The descending Butt strike from the Hidden Stick

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YINL1XMHdm8

 

So lets take it a step further and look

at the opening of the Hidden Stick form

as an exercise in reverse stepping.

 

It also fits my disabilities

To just concentrate on a piece of a form.

 

 

1. For on thing, using short sticks for the Hidden Stick

Means you don’t have to have a stick hidden in your sleeve

Having the stick in your right hand is hidden enough.

 

 

2. The initial movement of the form

You step back with your right foot into a left foot forward cat stance,

while moving your  left hand vertical palm,

 forward and the hand with the stick moves upward

forming a parrying roof technique.

 Now you move your right foot alongside your left,

Then the left foot moves forward in into a left foot forward cat stance.

As you have moved towards your attacker,

Use that foreword movement to strike up.

Separate your hands.

The left vertical palm strikes into the chest of the attacker.

The right hand rises into a stick butt strike

Into the attackers jaw, to break it.

 

3. In the form the next movement is a right front kick

Followed by placing that foot down in a right front stance.

The left open hand slides down the arm during the kick

and then strikes as it slides out into the attacker during the kick.

 

Now you step your right foot alongside your left.

Then your left foot steps back into a right foot forward front stance.

There is no kick.

As your step concludes you strike downward with the butt of the stick.

Then your left hand slides down and strikes out with a horizontal palm strike.

 

4. The form continues with you in the right front stance.

You strike out to the head/neck on the left

And then strike downward into the knee on the right.

 

Remaining in your right front stance.

Your right hand delivers an outer strike to their neck with the butt of the stick.

And they you strike down into the knee on the right

Using a right descending butt strike.

 

I believe this a fair restatement

of the Hidden Stick opening

for the butt strike.

The Theory of 1000

from Kung Fu and Tai Chi Magazine   April 2025
Ernest Rothrock

   Learning basics. That is one of the most important aspects of Kung Fu training. Without proper guidance and repetition of the basic techniques, we could not perform our self-defense, forms, sparring, and weapons routines. Usually, after the first couple of months, most individuals find basic training drills tedious. They feel confident in their abilities. But see what happens when they do combination techniques such as Block, Kick, and Punch. I don’t know how often I correct students in the basic drilling fist punch while doing self-defense or a form. Why?

   The answer is simple: not enough practice. How often have I said, “Do this 1000 times, and you’ll become good.” Many students look at me as if I’m joking. I’m not. In fact, the number 1000, in Chinese thought, stands for an infinite number beyond human comprehension. Now, that’s a lot of practice! This advice is for all levels, white through black. Even after 44 years of practice, when trouble develops in a series of techniques, I break them down to the basics and practice each individually before returning to the whole set.

   Continued repetition is necessary because of all the parts of a particular technique. For example, let’s list some of the details of the corkscrew punch: proper fist, held at the waist correctly, touch the side of the body while punching, a full twist after the elbow clears the front of the body, hit with the front two knuckles only, in line with the center of the body, full-extension, shoulder relaxed, hips forward, snap power at the end, chest level, wrist straight, and coordinate all of this with the other hand. As you can see, a lot of different things could go wrong.

   Progress is made in various levels of achievement and basic techniques. Many advanced students can testify that basic training seems more challenging as we improve our techniques’ speed, power, timing, and coordination. Also, we must start to understand the relaxation and tension involved in the basic technique. The body must remain relaxed as we execute the technique, become tense only at the very last instant before the end of the technique, and relax immediately after completion. Sounds easy. Let’s compound that by adding that tensing the muscles does not mean in the entire body. Only the muscles necessary for developing the proper power in the technique are used. A drilling fist punch does not use the same muscles as a knife-hand strike.

   Power penetration is the ability to penetrate power into an object, not just on the surface. We start our training in this area by first hitting the bags. Whether using our hands or legs, we must learn proper distancing from the target. Too close, and we push, too far, and we overextend. Next, use a partner holding a bag against their body and see if they can feel the power on the other side. If they did, you are starting to develop power penetration. Don’t forget; we must now learn control. Whether we are doing one basic technique or a series, these pointers must be followed: hitting an object or not, doing self-defense, performing a form, or practicing with weapons. How can you accomplish all this? Practice 1000 times, and you will develop unbelievable skills.

 

Sun Nu Su toe-rip-kick

 

Right photo: Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei using the toe-rip-kick found in Sunsu kata with Steve Armstrong, in Armstrong's Tacoma, WA., dojo (1966).

While some claim there is no standard kata bunkai, this is the bunkai Tatsuo Sensei taught so sets the standard.

 

This toe-rip-kick is also found in Shimabuku Tatsuo no Kumite (島袋龍夫の組手)

 

6. b. Two hand cross arm choke hold karate gi, push kick (From Sunsu kata)

The photo on the left is dated March 1965, with me teaching Paul Heffernan the bunkai in Oceanside, CA.

 

On the right, one year later, is Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei teaching Steve Armstrong ,1966 in Tacoma, WA, the same bunkai from Sunsu kata.

A great example of Okinawa's Tsumasaki Geri (toe kick) during a real altercation regarding an intrusion into someone's feeding area.

On Okinawa there are Typhoons then there are Typhoons

 

 

Watching the news this morning and hurricane Matthew is starting to slam Florida. I don’t wish to be insensitive, but note everything today becomes a media event for coverage. While appropriate for the affected areas, is it really as an event for the rest of us.

Perhaps some gentle humor would be appropriate.

Think when we tell the youngsters how we had to walk through blizzards and miles of snow when we went to school.

Was the Okinawan equivalent, “Why when I was young we would stand on the rooftops during Typhoons and perform Seiunchin kata, in the wind and the rain.”

One has to wonder.

 Andy Sloane Before I left Okinawa towards the end of my first tour, I trained at Uechi Sensei's dojo in a typhoon!

 

Victor Donald Smith I have lost count of the times I showed up for class in hurricanes, blizzards and storms just in case anyone showed up for class, They never did because they were too smart to do that! One night at midnight Charles called me over to his Church to train. So I went. Afterwards when I went out, there was 3foot of snow on my car. I did travel through ice storms in the Poconos to go to training, I guess we were karate-ka in those days, or just crazy.

Been a while since I have talked about this but it is worth doing.

Between Reality and Delusion

 There are a series of posts from the Motobu Ryu people. Ones I have used the Bing translator to translate, They are somewhat difficult to understand, but at least you get some idea about what they are about.

Between NEW Yamane flow  reality and delusion! 

2017-02-18 said the school story, became a person that at 17: 56: 17 subject: headquarters Palace hand recently, Tokyo.



Person years ago type of "getting" unauthorized modification--say whether remake in almost "creative", and had appeared in the local tournament.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2v8IBzwhTU

Told were eventually issued a school was causing various problems cannot be published to the other, so that was altered Uehara Sensei's creations-battle of reach, we were surprised. Uehara Sensei is ufkun from 0/1955 (public phase you University) and taught karate, such as sorting type is interested in disciples--principle of a Palace hands necessarily fits--hate flowing type of karate, and has been 教enaku these types.

As the type instead of along the principle of a central Palace hand made in battle hand.

I win in sport karate competition Uehara teacher of creative type person above, apparently didn't like.

So he heard and teacher living in modified in this way, with permission of Uehara Sensei he was saying so, but at the same time training Uehara Sensei's dojo along with this person and then of course such a story is improbable did not know is.

Thank you so much to my students how convinces the mind grows brother disciple that fiction to as now seems to be.

Told the better, person, saying "at that time (Uehara Sensei alive,) modified in this way." afterwards many times making changed "many doubts about this person..." and so thought. You may meet people and putting yourself in the world of martial arts, sometimes indistinguishable from this reality and delusion.

To leave posterity any traces of the existence of a desire to go beyond their own ambitions--to influence them distorted, there kinds delusion develops in. It's not that creation itself is absolutely useless. However, the line may not be crossed if you put yourself in the ancient martial arts schools.

In formally to unsubscribe if you want to create your favorite new martial arts, good schools for their use only. Don't do it, or type into Division residence handed down hundreds of years though it embarrasses it even have a catch phrase. --Because I carry no fabrication of headquarters House.


\

 

Crescent Kicks Plus

 KishimotoDi's post 

 

In a whipping manner he demonstrates doing an inside crescent kick followed by a snappy front kick. Or an Outside crescent kick also followed by a variation of a snappy front kick. 

 

 

This is a scene from my self training. I am demonstrating a whip leg technique. You use the whip leg (in this video my left leg) to block a jodan or chudan zuki, then the same leg will give counter kick. We call this block sokuto or sokutei kaiten uke. Of course you can use this whip leg to attack the opponent jodan. The whipping of the leg can be done inside and outside circles. The key point here is the height and speed which require total relaxation of your leg and the flexibility. Video · Yokota Kousaku

 

 

Victor Smith

 

When I was a beginner we used to do an inside crescent kicks and the return with an outside crescent kick, over a partner’s head, where they had first bent over. We would try to come as close to the partner’s head as possible.

 

 

What is being shown is just that drill, slightly modified for the actual kick being used.

 

Another group with similar unique kicking practices was David Brojack’s Kempo Goju. Their West Wing kick and their West Wind kick were both variations on the crescent kick.

 

Beginning from a left cat stance  the West Wing Kick was where you would jump up and deliver a front inside crescent  kick and while descending you would follow with  a right outside crescent kick.

 

Then from a left cat stance for the West Wind kick you would jump up and deliver a front outside crescent kick and then while descending follow with a left inside crescent kick.

 

I learnt that while training with David and have never seen them elsewhere.

Generating Power in the Isshinryu System

 September 14, 1988

When a new Sho Dan, I immediately found myself on my own and forced to make
my own way training myself. I searched everywhere took the good and the bad
and worked hard to understand what Okinawan Te was about.

Ron Martin

 

While competing at a tournament, in the Black Belt kata division, a senior
Goju Ryu dan gave me a very low score. Later I questioned him as what I could
do to improve. This instructor turned out students who where exactingly crisp
in their own technique. He basically told me "Your Stances ******!", then
proceeded to elaborate on his thoughts as to what Isshinryu was doing wrong,
in general.

Tom Lewis

I started observing the best Isshinryu whenever I found it. Universally, all
great Isshinryu practitioners had great stances. I don't know how they were
trained, or how they trained their students, and was too humble to ask my
Sensei about why his own stances were so good, so I just began to concentrate
on developing stronger stance.

Likewise to my students I concentrated on any stance imperfections. Harped on
it, in a friendly manner of course, but never permitted bad stance to
continue. As time passed my stances got better and my students consistently
were doing a better job.

Of course there are offensive and defensive reasons for SUPER Seisan Stances,
et. al. Just commenting on Seisan, Offensively if the front leg is too
straight (a very common Isshinryu Black Belt situation in my years of
observation) you can't use the power of you legs and hips for power
generation. Instead you use only your arms, and that weakens the power
tremendously. Defensively, a straight front leg in Seisan is a target of
opportunity waiting to happen. I love to train my Dan's to look for that and
attack that point as a structural way to drop someone.
From this beginning in structural observation I've developed further
principles which affect the generation of Isshinryu Power.

In the use of the crescent step, I observe, most people use a constant
acceleration throughout the entire stepping process. I eventually began to
see another opportunity. The Crescent Step if done correctly by my way of
training, draws the back foot up alongside the front foot. It moves the foot
into the centerline, and then pushes off the centerline to move forward to
complete the step.

I saw an opportunity here. If you take 2/3's of the stepping movement time to
draw into the center line, and then explode from there with 1/3 of your
movement time, you are gathering your energy into your center and then
exploding out of there. Your kata movement become more powerful.

Then I began using the center line for everything. When making a turn, such as
90 degrees to the left. The left foot draws into the center line (2/3's of
the movement) and explodes 1/3 from the centerline, again.

So far I've commented on stance and movement. Next comes the role of
breathing and timing.

Originally the only instruction on breathing was the use of Ibuki breathing
in Sanchin and the way we practiced Seiuchin. But I have been working on a
different use of breathing to control the timing of the kata.

I now define breathing as INTRA TECHNIQUE SERIES BREATHING and as INTER TECHNIQUE SERIES BREATHING. Sounds like a mouthful doesn't it.

A Kata TECHNIQUE SERIES, is an instructor designation. It may be one move
(such as step forward and Block) or it may be a series of moves (such as
Block, Punch Front Kick, Double Punch). There are various ways to break any
kata down as a series. That isn't good or bad, just one of a number of
options to consider.

INTRA Technique Series, means what happens during the series in question.
Inter Technique Series, means what happens between the different Technique
Series.

INTRA TECHNIQUE SERIES BREATHING, I've found for speed enhancement, this
should be done as one continuous exhale. This is regardless of whether a
single technique, or a series of techniques. Inhalation during the technique
series (T.S.) will slow the series down. Never a good idea for power
development.

INTER TECHNIQUE SERIES BREATHING, Is where I inhale between Technique Series. This is for air replenishment as well as the means to control the timing of
the kata.

By exhaling INTRA TECHNIQUE, you can concentrate on increasing speed in the
series of technique(s). By controlling inhalation for INTER TECHNIQUE, you
can control the timing of the kata, and not let the speed get away from you.
Did you ever loose it in CHINTO and finish faster and faster. I've found
concentration on INTER TECHNIQUE breathing will help control the speed of the
entire form, yet still permit blasting on the techniques themselves.

There's nothing to say my principles are correct or the only answer. However
I and my students have been following them for the past 20 years and I'm more
than satisfied that I can make them work.

So you have Stance, the method of stepping, the method of breathing and
control of timing affecting power generation. How to make them an effective
training device.

Just jumping into a kata such as Seisan, can be a very daunting task with so
much to consider. What I suggest is to take a basic H type pattern kata (I
use Fugyata Sho myself, but which one doesn't matter).

A basic kata allows for good training in these principles. You can change
where the sequences start and stop (Is it A - Low block then B 0 Stepping
Punch or is it A-Low Block Stepping Punch). You can concentrate on this
stepping movements themselves. Stress driving off of the center line. Look at
the regulation of breathing and timing. Then when you start seeing progress,
they can begin to take the same principles and concentrate on One Isshinryu
Kata. Then work through the kata one at a time. Only when a kata is perfect,
go to the next and so forth. This is not a fast process and will take years.
But I am certain it will increase power.

Is this everything? No, of course not. Can you get the rest? That's an
interesting question.

I don't know if this is the answer. Truthfully it just works for me and mine.
Unfortunately no one gave me this, I had to work it out on my own piece by
piece.

Why should you address this issue. Well I see the study of kihon and kata, as
the practice of karate. Then I see the practice of Bunkai as the DOING of
Karate. If you can develop more and more energy in the practice, and
correctly perform the DOING of Karate, you will learn how to tap that larger
amount of power and utilize that when you DO Karate.

 

Keep looking to improve.