
extend that to shaking hands. Someone extends their hand to share hands. But
that is because they expect the other person to then take their hand and shake
it. More done on automatic expectation the other person will shake hands. But,
their placing their hand out to shake, really is creating a path to their
center where they are not really observing what could be happening. That can be
taken advantage of.
Now
I was not an assassin, but that possibility could be used for a valuable
training experience for my students.
The
reality teaching karate there is a great deal you can’t do, because the student
does not possess the technique or knowledge to do much for years. One of the
lessons I felt most important was to make each person aware of how open they
were to possible attack, Awareness development the goal. And this was not the
standard karate training.
So
thinking about how to get the lesson across I remembered that old story. And
that gave me an idea.
When
any student received a promotion I decided that would be the lesson.
Part
of the promotion was that I would shake their hand to congratulate them.
So
what I did was extend my open hand as to share theirs. Then they would extend
their open hand to shake my hand, Instead my open hand slapped the palm of
their hand and instead my hand formed an Isshinryu fist to strike them in the
solar plexus.
Now
I had very good control and those strikes were not hard, just enough sting to
know they were hit, and of course they would register surprise on their face
and have something to think about. Of course the rest of the class laughed, not
realizing in time it would then be their own turn.
In
time when I went to share their hand they had learned not to automatically
extend their own hand. The lesson was learned.
Then
when I visited other schools I trained with , also with adults, and someone
their received a promotion I would give them the same ‘treat’ on their
promotion. Spreading what gifts I have freely.
In
time I also began teaching adults, and I continued to use the same handshake
with them, but with greater body mass I would sting harder. So they would
really know they were hit. It rarely worked after the first time.
But
the logic was sound, without constant vigilance of your surroundings you are
more open to a chair being pulled from under you, or a far more serious attack.
And that was what I was really training them to avoid if possible.
Years
later I had a young woman join the program. At the end of the first night she
asked me what to do if she was attacked by somebody in a car. My response
began; first you don’t get into cars as
doing so can be deadly. It was not what she thought I would say and was a
bit disappointed.Then I discussed the
issue further explaining often attacks happen from someone you know, and so
forth. So my beginning response was an accurate one.
So
as you can imagine my students rarely shook hands with me, They would often try
to stop me making it more fun when they attempted to do so.
I
kept my instructor world separate from my real life but for one time.
A
vice president where I worked was making the rounds to say goodbye as he had
accepted another job at a nearby company. When he got to me and reached out to
shake hands, I lightly tapped his palm and then flowed a strike to his solar
plexus. A very fast strike, of course I stopped it right on his shirt with no
penetration or feeling from the strike.
When
it registered that he was so open to an attack, well he did not react well.
Immediately he began hyper-breathingfrom the pretend strike. He got over it of course. In one sense it
mattered not as he was choosing to leave the company (which could be considered
a joke after all), but I learned a valuable lesson, not to play with civilians.
I recently
shared on an Isshinryu facebook group one of my blog posts, which showed the February
1990 Black Belt magazine article ‘ SUNSU, Isshinryu
Karate’s Most Advanced kata”, I
had posted that article to preserve it for my students, http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-article-on-sunsu-kata.html.
It has been a
long times since I have re-read it.
But on reading
that article I began thinking what the word advanced means.
To be clear I
realize Sunsu (SunNuSu) was the kata Shimabuku Tatsuo created and that it
normally is one of the last empty hand kata taught.
I love the form
for it contains so many lessons and allow us a glimpse into the thoughts of
Shimabuku Sensei.
Although the
form is learned in a few short weeks and practiced hard for years, it was only
about after 20 years of work on the form that I really began to be comfortable
with the form. It’s breathing pattern, timing, balance shifts and the like.I suppose in a way that might be what an
advanced form represents.
Then when my
senior students were a the same 20 year study of SunNuSu I remarked to them
about my own experience.Whereby one of
them remarked he was feeling the same idea I expressed. (Though almost
identical in their studies with me, they also had their own specialties or
focuses, one of them on the kata and one of them on the kobudo.
So that is
anotherdefinition of advanced.
But I have
placed my thoughts on another idea, that being are the techniques of SunNuSu
(Sunsu) more advanced than the techniques of the other kata, certainly some are
different, but are they more advanced?
Let me begin
with the opening movement of Seisan kata (setting aside the definition of what
that movement can represent). With more that a few years of work I identified
about 100 different ways they could be inserted into an attack and disrupt that
attack,In fact where I started my
shodans studies was just there. The most important thing about that study was
to understand how the underlying principles led one to all those application. The
working to those applications realizations was something else all together.
And if you take
those same underlying principles and apply them to the opening movement of the
other kata, you will end up with about 100 different way to use those
movements, too. So whether Seisan, Seiunchin, Naifanchi, Wansu, Chinto,
Kusanku, Sunsu or Sanchin. Each kata presents almost the same potentials for
use. Certainly there are some principles which may not apply every time, but
that more becomes a moot point.
And the same can
be said for almost every other movement from each other kata.Leading one to question are any of the moves
really advanced.
In summation what
you want to see as advanced might be the correct answer for you.
The
following posts from my blog expound on some of the themes expressed above.
At the
same time I doubt anyone will work through them, even my students who lived all
of this.
Sunsu – SunNuSu –
SuNSu(and all other variant spellings)
I put this together in 2008, though I could share newer videos I believe this is still sufficient.
I think Shimabuku Sensei’s vision for his Isshinryu shared
several layers of development. (I’m not bringing his kobudo into this
discussion at this time.) Over more time I acquired more knowledge about the history and development of this form. But I still feel these notes are sufficient for what I taught.
First were the style specific generalizations he chose:
1.He
chose to use a variation of Sanchin Dachi for his front stance.
2.He
chose to use vertical striking as his primary strike for much of his time,
though he did return to the twisting strike for a number of years in the early
60’s, due to the influence of his older Okinawan students who had no desire to
change from his Kyan days.
3.He
chose to use flat ‘blocking’ strikes instead of twisting ones.
4.His
kata often had the stamp of his thinking.
a.Seiunchin
kata with technique reversals from Miyagi’s Seiunchin kata.
b.Naifanchi
kata beginning in a left direction instead of a right direction used by most
systems. Interesting Motobu taught it both ways (as shown in his son’s school),
though his books showed it starting in a right direction.
c.Kusnaku
Kata dropping to the floor with the side block, quite different from Kyan’s
version.
5.Some of his kata were relatively unchanged
except for the basic Isshinryu changes.
a.Seisan
kata
b.Chinto
kata
c.Kusanku
Kata
6.I’d
bet Wansu was one of his first test beds to try his ideas. His kata is a variation
of Kyan’s but the last 1/3 of the kata is his own thinking.
7.Then
there is SunNuSu
a.In
the last century most of the instructors spent their time building beginners
kata. Shimabuku Tatsuo did not do this as Itosu’s Pinan, Nagamine’s Fyugata,
Miyagi’s Geseki kata and perhaps Tensho. Instead he created a complex fire
breathing one, the Okinawan panel in the mid 30’s that created 10 basic forms
documented in the 1938 Nakasone Encyclopedia of Karate, never formally used
(but I studied through Shotokan).
b.Most
instructors were content to play with the forms they studied, changing
techniques, execution flow and timing, etc, but rarely touching the embusen of
the kata (perhaps this was the true unchanging core as all of the Seisan
variations seem to touch on the same basic embusen and additions).
c.SunNuSu
is a combination of familiar Isshinryu kata techniques, techniques from Kyan
kata not in the Isshinryu system, and most importantly unique techniques to
Isshinryu alone, such as some of the raking kicks, or the elbow/forearm
striking combinations not found in other systems kata.
Observations on the crafting of SunNuSu – How I source the
kata’s technique acquisition.
Opening
from Sanchin. In my practice Sanchin is designed for one purpose to break
people up if attacked
Next
section (knife hand and spear hand strikes and the turn) from Kyan Patsai
Kata.
Chambering
and Side Kicking from Shiambuku’s Wansu kata. Note there are number of
kicking variations I’ve seen.
Goju
Style side kicks to the knee
Front
Front kicks to the side done with the ball of the foot.
Front
Front kicks to the side done with the blade of the foot.
Knee
strike front kicks to the side
Modern
high side kicks
The
flowing spear hands of Kyan Gojushiho Kata
Kusanku
Kata turn, pivot and strike and front kick
Descending
double strikes as from Patsai
Turn
twist down side/front stomp kick as from Patsai. Motobu Chokoi included
the application of same in his early 1930’s text on karate published in Japan. Joe
Swift obtained a reprint copy for Harrill Sensei after he had pointed out
Motobu did it.
The
kick can be front or front raking kick orside stomp or AJ Advincula’s version (similar to the rare Tou’on
Ryu version)
The U
strikes from Kyan Patsai
Squat
Kicks – IMO unique to Shimabuku Tatsuo. Possiblity they were a variation
of Patsai Kata kicking.
Unique
inside elbow striking sequence
Unique
Outside elbow strike sequence
Turn
with kamae, stepping double palm striking – could be variations of Kyan
Kusanku kata technique.
Turning
back elbow strike (unique to Shimabuku Tatsuo?)
Wansu
dumping throw (reversed as to balance the version for the Isshinryu
krarate-ka practice).
Bent
forearm parry down – Pinan San dan parry
Backfist
– step across double under hand grab
Raking
Kick (variations)
Front raking kick toes down through the
groin
AJ
Advincula’s kick similar to the rare Tou’on ryu front stomp/kick
Important the real thing isn’t the source of the techniques,
but the process that the form added to Isshinryu karate. It is much more than
the movements, the pattern flow, technique execution, etc. are very advanced
study and in my experience are decades of work before you begin to understand
the rhythm of the kata’s potential. SuNuSu (Sunsu) KataNotes from 1990
This kata was invented by
Master Shimabuku to use the techniques he felt were strongest in the Okinawan
Karate systems. Sunsu means ‘Strong man’ which was his nickname. He
incorporates moves from Isshinryu kata Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku and Sanchin as
well as techniques from Shorinryu’s Passai, Gojushiho andGojuryu’s Katas Shioshin.
This kata is a unification of
all the Okinawan systems Shimabuku Sensei studied. It has unique moves such as
the squat kicks and the obi wazza (belt grabs) before the elbow strikes.
12:00. Rei
.
Hide weapon, close down
. Cross arms, open
. Step forward with the left foot into front stance
while executing a double outside block
. the right hand chambers and then
executes a lower right strike to the centerline
. the right hand then slides up the
opponents body to conclude in its opening outside
block
. the left hand remains in the
opening block position
. Step forward with the right foot into front stance
while executing a double outside block
. the left hand chambers and then
executes a lower left strike to the centerline
. the left hand then slides up the
opponents body to conclude in its opening outside block
. the right hand remains in the
opening block position.
. Step forward with the left foot into front stance
while executing a double outside block
. the right hand chambers and then
executes a lower right strike to the centerline
. the right hand then slides up the
opponents body to conclude in its opening outside
block
. the left hand remains in the
opening block position
. Remaining in left foot forward front stance, both
hands open and slide down in an “)(“ motion
For a double
lower outer palm strike
. Pull both open hand s back into chamber
. Step out with the left and slide the right along
into left front stance as you perform a double palm
Up spear hand
strike to the lower ribs, then turn both palms over and press down and out
[Note. This
can be done with a grab after the spear hand strike.]
. The left foot steps back forming a right front
stance as you execute a right outside block, follow
With a left
then right strike.
09:00.Turn head 90 degrees to the left (9:00).
. Pivoting on the ball of the left foot, you turn to
9:00 as the right foot slides in alongside the left
And then
steps out with the right foot into horse stance . Double open outside palm
strikes, the
Palms are facing
out as you drop your elbows.(could be
interpreted as breaking a choke hold)
06:00. Turn 90 degrees to the left (6:00)
. Pivoting on the ball of the right foot, the left
foot steps in and then out in a crescent step to form
A left front
stance while performing a left descending open palm strike to 6:00.
. As the left hand chambers, the right open hand
(palm in) strikes in an inward knife hand, then
Presses down
on the left side. This is followed with a left spear hand, over the right hand,
to the
Opponents
throat.
12:00. Pivoting on the ball of the left foot, turn 180’ clockwise to
12:00, ending in a right front stance.
As you turn
throw a right descending palm strike, followed by a left spear hand strike to
12:00
Palm up(now done as a straight spear hand strike)
. Stack both hands on the right side chamber, and
left front kick to 9:00, ending placing the left
Foot down in
front (still facing 12:00)
. Stack both hands on the left side chamber, and
right front kick to 3:00
.
ending placing the right Foot down, remaining in a left front stance facing
12:00, and raise both
Hands in a left on guard (kamae).
.
step right foot forward into a right front stance as you thrust to 12:00 with a
right spear hand
.
Slide forward with the right foot and deliver a staggered left then right spear
hand thrust to 12:00
06:00. Pivot left 180’ on the right foot into left front cat stance
while chambering both hands stacked on
the right fist.
. Step forward with the left foot into horse stance
while throwing a left back fist to 6:00
[this has been
changed to step forward with the left foot into front stance]
.pivot counter-clockwise on the left foot into cross
stance while twisting into a left high open hand
Block (thumb
down) and a simultaneous right knife hand to the opponents neck (this section
is
The same as
in Kusanku)
Right front kick to 6:00, step down in right
front stance while executing a simultaneous right
High Block and left descending strike.
. slide forward, with a simultaneous leftt high block
and a right descending strike, then follow with
right high
block and a left descending strike
[This has been changed. The blocks have been reversed. After
the front kick we now use a
left high block and a Descending rightstrike... then reverse the following two
sequences
(the last being a left high block and a
right Descending strike).]
12:00. Turn 180’ to the left, pivoting on the right foot, into a left
foot forward front stance. Both hands
Are raised on
guard in kamae.
. Twist on the left foot into left foot forward cross
stance, while the left hand blocks a punch
Inward and
the right hand parries down over the left (both hands in closed fists) as the
left hand
Moves to guard the solar plexus
[ This section opens a sequence Harrill Sensei found in
Motobu’s self defense techniques.
Harrill Sensei uses this section to stop a
horizontal elbow strike.]
{Viewing AJ Advincula’s kick it strongly resembles the Tou’on
Ryu leg technique, more a
strong
stomp – more Isshinryu variation}
. From the left foot forward cross stance, execute a
right thrust kick towards 12:00
. Place the right foot down into right front stance
as you double strike, right to the face, left to the
Groin
. Right foot steps back alongside the left
. Step left foot forward to front stance as you
double strike. Left to the face, right to the gorin
[ The shuffle back with the right has been dropped. Now we
step with the right and strike,
And then step forward with the left and
strike.]
. Slide backwards into left foot forward cat stance [now a front stance]
with a double rising block
.
Step out deep to the right, chamber both hand stacked on the right hip, then
left squat kick to 12:00
.
step out deep to the left, chamber both hands stacked on the left hip, then
right squat kick to 12:00
03:00. Pivot 90’ to the right on the left foot ending in a right cat
stance. The right open hand parries
Alongside the head (palm out), while the left
spear hand (palm up) strikes towards the groin
.
Shift to right front stance while you deliver a right outside horizontal back
arm strike
.
Slide forward with a left horizontal forearm smash, followed by a right
horizontal forearm smash
09:00. Pivot 180’ to the left on the right foot, ending in a left cat
stance. The left open hand parries
Alongside the
head (palm out) while the right spear hand (palm up) strikes towards the groin
.
Shift to a left front stance while you deliver a left outside horizontal back
arm strike
.
Slide forward with a right horizontal forearm smash, followed by a left
horizontal forearm smash.
06:00. Pivot 90’ to the left to left foot forward front stance. Both
hands rise in kamae
. Right foot forward with a right horizontal forearm
smash
.
Slide forward with a left horizontal forearm smash followed by a right
horizontal forearm smash
12:00. Pivot 180’ to the left, ending in left foot forward cat
stance, both hands open in chamber, fingers
Down
09:00. As the right foot steps foward into horse stance facing 9:00,
the left open hand grabs a punch
(sliding Down
as you’re ½ way through the movement), as the right hand slides up underneath
And behind their elbow while you’re
concluding the movement
03:00. Spin 180’ left on the right foot, into horse stance facing
3:00. both hands perform throw as you
turn, retract the left hand to execute a left
backward elbow strike as you conclude the turn
12:00. Pivot
90’ to the left on the right foot, shifting the left foot back in a left foot
forward cat stance.
The left open hand at Chamber fingers down,
the right open hand blocking at the head
03:00. Step with the left foot to 12:00 into horse stance facing
3:00, as your left open hand strikes the
Opponents groin and your right hand strikes
their throat, then both hands grab
09:00. Pivot 180’ to the right, pivoting on the right foot,
concluding with the right hand in chamber
And the left hand pressing downward (this is
the reverse of the Wansu ‘throw’)
. turn head to 12:00, then the right arm, the hand
staying in chamber, begins an inward right
Elbow
block.To do this the right knee is
released and the body sags counter-clockwise to
Parry inward
with the bent arm/elbow.
. After the parrying motion reverse back to the
initial position and execute a right backfist
Strike to
12:00
12:00. The left foot steps over the right (towards 12:00) into left
foot forward cross stance, while
Grabbing the
opponents belt, and then the right foot does a scrape kick.
[ Today I
would describe this as a double grab of the opponents arms during grappling.
There is no change to the technique, just the
underlying description.]
[ the Scoop kick is a
variation of the front thrust kick.Beginning as a front kick chamber
The foot thrusts out so the ball of the foot strikes into the groin, and
then concludes with
The toes raking down in a pawing motion across the groin. This is a
circular technique
That concludes with the kicking foot coming to knee chamber. ]
{Viewing AJ Advincula’s kick it strongly resembles the Tou’on
Ryu leg technique, more a
strong
stomp – more Isshinryu variation}
09:00. Pivot 90’ to the left on the left foot, and place the right
foot down to form left front stance
As the stance is formed you execute a right
ridge-hand thrust to the groin, followed by
A left palm
strike to the head
. the left hooks around their neck as you execute a
right knee strike to their groin.
. As the right foot returns to the left front stance,
conclude with a right thrust strike into their
Abdomen
03:00. Pivot 180’ to the right on the left foot, and place the right
foot down to form right front
Stance. As the
stance is formed you execute a left ridge-hand thrust to the groin, followed by
A right palm
strike to the head
. the right hooks around their neck as you execute a
left knee strike to their groin
. As the left foot returns to the right front stance,
conclude with a left thrust strike into their
Abdomen
04:30. Step back with the right foot into left cross stance. While
you do so execute a right low block
To 4:30 With
the left hand at solar plexus
. right front kick to 4:30 (on the inside of the
right groin block)
10:30. Place the right foot downthen Pivot 180 to the left on the right foot,
. Step back with the left foot into right cross
stance. While you do so execute a left low block
To 10:30,
with the right hand at solar plexus
. left front kick to 10:30 (on the inside of the left
groin block)
12:00. Place the left foot down in left front stance facing 12:00,
raise both hands in guard kamae
. Step right foot forward into front stance, both
hand in guard kamae
. step the right foot back alongside the left
. close down and rei
Addendum:
As all of the notes with these
kata came from my 1990 understanding of it’s origins.
The origins aren’t terribly
important, except for the fact Shimabuku Sensei was tying together various
studies he along with his own ideas. Perhaps this is a continuation of the
process that began in Wansu’s additions. Perhaps not.It is unique in that most of the Okinawan
systems focused on crafting beginner kata in the past 100 years as opposed to a
senior kata.
Major souces outside of
Isshinryu appear to be Kyan’s Passai and Gojushiho kata. One of the sections
from Passai also can be found in Motobu Choiki’s writings, showing the
application of that section.
The timing is complex and
takes many years to understand from my experience.
The changes, to the kata
described above, were done in 1995 to prepare for a clinic that Sherman Harrill
was doing in our school, and subsequently remained the way the kata is
practiced. They were done to move closer to his version of the kata allowing
the application analysis study to be more productive for the group.
