Discussion on Kata – Wansu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omxnblpffoo

I remain committed to review the passage of kata through my years, in continuing wish our sharing will help us all grow.

I began my study of Wansu as a Blue Belt under Mr. Lewis. I initially felt it was short, compared to Seisan and Seiunchin and always wondered why it wasn’t the first kata. To this day I go back and forth whether Wansu or Seisan would be a better place to start, and continue to find valid reasons for both of them.

The form Shimabuku Sensei taught was a modification of the Kyan lineage version.  In my mind's eye I think it may have been one of his first attempts to add a new dimension to the kata he studied. In a very rough comparison, it is the Kyan based Wansu with a much longer ending tacked on to it, with the Kyan version ending roughly after the big throw.

  

When I was learning the form, we concluded with two front-front kicks out of cat stance. Mr. Lewis remarked how some competitors were using the crane stance to launch higher front kicks (for tournament orientation). He also explained that our kicks at the ending were not the original way he studied. Originally from a cat stance there was a front knee strike followed by a front kick. I have no idea who changed things, but I believe he told us that it was because of the developing American karate tournament scene it was changed. It seemed judges seeing the knee strike then front kick believed the students messed up a front kick, and rather than let students suffer from judges who didn’t understand the technique, the movement was changed to the front-front kick.

 Now in those days we didn’t work applications from the kata, and the kick was seen as a stand-alone attack, the concept of the chambering hands before the kick being a grab and set up for the kick to complete wasn’t addressed in our studies.

I always did like the idea of the knee strike (to drive a close attacker off) followed by the front kick (to strike them when they were backing up), but on the whole I’ve kept my kata as I was trained. Years later when I added Goju Saifa kata into our training (as another yellow belt drill), as the version I teach does use the knee strike then front kick, my students were being trained in both methods, so I feel most comfortable with my original version.

Shortly after learning this form, I moved to Scranton, Pa. And later training with Charles Murray he pointed out how the Okinawan’s were extremely devastating with their knee strikes, in effect designed to break down an attacker, and explained how they drew the kicking leg back first (in a chamber) before exploding the knee strike. This was more complex than just delivering the knee strike from the floor. 

I came to teach the simpler knee strike as the beginner's version, and for the more advanced student they would move on to the other knee strike. And not just as a basic drill, but the same in Wansu kata, the more advanced would eventually change the nature of the knee strike involved.

Myself I don’t readily understand the entire Genesis of the Wansu additions by Shimabuku Sensei. There are aspects which may be attributed to Passai. Others to the Goju system and others that I suspect are pure Shimabuku. There is no doubt his creation is unique.

After my Sho Dan, and Murray Sensei’s return to the USAF, I was down in Salisbury for a Black Belt training session with Mr. Lewis.  He announced we should make a change to Wansu, instead of stepping out with the right foot and throwing a left then right punch (in the last 1/3 of the kata), we should be stepping out with the left foot and throw a right then left punch.

Essentially the same movements involved, just beginning in the opposite direction. Structurally it made no difference as both sides were still practiced. As I lived many hours away, and it was the last kata training session I was ever given in Isshinryu by my original instructors, I’ve done what I was told and haven’t changed from that answer.  Personally, I suspect its genesis was due to material presented by Uzeu Angi at that time, and that may have been done backwards by mistake.

But Mr. Lewis never told me to change it again and being a good student, I’ve followed my instructor.  It's especially fun as at times other IR instructors have tried to tell me my students were doing the kata wrong.  The fun part is when I tell them no I’m not, and then begin this tale. Sure I should be humble, but what I do is what I do.

Wansu is one of those kata that contain oodles of things I’ve discovered over the years. Among them are:

On the 3rd 180 degree turn I was taught LFF Seisan with a left middle knife hand strike, followed by a right punch underneath the knife hand followed by a right front kick. What I was taught the first strike tied up the persons eyes as too far away from them, then the punch underneath, somewhat hidden by the first hands movement, was a scoring strike, yet the following kick was to reach out even further.  

Decades later when training with Harrill Sensei, I discovered this is a different variation from what others do. Sure, I could have picked that up from the Shimabuku Movies, but I always remained true to what I was taught.

The fireman’s throw wasn’t one I ever readily could use. I did develop a variation on the theme with the kata, after the groin/throat strike, I was using my right hand to strike across into the attackers left knee in conjunction with the throat pull to layer an attacker down. But I often found this very uncomfortable. 

Then Training with Harrill Sensei his most brilliant response to use of the throw's movement is the only one today I would consider as its 100% reliable. But incorrectly done it could be extremely unhealthy to the opponent (our class Surgeon worries about us doing it incorrectly in the extreme), so I’m very tempered where and when I teach it.

After many years working some basic Tjimande Juru I came to the realization the very effective defensive side of the first juru was actually 100% found in Wansu. It involves using the stepping outside block, then parry then chamber as a method of striking into a punching opponents' biceps.  So study Isshinryu and you’re learning tjimande…..

By accident I discovered a direct application potential of the cross-hand strikes in Wansu to be a light touch KO, dropping an advanced brown belt when just trying to show the potential. Not I believe it’s a 100% answer, but in the right circumstances it is effective.

 

Or how the raised hands kamae could be actually used as an active insertion into an attacker. In the kata it looks like you’re just stopping catching your breath, but by using it as an insertion, it could be a stop hit or a range of biceps striking attacks.

So you see Wansu talks to me. And shhhhhhh I did make my own change. Many years ago, first trying to understand what application potential was, I discovered reversing the hands for the final movement, was very, very similar to an arm break in Pai Lum Kuen. It seemed to fit to change which hand was being used (ignoring the same works in reverse with no change from my original version) and way over 20 years ago that change became the ending I practice and teach.

So Wansu has been a voyage of change, of advanced technique versions, of continuing application study, of links to Tjimande and kung fu, and so much more.

Take the time, please, share how Wansu has moved through your life too.

We can all share the living history,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4MYppuf3HE