Isshin - Concentration the Art

“Judo InsideOut , a Cultural reconciliation” by Geof Gleeson

2012-01-27T12:55:00.000-08:00

In 1983 “Judo Inside Out” was published, the book the creation of English Judo-ka and Psychologist Geof Gleeson. It is one of the marital texts of the modern era that offers insight and wisdom for the instructor. Not a Judo-ka, not an issue the book can be restated to whatever art you practice and it retains all of it’s value [Note: this does take work!]

I’ve been through the book many times and each time it offers great value. For an example from the chapter ‘Some Differences between Skill and Technique’, page 21.

1. An efficient fighter always assumes he is the weaker in skills (not the weaker in determination to win). It may not be true, but in this way he will not underestimate his opponent.

2. Accepting an inferior – but temporary – relationship makes the necessity of correct analysis more pressing and essential to get right.

3. Being weaker than the opposition is a common relationship often found in any fighter’s career, yet seldom discussed. For some strange reason it is always suggested that the fighter should assume he is the better in any championship there is only one winner, the rest are losers, so there must be a lot more ‘weaker-relationships’ than ‘stronger-relationships’.

Because by definition skill is the adaptation to an ever changing set of circumstances, it is impossible to describe any specific skill in general terms…..

It’s chapters include:

Chapter 1 Some Differences between Skill and Technique

Chapter 2 Countering Skills

Chapter 3 Let’s Start Again

Chapter 4 The Psychology of Competition – or How to Make the Most out of Very Little

Chapter 5 A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Chapter 6 A Summing Up

I would suggest if you can find a copy it will be worth your effort.

Some of the Gang

2012-01-25T17:55:00.001-08:00

Don, Mike, Victor and Rabiah

Bushi No Te Isshinryu Technical Studies - Kicking techniques

2012-01-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

Note; most of the following kicks work to a wide range of targets of opportunity. Nor are the set up techniques described, nor angles of entry, etc.

Isshinryu basics

Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ball of foot
Rear Front Snap Kick (side) ball of foot
Front Front Thrust Kick (front) heel thrust knee high
Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ripping toe kick
Rear Front Thrust Kick (on the floor on your back) - heel
Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees front – blade of foot
Side Snap Kick knee height to side – blade of foot
Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees rear – blade of foot
Side Thrust Kick (on the floor on your side) – heel
Bottom foot hooks behind leg and Top foot Side Thrust Kick to the knee (on the floor on your side)
Cross Kick (stomp) – heel
Cross Kick (stomp) - instep
Crescent Kick Inner (front) – shin
Crescent Kick Inner (front) - instep
Knee Strike to front
Knee Strike to front cat chambered first
Rear Kick with heel (foot vertical) to groin
Jump Knee Strike then Opposite Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
Double Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
Step to Side Squat Kick (roundhouse kick 45 degrees off the floor) – ball of the foot
Roundhouse Kick (old style) ball of the foot
Roundhouse Kick (new style) ball of the foot
Back corner side kick with one foot followed by a rear kick with the other foot
Back corner side kick with one foot followed by rear kick with the same foot

Isshinryu advanced

stepping – on top of opponents foot / stomping
stepping – hooking behind on the interior line of defense
stepping – hooking behind on the exterior line of defense
stepping – stepping on the opponents instep
stepping – hurried stomping on the opponents instep
stepping – sweep
stepping – inner knee check/thrust
Front Kick – striking behind the calf on a returning heel
Front Kick – shin kick to the inner thigh
Front Kick – instep kick with the ball of the foot
Front Kick – striking with the inside ball as the foot retracts
Naifanchi – inner foot slice to inside of leg
Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – inside to outside
Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – outside to inside
Naifanchi – outside ball of foot reverse round strike to outer calf

Other kicking

Front Kicks top of the foot
Round Kicks top of the foot
Ankle Kicking with Toes in shoes (Tam Tuie)
Inner Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
Outer Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
Lower Abdomen Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
Uechi style Toe Kicks
On Floor, rolling scissors to leg – trap – takedown
from Seiza – front thrust kick and return to Seiza
Outer Crescent Kick
Reverse Roundhouse Kick
Jumping Front Front Kick
Jumping Outer Crescent Kick
Jumping Inner Crescent Kick
Jumping Outer Front Crescent Kick followed by Jumping Inner Rear Crescent Kick
Jumping Inner Rear Crescent kick followed by Jumping Inner Front Crescent Kick
Step and Crescent Kick
Rear Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
Front Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
Back Turning Rear Kick
Back Turning Side Kick
Back Turning Inside Round Kick
Back Turning Outside Crescent Kick
Back Turning Jumping Rear Outside Crescent Kick followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
Back Turning Jumping Knee followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
Axe Kick (heel striking outside crescent kick)
Back Turning Jumping Axe Kick
Turn away – drop to knee and place both hands on the floor – rear foot back turning side kick from the kneeling position – return kicking foot to original position – rotate and stand to original position
Spinning Wheel Kick
Turn away – drop to knee, and place both hands on the floor – spin counter-clockwise with a wheel kick (calf high)

Sparring kicks

The normal range of sparring kicking and combinations

Specific Combinations

Cross over stomp kick followed by front kick with the other leg
Front Shin Kick followed by Rear Shin Kick
Rear front Thrust to inner thigh and retract with cut kick to inside of other knee
Squat Kick to outside ribs and follow with cross stomping kick on their inner knee
Step in spin counter-clockwise and Swing Kick directly to rear hooking their ankle
Step outside spin clockwise and Swing Kick directly to the rear hooking their ankle
Back Side Kick to Front follow with back turning side kick to the front then place foot down and rear leg outer crescent kick
Step Past the attacker and rear leg chamber heel pawing strike to groin

Ghost Techniques

Private range of Chinese lower body maneuvers for evasion and turning using the stepping as an attack

Kicking Drills

Kihon Ni-Dan

Beginning LFF Left Front stance and a Left middle double guard

Left middle roundhouse kick
Left high round house kick
Right reverse punch
Right front kick (place foot down in front)
Spin 180 to the left in horse stance and deliver a left neck high spinning shuto to the front.
Pivot into kusanku block and strike
Right roundhouse kick (place foot down in front)
Spin 180 to the left on the right foot and deliver a right low open hand parry
Right low side kick, end in horse stance
Right open side parry from horse stance, step in with the left and right side kick followed by left hook punch
Turn left and left open side parry from horse stance, step in with the right foot and left side kick followed by a right hook punch
Step in with the left foot (alongside the right)
Pivot to the right on the left foot and right outside crescent kick
Jump double front kick (left then right)
Jump off the right foot, spinning 360 to the left with a left outside then right inside crescent kick
Land in horse stance
Jump up jumping right front kick
Drop to the floor (a collapse) with a right front kick
On the floor right thrust side kick.
Turn over to the right (Scissoring the legs) and then left side thrust kick
Rise on the left foot (sitting on the right knee)
Double jumping front kick from the kneeling position
Turn and close.

Time Travel Agena 1972

2012-01-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

There’s a lot of history on a concrete floor that no longer exists.

When Charles Murray trained in Agena in 1971 he kept some memories that I’m sharing so we don’t forget.

The difference from the days when my original instructor, Tom Lewis, trained in Agena, a roof had been added to the dojo. The broken bottles were still atop the wall.

So here are a few photographs and video’s of Agena.

A painting of Shimabuku Sensei hanging on the wall.

The desk of Shimabuku Sensei.

The Agena dojo wall.

The Agena dojo training facilities.

Isshinryu Kata Chart

Upper and Lower Body Chart

The most important dojo notice!

Agena Dojo in 1972

Working the makiwara in Agena.

A big thank you to Charles Murray for sharing these memories with my students.

Rememberances of Okinawa: Chinkuchi

2012-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

When Charles Murray was training me before his return to the Air Force, for his career, he spent some time explaining his training in Agena in 1972-73 and what he learned from those studies. Among them was an explanation of ‘Chinkuchi’ training.

Charles is a student of Tom Lewis and was awarded his sho-dan just before he was stationed on Okinawa for a tour of duty. When there he trained at Shimabuku Tatsuo’s Agena Dojo as much as possible. The Agena dojo was the location Mr. Lewis had trained a decade earlier and the only change was a roof had been added over the original walls. At the time he trained there it was mostly an Okinawan Dojo with several American students. The US Marines then had their own dojo on their base.

Among his studies he received training in Isshinryu ‘Chinkuchi’ from the founder’s son Shinso. Training he kept part of his studies thereafter. Returning to the states he did not find ‘Chinkuchi’ training being done by others. He wrote a brief paper about his training to document it for himself.

In January of 1979 I was tested and received my Sho-dan by Mr. Lewis and his IKC. Immediately thereafter Charles focused on teaching me the remaining kobudo kata of the Isshinryu system and then in April of that year he returned to the USAF for a career. There was not time to focus on Chinkuchi and then on my own I did not feel it appropriate to try and teach it to myself. I believe the correct manner is to be trained by someone who was in turn correctly trained.

Fate has not been kind to Charles and I, over the years we have been able to spend very few hours together and in the brief time allowed to us he was always interested in following and supporting my own studies. But the wheel finally turns and last month during a visit he reviewed his ‘Chinkuchi’ training with me (and it was exactly as I was originally shown). This was further bolstered by his discovery of old Super8 movies he had taken, among which are him performing SunNuSu (Sunsu) Kata as part of ‘Chinkuchi’ training in the Agena dojo, and Seisan Kata also as part of ‘Chinkuchi’ training outside at his base.

When I joined the internet age in the late 90’s as a response to a discussion on the Original Isshinryu List I shared Charles article on ‘Chinkuchi’, with his permission. I made several changes to spelling, Chinkotz to Chinkuchi and Ciso to Shinso, as when it had been written he had no access to the name standardization that would occur and was using a phonetic spelling as he heard the names on Okinawa. But the remainder is all Charles.

Further more I’m attaching his sho-dan performance of SunNuSu (Sunsu) kata done in Agena as a ‘Chinkuchi’ drill, a different pace, etc. than his normal performance. I believe it makes his story more meaningful.

Charles makes no claims at being an expert, this is just what he studied. I am not going further into how to practice ‘Chinkuchi’ as I don’t practice it myself, I do not believe I have the words to do it justice and of course I maintain you need to be trained directly by a knowledgeable instructor such as Charles had in Agena.

Rememberances of Okinawa: Chinkuchi

By now Retired Col. Charles Murray (USAF)

One night after a rather exhaustive workout at Master Shimabuku's dojo, I and several other students were drinking tea that the Master's wife had brought us. In the course of the conversation that accompanied the tea drinking, the instructor, Master Shimabuku's second son, Shinsho (Ciso), was telling me of how he had once threatened to kill an attacker with one punch. As he began to tell me this, I smiled. When he asked me why I was smiling, I told him that I didn't think that anyone could kill another with just one blow.

As I spoke, I guess that I was thinking that if there was one thing that American karate had taught me was that you could not kill with one strike. I mean, who is strong enough to do that, who could generate that kind of power? Did not kickboxing show us that that was impossible, that the "one-strike kill" was just a myth?

Almost in reply to my thoughts, Master Shinsho struck me twice. With his first blow, a nukite (spear-hand thrust), he temporarily paralyzed my arm; with the second blow, my leg. At that moment, I realized that there are some people who can kill with one strike! I asked Shinsho, who was now standing and laughing, how he did that. He replied that his power cam from chinkuchi and that he would show me more the next day.

That was my introduction to what the Okinawans call chinkuchi, and I could not not wait to learn it! The next day I found out that only three Americans before me had ever been taught chinkuchi and out of the three, only one at that time had mastered it. The man who had mastered chinkuchi was from Florida named Bob Bremer. Master Tatsuo Shimabuku swore by this man's abilities, and acclaimed him as the best Isshinryu fighter in the world. He said, "Bremer Number One, Nagle Number 2." It was funny, but not long after hearing of this man, I saw in a karate magazine where he had beaten Parker Sheldon for the championship of a big tournament in the South. The article mentioned that Bremer's movements looked slow until they suddenly locked in place with devastating power. This came from chinkuchi training.

Well, what is this chinkuchi? I should first say that the word is unique to Okinawan karate and has never been officially defined by even the Okinawans. It truthfully has no meaning and many meanings. Chinkuchi is both a way of training and what is achieved when one is able to achieve the main physical goal of karate which is to be able to block and counter simultaneously with killing power. It is the way the Okinawans achieve power through karate-do.

This "power" (chinkuchi) is developed by striking with:

(1) Proper tensing

(2) Proper breathing

(3) Accompanying each movement with what I call "mind control."

Tensing: In karate when we punch and kick, we initiate a movement by swiveling our hips. This swiveling creates a shock wave which finds expression through our striking joint (as we lock our arm or leg into place). It is then transferred to what we strike; through our striking surface (e.g. first two knuckles, ball of foot, etc.). Let me illustrate. When we punch we "swivel" our hips. This creates a shock wave which travels from our hips up to our shoulder and as our arm locks into place goes out from our first
two knuckles.

This power flow that I have just described, in order to be effective, must be accompanied by such things as:

(1) Being loose until the moment of contact (30% tension)

(2) Proper breathing

(3) Mind control or allowing your ki to flow through the movement.

This method of proper body tensing is an ingredient that must be mastered for a person to have chinkuchi in a movement.

Proper Breathing: Every Isshinryu student knows that a kiai is among other things a shout of spirit. It is used because:

(1) The body's striking movement is always stronger when one exhales properly.

(2) It has the capability of momentarily stunning an opponent.

(3) It tightens the abdominal muscles as one strikes, thus aiding in preventing one from experiencing pain from a counter blow.

What few students know is that something like a kiai should accompany every strike in karate (either a silent or audible one). In other words, with every strike one should exhale from the diaphragm. This is a brief description of what I call "proper breathing." A further description of proper breathing would be an article in itself.

Mind Control: The third aspect of chinkuchi and the most important (and least understood) is what I call "mind control." This is known in other martial arts as qi, ki, inner power, the spiritual aspect of karate-do, etc.

This aspect of Okinawan power training (chinkuchi) is virtually unknown, I feel, by our Isshinryu sensei today. Last year in speaking with an Isshinryu hachidan (8th Dan), I asked if he had ever heard of chinkuchi. He said that he had heard of it from Mr. Bremer (mentioned previously), but our conversation revealed that about all he knew of it was the name. You might ask why this is. The answer is simple. Master Shimabuku could not speak English very well so it was impossible to communicate it to the Americans who studied exclusively with him. All of the Americans, that I know of, who were taught chinkuchi studied with Shimabuku's second son, Shinsho, the only one who could speak English well.

Well, let me get back to "mind control." This mind control, coupled with proper tension and breathing, give the karate-ka was masters chinkuchi, additional power.

Perhaps the best article that I have ever read on what this mind control is was in an article in Official Karate magazine several years ago by Howard Taque from New York. In the article, he defined qi, ki, etc. as a form of "self-hypnosis." For more information on this, see the aforementioned article.

But now the question is: how do the Americans train? The answer in a nutshell is all differently. Some Americans achieve power in their techniques by using strength and weight in their movements much like a boxer. Some try to incorporate tensing and breathing in that they have a vague notion of how they should breathe and tense. But, truthfully, only a few American Isshinryu sensei that I have seen know how to achieve power in any way, right or wrong, American or Okinawan. They act like whatever will be, will be. If their students gain any degree of power from training then that's good; if not, well, it's the student's fault. The student must not be training hard enough, or something.

The real difference, however, in American power trianing lies with mind control. It seems that no one know anything about it. I have never seen anyone really train to master it. Well, this is dragging on. Suffice it to say that there is an organized, proven way of developing power that the Okinawans call chinkuchi. This chinkuchi is taught to the beginning Okinawan student, but because of communication problems has never been taught to most Americans.

The last question that I will address is: why was chinkuchi important to the Okinawans?

It was important because Te was developed in Okinawa as the Okinawans were fighting a guerilla war against the Japanese. I assume that there were times the Okinawans only had one punch or kick to give their oppressors. If this strike did not kill or disable they were in danger of being either killed or disabled themselves. It not only was important, it was all-important.

Well, allow me to end this article with the following story that I recently read in Black Belt magazine. It illustrates graphically what can be achieved through chinkuchi.

One day, an old man walked into a dojo in Hawaii and saw the students hitting the makiwara. He watched as they continued to strike the makiwara (the "American" way), and he began to smile. The old man's smiling annoyed the students and they asked him if he would like to try his luck at striking the makiwara. The old man said "okay," took his stance, and threw his punch. It broke the makiwara completely in half. It seems that this old man had been one of Gichin Funakoshi's first students. Master Funakoshi, an Okinawan, had obviously taught him chinkuchi.

Charles Murray practicing SunNuSu (Sunsu) Kata with Chinkuchi Training

Location Agena Dojo, Okinawa 1972

Ice Chi in Frosty Derry-Air

2012-01-01T11:59:00.001-08:00

Another year begins. As I’ve been doing for over 20 years I practiced my Yang Tai Chi outside this morning. Actually I recall performing it with Laoshi over 30 years ago on New Years morning. When I began my Tai Chi group in Derry we practiced outside on Sunday mornings. In hot, warm, cool or cold air. From +100 f. to -20 f., the only weather that defeated tai chi practice was rain. Don’t do soggy chi at all.

These day’s my practice is private.

When I went outside I discovered the ground and driveway were covered with a layer of ice, making my practice more difficult, but also challenging. I didn’t slip and performed my Yang Sword and Yang Tai Chi form without problem. Then Kata SunNuSu and a run-through of Aragaki no Sochin.

On conclusion I then went for a two mile walk. That was harder for the ice was starting to melt and I needed to constantly mind my ability to break-fall.

During my walk I thought about how my tai chi study aided my Isshinru. The attention to small detail of body alignment in tai chi taught me valuable lessons how the same was needed for solid karate performance.

A great way to start a year. Now all I need is a near blizzard to make it perfect.

Continuing thoughts on Jion

2011-12-29T10:28:00.000-08:00

I’m going to conclude my 2011 projects with another pass at Chromo Hanshio’s presentation of Jion Kata in the 1938 Nakasone Genwa text the “Karate-Do Taikan”.

I presented some comments earlier this year on blog at http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2011/06/lesson-from-jion.html. I don’t practice the kata, it’s not in the Isshinryu tradition, nor do I know anyone in the Kyudokan tradition which does so, but I think if I draw upon the insights from Nakasone’s text and Mutsu Mizhuo’s 1933 “KempoKarate” I can make some headway towards understanding Hanshiro’s comment “Budo is a living thing; naturally there are thousands of different applications and variations for each technique."

Before I go further let’s look at a Kyudokan presentation of Jion, seen from a different angle than the other video’s I’ve shared.

I have to admit when I first saw this form in the “Karate-Do Taikan” it didn’t do much for me. I saw it as a simple exercise in large techniques. Now I have a very different opinion.

Among the first things I see now are the form as a study in basic techniques for Karate Ni Sente Nashi. The kata using Mutsu’s concepts of Reactive Defense (such as blocks/parries while leaning away from the attacker) and Preemptive Striking (they strike first but your counter-strike hits before they strike you. Especially with the countering strikes being to the head not the center of the attackers body. Strikes to end a confrontation quickly with a head shot.

Take these two principles together and they’re designed to counter a multiple strike attack where the attacker intends a double tap to take you out. Leaning away with the block/parry creates a vacuum to pull the attacker towards you for their second strike. As they move into the space you created you enter that space too with your counter-strike.

You can review these principles with my earlier post on ‘There is no first strike in karate’ at http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2011/07/there-is-no-first-strike-in-karate.html.

Yet I feel this only touches the surface of the thousands of applications Hanshiro mentioned.

I think it’s obvious that in addition to considering that these techniques can be used against any type of attack, there are innumerable add-on techniques for what is shows in the kata.

Consider the lunge strike to the head followed with a high block/strike. If you struck someone in the head what is the high block for? You might suggest that you’re using that block to clear away their strike. I would suggest that the missing technique would then be descending strike, an add-on to the movement not found in the kata. This would be a consistent study such as those also presented in Nakasone’s text by Shiroma Shimpan.

I’ve presented some discussion of Shiroma Shimpan on a previous post at http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2011/12/understanding-shiroma-shimpan.html

Such study might be the first step towards the thousands of answers Hanshiro suggested. I’ve touched similar answers with several of my friends arts.

I believe with this version of Jion Kata, we’re seeing older Okinawan traditions. As it was Itosu’s students who shared so much information in the past, it is logically consistent to draw upon those sources in our quest to understand earlier karate.

I’ve previously discussed some of these concepts in the following posts.
http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2010/05/itosus-reflections-it-is-not-bunki-say.html
http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2010/05/itosus-reflections-watson-look-for.html
http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2010/06/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

Concluding a Year – 2011

2011-12-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

The nights are long and the cold finally arrives, but the solstice has passed and 2012 approaches. It’s a good time for some introspection.

2011 was a pivotal year in my training. First I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes. I had to come to grips with the effects I had been assigning to age were something I could fight. So I regained control of my diet, increased my exercise by walking and used my karate training to rebuild my life. I lost a lot of weight, my karate got stronger to the point I even competed in a tournament. Then the second act found me diagnosed with colon cancer and surgery required. If anything the regulation of my training made things much easier for me because I was healthier. Recovering from the surgery I started walking even more and turned to my tai chi and karate to rebuild myself, stronger than I’ve been for decades. But the third act required a combination of radiation and chemo therapy to the current fourth act of ongoing chemo therapy, all to help my body eliminate any further cancer possibility.

I’m now lighter than I’ve been in 30 years. Age has had an effect on my life, but my continuing training has been of incredible value. I was forced to set aside much of my kobudo training until recently, almost a six month stand down, and now find how much goes too quickly as I return to those disciplines.

On the Isshinryu front my major focus in 2011 has been SunNuSu and Sanchin kata but there are innumerable Isshinryu challenges ahead. Tai Chi and Silat Tjimande drills have become my major method of warming up for practice. I’m using the softer drills to prepare my body for practice. Tai Chi continues to provide depth for my karate studies, but not from similarity of technique, but in the way the entire body is used in technique execution and the relevance to what good karate execution requires.

For a most personal push I’ve used private study of Tomari No Rohai and Aragaki No Sochin. Both forms use a hip shift during striking that I now recognize as a method in Yang study these 34 years, but the transition from the Yang technique to karate striking is not a simple transition. It will be interesting to see what this study yields in future years.

As an instructor of two very small programs the year has been challenging.

For the youth program Mr. Cassidy is well transitioned as the main instructor and works at innovative ways to develop the Boys and Girls Club youth. Such a program has it’s ebbs and flows as students pass through but this year it’s again developed into a most robust group. Being able to step back and watch has been insightful always learning much about how students learn and allowing me to focus on the small details because I’m not running the class. We’ve moved the program to include youth black belts, though not changing the overall content and the true fun begins when you guide someone to taking more serious steps in their training.

The adult program has been a different experience. Keeping to an older standard of small instruction, you learn how your students are affected by the world and it’s economic pressures. Basically they’ve had to make choices requiring intense hours of work to keep their positions and that has had a effect on the time they can train. They remain dedicated students when they have the time, but the underlying lesson for the instructor remains what you can accomplish in your own studies is restricted to what your students can do. Among the causalities my ongoing study in application analysis, I’ve had to learn to set aside what I want to study to always focus on what the students need to study for the time they have. The student needs are far more important than the instructors.

Each student in the end defines how far their studies will go. The instructor is but a guide that continues to point the way but the student defines their path. That is how it should be, they should be developed to make such critical decisions and what their karate will become is among the important ones.

Among the more fascinating studies in 2011 has been my historical research into Nakasone Genwa’s “Karate Do Taikan”, especially as I see how much of it parallels the many subsidiary studies from my friends. Essentially much which was published in 1938 has been part of my students studies for decades. When friends shared with me I was able to pick the unique and worked to include it in my studies, now I see those drills explain a lot about what earlier studies in karate represented. I have plans to work to use Nakanone’s book in our instructor development program. I find I’ve shared so much I forget what I’ve already touched. One of my current projects is to amend an earlier post with some additional material to make a more complete suggested understanding.

During 2011 I was most fortunate to spend some time will all of my primary instructors and other friends. I traveled to West Virginia and spent time with Tom Lewis, reminiscing on Isshinryu and friends. I spent time with Ernest Rothrock, received needed corrections on my tai chi and shared some insight with his students on the application potential of one technique. Tristan Sutrisno dropped by and shared some insight on knife studies clarifying older studies for me. Charles Murray had some old Super8 movies transferred to a dvd and shared many precious moments in his training, my instructors before my time training, a glimpse of the Agena dojo in 1972 when he was training there and some of his chinkuchi training on Okinawa. Later during a visit he shared the oral history of his time in Agena studying chinkuchi under Shimabuku Shinso.

I was also able to attend a few hours of John Kerker’s annual Isshinryu seminar at Mr. Whitley’s dojo in Springfieldm Massachusetts. Every time I see him I’m both graced to learn more of his art and blessed to gain further understanding of his instructor Sherman Harrill. This year was no exception and I had many, “Wow I can’t believe I didn’t see this before,” moments.

There is no way to include everything that made the year special. I spent time with other special friends too, including first meetings. Among the more frivolous things were other journeys. Superman finally took flight, Harry Potter kicked ass, Comic book movies remained fun, Sherlock and Watson danced most beautifully and Atlas Shrugged. It helps to keep the mind young.

Walking has become more than mere exercise, it is time to step away from the day’s events and spend time with oneself.

Now it’s time to start another day, new adventures, new studies, many projects on the burner to bring to market. Where does it go? I have no idea, but I long ago learned each year I’ve doubled everything I learned the previous year and I expect that’s not going to stop for a long time, if I can help it.

Chinese Studies

2011-12-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time I studied the Chinese Arts with Ernest Rothrock Laoshi.

I already was studying Yang Long Fist Tai Chi Chaun with him and wished to understand the Chinese Arts better as I often had to judge Chinese forms. For a period of five years I studied various forms from him.

Through diligent research I've found close versions of those forms to share with my students. They are not 100% identical to my studies but are close enough to allow understanding of what I studied.

Northern Shaolin (Sil Lum)
Duen Da Chaun

Northern Mantis (Tai Tong Long)
Chachui

Chin Woo
Tan Tui

Chin Woo
Gong Li Quan

Faan Tzi Ying Jow Pai
Shi Lu Xing Quan (行拳) is known as the "Walking Fist."

In the Land of Dreams

2011-12-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

Some of the arts I wish I had the time to learn..............

Cimande

The Shaolin 'Wu Xing Quan' executed by Master Qin Qing Feng, better known as the 'Wu Xing Ba Fa', is the immitating style of the five 'basic' animal styles of Shaolin boxing. It consist of the Leopard (Pao), the Tiger (Hu), the Snake (She), the Crane (He), and the mythological Dragon (Long).

Yanqing Tui

Tom Lewis and Dennis Lockwood in 1976

2011-12-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

It was 1976 when Tom Lewis (my original instructor) and Dennis Lockwood (another of my instructors) gave a karate demonstration in Ocean City, Maryland. This footage was preserved on Super8 by Charles Murray.

Understanding Shiroma Shimpan

2011-12-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

As I keep working my way through my copy of Nakasone Genwa’s “Karate-do Taikan” I find myself resolving an interesting mystery that I’ve been living through for over 30 years, namely what can we understand from karate’s past about the older way of the hand. All of the books published in the 1930’s are sharing material that had been very closely held about what karate was.

Among my most interesting discovery is a link between the kata ‘Aragaki no Sochin’ of Aragaki Isumu which may be found on YouTube, to the kata ‘Aragaki no Sochin’ described by Mabuni Kenwa in Nakasone’s book and finally the use of karate techniques described by Shiroma Shimpan also in Nakasone’s book.

A number of years ago when I first discovered Aragaki Isumu’s ‘Aragaki no Sochin’ I was struck by the power of his technique and the unique movements he showed. Since that day I’ve found 4 more performances of him showing that kata and uniquely each is different from each other. Logically there may just be multiple versions of the kata, or it may be that he does not share the complete kata in public (a well known Okinawan tradition). Be that as it may, together they provide an interesting insight into a kata performance.

When I first saw it I tried relating it to the Mabuni Kenwa ‘Aragaki no Sochin’ in my copy of Nakasone’s book. I couldn’t read the Japanese but it was apparent that the Mabuni version was similar but many of Aragaki Isumu’s movements were not part of the form. Today the version of Mabuni’s Shito Ryu students remains faithful to Mabuni’s documented version. Finally when Mario McKenna’s translation of Nakasone’s book became available I could read the kata description and the bunkai of it’s movements which he shared. A very good kata but different in many senses.

As to which ‘Aragaki no Sochin’ came first or was the more authentic I have no insight or interest. Both are complete. But it was finally from Shiroma Shimpan use of karate techniques explained in Nakasone’s book, that I have been able to piece together a logical framework explaining the kata. [Note: logic does not mean a ‘real’ relationship, just a relationship that works in understanding karate’s past, IMO.]

One of the underlying principles I define from Shiroma Shimpan was that karate technique could contain extra ‘unseen’ techniques such as following a ‘block’ with a strike from the same hand. I’ve been using similar principles from the teaching of one of my friends Ernest Rothrock for decades and all of my students do too. Shiroma just added an expanded vocabulary of techniques for use to draw on. Nor do I believe he shared everything he knew, but enough to make a serious effort in understanding.

What I’ve been able to piece together was similar techniques are in the Sochin of Aragaki Isumu’s performance. Logically the Mabuni style Sochin might be the ‘base’ form and the Aragaki Isumu Sochin might be the ‘expanded’ form. Finally I realized that the Aragaki performance was close to the techniques of Ernest Rothrock’s ‘Jing-do’ studies. Then the Aragaki performance may be a further example of Shiroma’s principles. One that you can watch in action.

The Aragaki technique application potential are not better than Mabuni’s application. Just different, yet, the potential in understanding may be significant.

There is much more taking place in Aragaki Isumu’s performance than the additional techniques, but that is an other story.

Quiet Time

2011-12-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

It's interesting keeping a blog on my martial studies.

At times articles of interest just bubble up.

At other times training, thought and work take precedence and quiet prevails.

Research is not a straight line topic as in just read a book and you know what is next. Instead you have to read and live what you read, try and practice too.

Right now I'm brimming over with thoughts on Nakasone's "Karate-do Taikan', how much of it already exists in my subsidiary studies to my Isshinryu program because of facets of their arts as shared with me by Ernest Rothrock and Tristan Sutsisno, and the relationship between Mabuni Kenwa's "Aragaki No Sochin" from the Nakasone text to the "Aragaki No Sochin" of Aragaki Isumu and the description of the use of Karate Kata technique by Shiroma Shimpan from the Nakasone text.

I've started the slow process of adopting Mario McKenna's translation of Nakasone's text or "An Overview of Karate-do", for our instructor development program, in that we're doing many of the training practices Nakasone shared might as well tie them back to the 1938 descriptions too.

In a bit I'll follow with my Sochin to Shrioma Shimpan analysis.

SuNuSu kata applications by Charles Joseph (Joe-san) Swift

2011-11-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

Originally posted On the Original Isshinryu List

Motobu Choki shows this application in his 1926 book on "kumite" applications. Although originally from the Tomari lineage Passai kata that both Motobu and Kyan knew and taught, it can easily be extrapolated to Sunsu. Due to this, it is my conviction that Tatsuo Sensei took this part of Sunsu from the Passai that (I believe) he learned under Kyan Chotoku.

TRANSLATION:

(Fig.1) As the opponent strikes to our face with his left fist, we use our left hand to strike his arm off its course, and immediately grab his left wrist with our left hand.

(Fig.2) After blocking the opponent's left attack with our left hand, then twisting our left hand top grab his left wrist, as in the previous diagram, we grab his left elbow with our right hand, and
stomp on his knee with our right foot to break it.
----------------------------

PS, I must thank Victor Smith for originally bringing this to my attention after he had met with Sherman Harrill a couple of years ago...

By Joe-Swift 9/4/2001

Note: It was Harrill Sensei who pointed this out to me at a clinic in Rhode Island, when I shared this with Joe-san he performed the translation and sent a copy of a Japanese edition of the Motobu book to give to Harrill Sensei in turn.

20,000 Friends

2011-11-05T17:30:00.001-07:00

When I listened to the advice of Mario McKenna and began my blog my only intention was to create a repository for my students of my personal history and notes on my ongoing studies into Isshinryu and my other martial interests. I'm not looking for students, I don't offer clinics or join organizations. The purpose of Isshin - Concentration the Art is just that a repository of my studies for my students.

On the other hand I have never been adverse to sharing this material with anyone and that is why the blog is open.

Along the way Blogger updated to the point it keeps statistics on viewership and I discovered how many individuals have found my studies and thoughts of interest. Then today I noticed I just hit 20,000 views so I guess I need to have a Texas Ranger look into this, hence why Walker is on the opening photograph.

I've been fortunate in my friends more than anything. The very gifted instructor's who've shared with me have made a great deal of my research pay off because I've discovered the older writings actually describe studies I've been working at for decades.

Recently I've had a friend comment he often has to print out my posts to read and think about them because I have so much material in them. Well that works two ways, many times they're the results of weeks or months of research and study. But I have found such value in my studies I don't want my students to miss what I see and share.

Another friend commented that there is a contingent that thinks I'm being creative (i.e. lying) such as the story about Sutrisno Sensei standing on my shoulders before I finished attacking him. Personally I could care less what other think. Sutrisno Sensei's students were as amazed as I was when it occurred. The truth is I've never done anything but accurately report on all of my internet postings. My senior students have trained with all of my instructors and have seen enough to know how accurate my descriptions are.

Blogger like me and keeps trying to have me money-tize my blog, but as nice as money is, that is not what it's for so no advertising.

Well enough of me getting on my soapbox. I only hope those visitors have found something that drives their imagination to sweat harder and that I can leave a legacy of my studies for my own students.

And if you see that Ranger checking around, play nice for remember, 'One Riot, One Ranger'!

Thanks for the interest.

John Kerker's annual clinic in Chicopee Mass

2011-10-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

Each October John Kerker visits Whitley's Budokai dojo in Chicopee Massachusetts.
I was able to attend yesterday and it was a pleasure to see John in action again.

Here is a brief clip of John in action.

Attending a martial clinic – the student’s options

2011-10-21T18:11:00.001-07:00

There are many options about how to productively attend a martial clinic.

First what is the purpose of the clinic:

1. To share specific information use for your study, such as a new kata, technique applications or sparring practices.

2. To train with another instructor of your system.

3. To train with another instructor outside of your system.

4. Will the information shared be required as part of your ongoing study?

5. Is the information deeper knowledge such as in-depth technique applications.

6. Will the information gained not be part of your ongoing studies?

7. Are you attending with the permission and encouragement of your instructor(s)?

8. Are you attending because of personal interest without the knowledge or your instructor?

Some, All or even other purposes may be involved in your training.

Everyone attending a clinic is a student, even the instructor of the clinic.

The instructor is always learning how successful they can transmit the information to a new group of students.

Specifically if the clinic is on technique applications the following may be in play:

The host instructor, if the material is new to them, are learning and evaluation how that information may be worked into their program. The instructor may be focusing on underlying principles as much as the detail of the techniques.

Senior students involved in their program research may be working to retain as much knowledge of what was shown as possible. They may be focusing on as much detail retention as possible.

Dan Students may be working to gain greater understanding of their own or other arts. In that case how the underlying principles shown match the techniques studied.

Kyu Students are trying to keep their head above water. Often more dealing with confusion as the clinic moves from technique to technique.

Regardless of whether the clinic is for learning kata/forms or kobudo/weapons the new techniques and repetition of same I’ve found a series if principles that make it easier to retain what is happening. They are a good way to learn at anytime, but because of the time compression of a clinic, you may find them helpful to scope what is taking place.

First always focus on the stepping of the instructor. Because of the placement of you eyes focusing on the hands and arms is natural, but in most cases the learning involves movement and you first have to get yourself to the correct place in space for the rest of the technique to work. If you get the stepping first the rest of the technique (or kata section) is much easier to learn.

Second find a good partner to work with. Don’t let the clinic become a social event by extra chatting. Don’t let it become a that reminds me of this technique practice so you start performing other things. If you’re learning kata keep challenging each other to work the next section better than before.

Third, understand the role of short term memory and long term memory in retaining information. By short term memory you can perform today but if that knowledge doesn’t transfer to long term memory tomorrow you will have no idea what was learned the day before. You can help move from short to long term memory. If you understand the movement/technique, look around for someone nearby who is having trouble and take a moment to help them get it. This requires you to verbalize the movement section and aids the shift to long term memory.

You can also return to previously studied material at breaks later in the clinic. A break in time and then recalling the technique also helps move the knowledge into long term memory.

Fourth, ahead of time determine what you need to get out of the clinic, that can help you focus on what is most important to you during the clinic’s events.

You will not retain everything. The clinic instructor likely has many years behind his technique. If they’re teaching a form you can only get the shell of the movement, not the depth of years or decades of practice. Even if you loose the form you have gained by knowing what it felt to do it. If 100 techniques were shown and you only remember one of them that’s a 100% growth in understanding you had before the clinic. Even grasping the underlying principles behind technique usage from the instructor is valuable if you can’t retain the actual techniques. Those principles provide fuel for greater study.

On taking notes.

If you’re experiencing the clinic instruction for the first time, it’s better not to worry about taking notes during the clinic. Instead wait until late that night or the next day to do so. Notes from your long term memory will be more valuable than notes from your short term memory that you later may not understand in content.

When you’re more familiar with the instructor, the topic of the study or are performing as a researcher for your school you may work on keeping running notes of the study. I personally have my own shorthand method for capturing technique application study. It involves standard codes such as RFF RP (Right foot forward right punch) and the use of simple drawings to show motion paths, etc. Working with a partner after we seem to understand the movements, I step aside to work on some notes allowing my partner to work with another . Those notes should be re-written that evening adding detail. The initial shorthand notes never show the complete story of the movement. Then the notes become a long term reference of the day’s efforts.

It’s important to understand your notes will only be of use to you, others will not have the context to reconstruct much of them for their own use.

Video of the clinic.

On the whole a video record of a clinic will be un-watchable, even with a large amount of editing. The clinic instructor is likely not working at their level of performance but teaching to the general level of the members of the clinic. This does not make for great video and can be deadly dull to review unless you are extremely focused on what is shown. My suggestion is if you have the ability, video what you are doing in the clinic. That video will bring up your own memories of performance and help you learn in greater detail.

Good luck!

A Friday Visit in October

2011-10-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

It was a dark and rainy night when I drove down to meet Jim Brumbaugh and Romney Taylor south of Derry to direct them to my house. They had spent the day driving from Ohio and Buffalo, New York. respectively, to meet me and then attend a clinic with Liu Chang'I to study Feeding Crane. The clinic to be hosted by another friend, Fred Lohse on Saturday and Sunday in Watertown, Massachusetts.

We have been friends for a long time on the internet but this was the first time I met Jim and Romney.

Jim

Romney

It was a very good time. I answered Jim's questions about the use of the knee release and body alignment principles in application study. Romney enjoyed watching my instructors movies of training in Agena Okinawa, as much seeing the Motobu dojo performing Naifanchi kata in the Isshinryu mode (stepping first to the left) as well as in their standard mode (stepping first to the right). From there we discussed man diverse martial issues.

Before they left for the clinic Saturday Morning as it was October I gave them a brief instruction in one Ghost Technique, so they'd have something for Halloween.

Fred

Liu Chang'I

I also visited the clinic for a bit to see Fred and watch Liu Chang'I and his Feeding Crane power development techniques. The clinic was very well attended and I met another internet friend for the first time, Narda Wakoluk, too. The techniques demonstrated by Lui Chang'I were awsome too.

Unfortunately I could not stay long but I know I gained by the chance to place faces to the names.

Rittenhouse Square on an October Evening

2011-10-08T01:49:00.001-07:00

Flower children have no flowers,

Leaves have turned from green to brown,

Cold and darkness they are coming,

The summer has been run aground.

The first leave decides to take the chance

And jumps into the brave unknown

Floating, turning, ever falling,

Finally it hits the ground.

First one leaf, then another

Falling through colder skies

Till the last leaf takes the fall

Against the darkening and somber

Flower children have no flowers

They have left one by one

Bare Trees, Brown Grass,

Flower children gone.

Composed in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia October 1968

Student

2011-10-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

Webster defines student two ways. First ,a scholar or learner who attends a school and Second, one who studies, an attentive and systematic observer.

It has been suggested the acquisition of sho-dan (or black belt) in karate is really recognition that the karate-ka has become a student of karate. I define that they have become one who studies, the attentive and systematic observer of their art, and the purpose of their studies is themselves.

Towards the end of our time together Charles Murray once told me “Victor, the first 20 years your art is the reflection of your instructor(s). After 20 years, your art is a reflection of yourself.” As time passes I’ve come to see that as more true than not, but how that comes into being isn’t a factor of the color of your belt, your titles or even the fact you keep training (but the last is still vitally important).

I find what is really important is that you have become a student of karate, defined as your studies have made you the attentive and systematic observer who in turn learns how to act on those observations.

I remember each step of my journey so clearly. Except for my instructor and wife nobody came up to congratulate me for getting my black belt. Almost immediately thereafter I became my own instructor and the most important tool was remaining the student.

I started studying other arts and learned how to remain a beginner. I began studying other’s actions, in word and deed and observed those actions consequences. Having learned how to stand I began to crawl.

I learned reading a book wasn’t enough, you had to try it on, walk in it’s thoughts, live it. In time, and it always took much time, something might be found helping guide my study.

Becoming the attentive and systematic observer became the key to being an instructor.

Becoming the key, the attentive and systematic observer.

Student.