There is touchy, Isshinryu touchy, then there is Isshinryu Nuclear.

As for my students, I realize you have almost no contact with others in Isshinryu, just keep to yourselves, and for the most part you don’t follow the internet. But this might explain something I tried to explain many different times, about many things.

So, it began when I started working on a paper for you about how various Okinawan traditions use the idea of low-level light, night fighting, combat. Something I have not seen anyone else do.

Which of course leads to the way I was shown to do Kusanku, and I always followed.  Working on that paper I recalled I had seen somewhere a video/photo of Tatsuo Shimabuku showing someone how to do the Kusanku drop to the ground. And I wanted to use that photo for this paper. I thought I had seen this on Karate Friends (an Isshinryu site) and posted there if anyone knew that photo/video might reside.

It turns out that there are several ways this is done. Turning the head, and Not turning the head. For my paper both methods work, but I stay with the way I was taught in any case.

This is what I posted on Karate Groups, there because I honestly thought that was where I saw the video of Shimabuku showing Kusanku to somebody. 

Victor Donald Smith every little thing can lead to controversy

I have a question that someone might be able to answer. I remember either some photos of Shimabuku Tatsuo doing the section of Kusanku kata where one goes to ground and looking both ways. Either as photos or a video. Unfortunately, I believe I have misplaced my record of it. Does anyone remember this? Assistance would be appreciated; it is just for a project I am working on. Thanks for any assistance.

John Ingram Mitchum Sensei never looked side to side. Only straight. 

Andy Sloane Sensei Johnson, too, only looks straight. Actually, just slightly off center. That's the correct way of allowing the eyes to do what the kata is supposed to be doing there. 

Andy Sloane But, yes, there is footage of Tatsuo Sensei looking side to side. 

Ittsukan Dojo It's a clip with Shimabuku Tatsuo and Bob Ozman. He appears to be showing, get low and look right left center. Here's a screen cap from the same time showing the dojo. This will maybe help in finding the clip. 

John  Bartusevics Victor Donald  Smith, you just opened a can of worms, Advincula teaches that way but I and all other First-Generation Students were not. We don't turn our head from side to side, we want to switch to other side as fast as possible and then up of the ground. Check out all Videos of all Katas from anybody that trained with Sensei. In fact, I have Videos of Jim Advincula doing KuSanKu without turning Head. Only one old clipping where Sensei is working with Bob Ozman, no sound. In it the Sensei is turning his head from side to side. My understanding of this is, that is the way he would teach us because of lack of English, he would demonstrate. In this case Turns his Head from side to side and would say Number 10, which means no good. What i learned from Sensei was to use Peripheral Vision and get off the ground fast. I would advise you all to check out Old Videos and form your own opinion if you get conflicting information from First Generation Students. See for yourself, start with the 66 Films first. 

Victor Donald Smith Thanks I did find this photo, i also seem to remember the video.  

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnrGI6TC_38

 Victor Donald Smith John, I wasn't trying to open a can of worms. When Charles Murray trained me to do Kusanku, that was how I was taught. And while he is not first generation, he did train in Agena for a year as a Shodan. I did it that way in front of Lewis Sensei and Mitchum Sensei when I tested for Shodan. Never was ever around other Isshinryu black belts for decades, so I just did as I was trained and that is still what I do. I was not trained that I should seek out other ways, no insult intended. Just what I did.

John  Bartusevics You finished viewing other Videos of First-Generation Students and I have Sensei Mitchum right here; Sensei Mitchum does not turn his head so maybe he did not want to hurt your feeling. You guys do your own research, check out Kichiro, Angi, Etc., Etc. and then we can talk. Otherwise not going to discuss this any longer, everybody is the 15-Dan because they read Books and Have a Computer. 

Shawn Skinner Damn!!!!! All I worried about was John Bartusevics or Carl Sutherland kicking my little head off. Not to mention my own father. Side to side???? Hard enough just surviving a day in the dojo much less worrying about proper kata form

Then Later John deleted all of this. Here is the private messenger conversation we had.

Victor

John, FYI, this is how Charles trained me. He filmed this in Germany in 1981.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzItFl4fw8k 

Charles Kusanku 1980

John

Looked like he almost tried to turn his head on the first try but then stopped. You got one from Tom Lewis. 

Victor

Charles was just going slow motion for German students to have a record. When he showed me, it was definitely look both ways. 

John

He does not turn his head the second time, check again. 

Victor

When I first saw this video, I remember he was doing some things a little different from when he taught me. I just recently put it up for the guys to see, not for their reference. I was never trained to seek other answers. Sensei back then could have told me to change, and I would have then, but after decades of work, it is what it is. Again, no insult, my work is after all just my work. When I trained with Sherman, we never talked about kata variations or the right way, just discussed applications. He always maintained what we have in common is more important than our differences. I am not saying what is right, just do as I was taught. 

John

Did you look at all the other videos by First Generation Students,

they are out there. 

Victor

I only followed the way I was trained. As for Sensei Lewis, at different times he trained differently, never criticizing anyone for keeping doing what they did. Never explained that. I was not trained to seek out other answers. I don't doubt you are right. Apparently, what I did was not standard in your eyes. I understand it but after 40 years am quite satisfied with what my instructors taught me. for that matter I learned through Chinto under Lewis Sensei, then when I began training with Charles, his kata I was doing were different from what he had been taught. He told me to keep to the way I learned them in Salisbury and do the later kata the way he did them. 

John

Victor, I Deleted your Post. That is one of the points Advincula and I don't agree upon, so to keep me from getting pissed off. Best delete. You can always go to another Group; I just am tired of preaching to all the experts out there. Everyone knows it all, no one wants to learn. Makes no sense. 

Victor

John, I do understand, no problem from me. Personally, I don't doubt you' it's just the way I was taught, and specifically was drilled into me not to need to seek out others on the way to perform Isshinryu. I spent my years doing as was taught. Did not realize this was an issue. And I am not on the AJA camp, either, but that is a very long story, I am just in the Tom Lewis-Charles Murray camp is all. I will not push it further with you, pardon. 

Of course, I am not mad at anybody, just sorry it became a hot item. So, this may be an object lesson for you. And yes, I am continuing to work on my paper for the blog and of course you.

Young Lee 1992

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BzGK-wRtr8