Sensei
I thought you might like to see this picture I found...
it
is old from 1981 or 1982 at the Boys Club in Scranton PA
Ron Hinds I think this was right after Roy and Jared
left.
Victor Donald Smith Ron thank you. Any idea where this was
shot I can't recall that location. After all these years much get's hazy.
Ron Hinds It was the Boys Club in Scranton PA on Ash
St. I remember Roy and Jared trained with us and your wife did also. The people
I remember in the pic were James and Cory Donovan, Brian Conway and John
Krevitz between you and me. My memory is bad ...I can't believe I can remember
them. I hope you are doing well.
Victor Donald Smith Ron, now I place it, this was outside
of the Club. Thank you for the identifications. I'm still moving along and
still teaching 27 years now at the Derry Boys and Girls Club. After maybe a
thousand or two students they all blur together. I still enjoy sharing the art.
Have a great Christmas for me!
Ron Hinds You have an awesome Christmas Victor..my best
to you and your family for the Holidays
Historie Du
Karate - L’ecole shorin.ryu from my translation of Kenji Tokitsu's work.
All errors of
translation are proudly my own fault.
Unfortunately I translated this decades ago, no longer can find the original
source, and admit the use of French for those living in France was very
different from the French that was taught to me, which probably explains my
translation problems.
Among Kyan’s teachings:
1 – It is appropriate to teach in the following order:
explain first what is karate, what is the attitude of training,
then
learn the forms and the movement.
Then learn the way of striking with the fist and the elbow,
the
way of kicking, the parries corresponding with the techniques of seizing and
immobilization,
and
finally the kata.
It is well after one has well learned a kata that one should be initiated into combat.
And
Kyan was also prophetic
2
– When one trained traditionally in combat, without any protection, this was
not without accidents. It will be necessary to use from now on (in the future)
certain protections, like those of kendo, and to wear rubber gloves. We will
then be able to avoid accidents.
However I would not expect that he would think it would be a Korean
TKD instructor, jhoon Rhee, in Washington DC, who would make it happen.
4.
One must keep the [one’s] posture while remaining motionless and to submerge
the “ki” to the bottom of the stomach while taking care that it does not rise
again. However, one must also avoid at any price from freezing [in place].
5.
When one practices a kata, it is necessary to execute it with as much willpower
and with the feelings of the moment where one would face with his enemy.
6.
Speed is necessary in all the gestures and displacements [body shifts -
movements].
I
was a new black belt in Isshinryu which of course meant really I knew very
little. No longer with an instructor available near where I lived I began to
attend karate tournaments across Pennslyvania to grow stronger from the
competition, and perhaps learn something , too.
But
on my own and a shodan I was really at the bottom of the barrel. I was
competing in forms and weapons with some of the most gifted in the country.
They were literally light years beyond where I was.But time after time I contested against them,
in fact they were the focus of my attempt to improve.
One
day I was doing my empty hand form. Most of my scores were the average for the
division. But one of them was significantly lower. It was a judge named Ron Martin who had awarded me a score
of 3.
I
really did not know any of the senior judges in Pennsylvania at that time
personally.
But
I felt this could be a chance to find out what he found so weak in my
performance.
I
knew scores rarely reflected commentary on individual form performance. Most of
the time they were focused more on determining the strongest performers, and
the other scores fell in on the middle just to place the rest there.
So
receiving a 3 must have meant something.
I
approached Martin Sensei, and queried him what my performance was lacking. He
responded politely about his admiration for many in Isshinryu however realizing I had made a serious inquiry he made
a serious response.
He
flat out told me my stances sucked.
It
was not easy to hear, harder to understand but that provided the spark to begin
to understand.
Beginning
at the next tournament I competed at, I began to note how the stances of the
best competitors ( regardless of system) did not suck in fact they were very
strong. And as so many were incredible technicians that became a constant to
consider. Then I went the next mile. I began closely watching the students of Ron Martin and they all had incredibly
strong stances. On that I was not surprised.
I
began to understand the point Ron
had made to me.
Then
on a trip back to my original dojo of Tom
Lewis, I paid particular attention to Tom when he would perform. He had
incredibly strong stances. I was sold on the idea.
So
I got to work, focusing on my stances in kata and kobudo, in fact in every
aspect of my karate, And as I was self training myself, it was a great amount
of work.
As
time passed I did not become a great champion, my tournament scores remained in
the middle of the pack, but I did make progress with my stances.
A
year later Charlie Murray had returned to Scranton for a visit with his wife’s
family. Of course that meant he had about ½ to spend with me. When he watched
me perform kata his comment was “Vic, how strong your stance work has become.”
I
realized then I was on my way.
As
the years passed and I was spending more and more time with my students. Stance
work was a critical part of my students studies. I was constantly exhorting them for stronger
stances. In fact that was something I would always insist.
Now
on a separate track, in my t’ai chi studies and my Chinese forms studies with
Ernest Rothrock, strong stances were always a part of those studies. Likewise
the many I was training alongside in their dojo had similar focus for their
students.None of them were focused on
Isshinryu, but all of them made me realize the value to training.
Along
the way Ron and I became close
friends.
Then
the day came in 2012 when I would last compete and again Ron would be one of the judges. I was soon to undergo cancer
surgery (which would be successful) only later to develop other disabilities.
To fight forward, I decided to work on a form outside of Isshinryu in order to
force myself to try something new. This
was not something I taught just a personal challenge.
The
form, Tomari Rohai, was one a friend had long ago shared detailed Japanese
documentation on. It would be a challenge to learn and try to compete with. That
is what I wanted. I did make some slight modifications to take into account age
and capability.
Now
I hadn’tcompeted in decades,
competition was no longer my interest. But this day I was on a different
mission. No friends in attendance for I was just competing against myself, just
to do it.
I
remember waiting that long day, attempting to remain ready.
Then
the division was called and I was to compete in the middle of the division so
more waiting.
I
was called and then I stepped on the floor and I did my form that day. I
completed it successfully.
Done,
the only thing I really knew that day before Ron, who had judged me 40 years before, was I was sure my stance did not suck.
Mízōngyì (Chinese:
迷蹤藝; literally: 'Lost
Track Skill'), or simply Mízōng, is a style of Chinese martial art
based on deception and mobility. Mizong is also known as Mízōngquán (Chinese:
迷蹤拳; literally: 'Lost
Track Fist' or sometimes "Labyrinthine Boxing" stressing the
deceptive nature of the art) and Yànqīngquán (Chinese:
燕青拳; literally: 'Blue
Swallow Fist'). There are many sub-branches of this style.
Mizong Lohan (Chinese: 迷蹤羅漢; pinyin: mízōng
luóhàn; literally: 'Lost Track Arhat') is a combination of two styles: Mízōngquán and Luóhànquán.
Through Luóhànquán, its lineage can be traced back to the Shaolin
temple during the time of the Tang Dynasty (618–907).
As an external northern
Chinese style, Mizong belongs to the "Long Fist" family of martial arts although
in some traditions Mizong is considered an internal art, created by Yue Fei, and
taught as a precursor system to Hsing I Ch'uan. Mizongquan was created by Cheng
Juxiao. Cheng learned from his maternal grandfather and mother; of which both
were also practitioners of Mizongyi.[1]
The art began to grow popular since 1901 due to the deeds
of Huo
Yuanjia, a Mizongyi master.[2]Huo
Yuanjia's father, Huo Endi is a 6th-generation successor of Mizongyi.[3]
Mi Zong Luo Han is an external style, with distinct
internal influences. It draws on many aspects of the external Northern Shaolin long-fist style,
and the internal styles T'ai chi ch'uan and Baguazhang,
which are often taught alongside it in modern times. It is characterized by
deceptive hand movements, intricate footwork, varied kicks, and high leaps. The
style changes very quickly when executed.
The emphasis on flexibility in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu styles is
the guiding principle of Mi Zong, and this is evident in the versatility of its
attacks and the extent to which it integrates core concepts of multiple
internal styles. An increased emphasis on mobility often comes at the cost of
power, but Mi Zong kungfu compensates for this by providing a way for a dynamic
generation of power. Mi Zong's unique Fa Jing, discharging explosive power like
lightning strikes, comes from the combination of the internal corkscrew power
of Hsing I, Chen-style Tai Chi and the external snapping power of Shaolin Long
Fist. The result is an efficient production of power through a dynamic motion
of multiple elements of the body, the mastery of which gives a Mi Zong's
practitioner the capability of generating quick and flexible force from any
distance. In short, F=ma and a= the acceleration of Mizong's fists and kicks is
high at the moment of impact which gives rise to strong force and hence high
power.
Mizong Luohan's system was presided over by Grandmaster
Ye Yu Ting in the twentieth century until his death in 1962, at the age of 70.
A number of his students such as Masters Chi-Hung Marr, Raymond K. Wong, and
Johnny Lee emigrated to North America in the 1960s and have continued to teach
this system in various locations around the United States of America, from Los
Angeles, Dallas Texas, Coppell Texas, to Hawai`i, and Canada.[4]
Mizong Chuan has also been continued to be taught as a
foundation art to Hsing I/Xing Yi within the Yue Jia Ba Shao/Geng Jishan
tradition in London, England. Within this tradition, Mizong was primarily
taught to children as, from a learning perspective, the technical, internal
aspects of the art are less sophisticated (i.e., more external) than in Hsing
I.
Over
the years I was approached by others with dan training in other arts to join
my program.
I
never was interested in acquiring students with a different background than my
program.
But
there was a wide variety of reasons for those requests. At times they were
newly moved into the area looking for a place to train. At times they had
become dissatisfied with the training from their original system. At times they
simply wanted to specify what they wanted for their own purposes.
And
many hadshared with me, freely, so in
part I felt some obligation to be nice.
I
always counseled they should start their own program. That was the only way
they could obtain the training they were comfortable with. Often they declined.
So
then I would invite them to join in with an adult class. I always ran my adult
program using the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, where no two classes were
ever alike,.There always was a structure but no student could discern from a
class, as often the structure was on a 6 month cycle or more. The purpose of
doing that was always to keep everyone on their toes, so they never anticipate
what was coming next.
The
reality was that many of the instructors I trained with the classes I
experienced were often just as unstructured with their senior students. So in
part I was participating in a tradition I had experienced.
On
those nights with a visitor I was offer most random as to what was happening.
Should
the visitor find too unlike what there were looking for. I was ok with that.
Should
they be interested they were welcome to join the training. But they also had to
understand I only taught one way from the ground up. It wasn’t about the belt
they held, I could care less about that. I made it clear they should wear the
highest rank they had attained.
But
everyone started at the same place. With their prior experience they should
learn faster, but everyone had the same core material, That and they would not
move past that prior rank without knowing all the material well for such a
promotion.
As
it turned out within the dojo we only recognized 3 levels of dan training. And
the basic qualification for instructor was a minimum time of 15 years training
with us and then spending at least 5 years in the instructor mentorship program
to qualify. Everyone never talked about rank, everyone knew what everyone else
was working on.
Being
an instructor was not the equivalent of dan rank, but all who entered the
instructorship program had reached 3 dan.
I
had those who turned away. I had those who remained and trained.
When
you begin your martial arts journey if you work at it you never really know
where you end up.
Specifically
I choose to focus on my journey through Sanchin kata. Which became a personal
experience of many different layers. Many of which I kept for the most part to
myself.
When
I was a brown belt I first learned Sanchin from Charles Murray. It employed
hard focused breathin and much muscular tension. Charles and I worked on it a
great deal, and that is how I performed it on my black belt test.
It
was just a kata of the system, no other discussion was given to what I might
contain. Then as a black belt I continued with the study.
Along
the way I trained with many good martial artists inother systems. Many of those systems did not
contain Sanchin kata, yet those systems produced many marvelous martial
artists.
About
that time I also was reading in martial arts magazines many discussions about
the value of Sanchin training. Ways that I was not taught, but gave me many
things to think about.
Right
after my shodan I became a youth instructor at the Scranton Boys Club. I taught
Isshinryu exactly as I had been taught, and that program went well.
Having
more interests and beginningvisiting
many friends from tournaments I gain insight in what others were doing..But
because of personal interest I began a two year study of ½ hour a week into the
Yang Long Fist T’ai Chi Chaun. I was being instructed by Ernest Rothrock and it
contained many levels of instruction. In fact Icontinued with that practice for the rest of my life.
Very
soon I found a personal conflict with my Isshinryu Sanchin kata practice and my
Yang T’ai Chi studies. On my own I really did not feel I had anyone to talk
about it with. I worked out for that time I would de-emphasice my Sanchin kata
practice, and continue with my T’ai Chi studies. None of the youth were not
ready for Sanchin as I was taught so that made no conflict in my life.
Then
when my t’ai chi studies became more advanced I was able to emphasize my
sanchin to how I was taught. I at that time was able to keep those separate
studies separate in my training.
Now
application studies of how kata technique might be used was not part of the
Isshinryu paradigm I was taught.
But
I became more interested in how applications worked. I never considered that
Sanchin should be anything different.
Years later I listened to a discourse. from a
Senior instructor I was training with for a decade and whose system did not
include Sanchin, go into detail that Sanchin was for basic training and not for
application study.
I
disagreed with him, stating Sanchin just used karate technique, and as such
those movements could be applied.
He
strongly disagreed with me, and at that time the discussion ceased,
But
as I went further into my own study of kata application potential, I never
ceased to follow my own understanding. And as I was so much on my own, never
really discussed it further with anyone. Just followed my own nose.
I
was then teaching youth and adults in Derry, NH. And when appropriate Sanchin
was studied exactly as I had been taught.Shortly after that time a then Uechi brown belt joined my program, and
privately taught me the Uechi Sanchin and Seisan. Which privately I then worked
on.
Having
learned the Uechi Sanchin kata was an experience. With the tension and hard
breathing, I found a more natural release of energy with the Uechi technique
execution. But that was something I kept for my own studies.
I
began serious study of some Sanchin technique applications. Among finding so
many possibilities for mawashi-uke use, but more serious use of that same
technique series in tjimande use for arm dissolocation, shocking strikes even
to arm breaking. Still I was only seeing the pieces.
Run
several decades forward and I decided to make a major change in my Sanchin kata
execution for my own personal study. My senior students with more than several
decades of training were placed in charge of Sanchin kata training and
practice. I worked on my own ideas for the kata.
I,
following the Uechi execution which I
found so intreaguing, decided to practice Sanchin kata with natural breathing,
no tension and at full speed.
What
I discovered was so amazing. For the first time Sanchin really felt right to
me. I never went back.
All
of which I explained to my senior students, but kept their Isshinryu Sanchin
cannon to what I studied.
I
began to go further into my Sanchin application studies.
Using
my senior students as attackers. I discovered how Sanchin openings was a great
way to tear any karate attack apart. As an attack begins, any attack both hands
rise up. One hand to deflect an attack, the other hand to deliver a hard rising
strike into the attacker. Inside line of defense. Outside line of defense. With
turns, with out turns. Simply a superior way to tear into any attack.
About
that time Charles Murray was able to make regular visits to my school. I asked
him to accept responsibility to oversee the Sanchin training with my students,
and he did that.
I
continued on my own private Sanchin practice.
Sanchin
was something I lived, explored and became my core personal practice.
These
days much disabled I still work on a bit of my Yang form, and find the one kata
I retain best is my Sanchin kata practice.
I
have shared so many things with my students. None of them have the time to keep
up all those studies. I expect they will personally chose what is best for them
Most likely each will chose differently, that is as I expect them to do.
But
for me my Sanchin remains what I worked out.
A
brief glimpse of my Sanchin kata compared to the Sanchin kata of Charles
Murray. This was soon after the onset of my disabilities and does not fully
represent my practice, But I feel it shows a bit of what I did.
Of
course the Sanchin kata of Charles Murray is the correct version. I am whatever
I am and that is sufficient to the day.
Among
the most impressive martial artists I have ever seen are the Japanese women of
all ages practicing Naginata-jutsu. The older women are more than competent
enough to use live blades in practice, and they are the instructors.
Keep
this in mind to think about who the original instructors of karate were. There
are obvious similarities.
I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you again …once, before the end. You sort through the students to find the Black Belt. You sort through the Black Belts to find an instructor candidate, You sort through the Instructor Candidate to find an instructor. Then the true sorting begins to take place. When I became an Isshinryu student I only wanted to learn karate, Isshinryu karate.
When I became a black belt, there were no crowds to congratulate me, just my Isshinryu karate.
Then to soon, I was on my own, With my Isshinryu karate. I was very much in similar circumstances as the original returning Isshinryu students.
Or course it was also quite different, karate itself was not unknown, I just lived where there were no other in Isshinryu around. I thought only of myself, realizing I needed others to do my karate with, I chose to become an instructor.
Not having financial resources to use, nor seeing karate as a revenue stream,
I approached the Scranton Boys Club and offered my services as a volunteer instructor for youth. From there I began as an instructor.
Of course all I really knew was to share karate at the pace and intensity. I just endured.
And beginning with a few students who also studied with Charles Murray, began my program.
And with a few short months everyone except those initial students, the new students left the program. Only those original students remained. I had a lot to learn, And quickly.
My one resource was my wife, she was a physical education instructor, And patiently she began to explain how to listen to what the students were telling you and how to develop their needs. So I picked myself up, Dusted myself off, And Started all over again.
And the program began to be a success.
I also learned a great deal about what the Boy’s Clubs were about. And it wasn’t to be a karate program.
It was for the Youth of the community. To get the kids off the street, Help them find their purpose in life, And to have some fun along the way.
Isshinryu was what I did. Karate was simply a tool to help shape some kids, for life.
I am not a great expert, I worked very hard to gain some
insight about my art Isshinryu and many other arts. However as time passed I
note there is much less discussion taking place about the arts in many places.
That saddens me.
In the beginning, especially when I was alone and just
beginning to teach, I sought almost everything I could put my hands on over
time, then I trained with so many people in a wide variety of arts. Some to a
greater extent, some to much lesser extents, but all of them had lessons I
learned on so many aspects of the arts.
Many were great instructors, in the Chinese arts, in
Japanese and Indonesian arts and of course great instructors in applied
Isshinryu. So many lessons and many of them the decades never allowed time to
share as the students needs were always more important. Even students of three
decades had more important needs.
I remember the time before the internet, which for me was 25
years. Then I joined the internet generation and learned so much. Many things I
believed from the past were incorrect assumptions, many things werecorrect. The important thing was discussion
and critical thinking always kept me working at what I understood.
Then a friend suggested I start a blog for my students. I
began to share stories and thoughts about the training I had them working on
over the decades. But I was also committed to share so much I had looked at but
never had the time to share, so that if the chance came to them they would have
access to it.
And I freely shared what I posted with anyone who might find
it interesting. I did not believe knowledge should be placed away.
I never expected anyone to understand what I did over time
with my students who spent so much time on the floor in their studies. It would
be almost impossible for anyone believe what I wrote and then take the time on
the floor to really work on those things. Those are things my students
experienced. Then again should anyone do so, they have owned the lesson on
their own, over the years I found out very few ever commented on that material,
I expect in that I am right.
Then there is the reading material I saved. Much of that
focused my thought over the years. Some I believe, some I don’t believe and
some I still don’t know what to think. I wanted my students to have the same
experience for themselves, should they choose. Or perhaps future students of
theirs might find the material interesting.
Everyone I extend the same privilege.
Seeing and reading about ones thoughts on the arts is a very
precious thing.
I don’t expect replies and don’t ask for encouragement,
those days are far behind me.
I just want to contribute to keeping people thinking about
how much more there is to see.
