A piece of advice

 

You probably have noticed I have shared a fair amount ot kata technique from clinics I attended with Sherman Harrill and John Kerker.

 

I actually have hours more in my library. While I also have many hours more of  each of their presentations.  But those will never be shared

 

For one thing my students contributed a great deal of money to assist Garry Gerrosie, who was Sherman’s student, pay for  the expenses to bring Sherman in for those clinics. It was Sherman who personally permitted me to film those clinics (providing I sent him a copy of the videos). In turn those videos are for my students use.  I have shared some of those videos on my blog for them.

 

But after his death, I literally went crazy writing down each technique he showed (around 8 hundred applications for Isshinryu’s 8 kata.

 

What I realized no sane individual really can  watch those hours of video. The eyes will glaze and roll up quickly. Very quickly and unless you have your own school and are willing to replace your program, most of those techniques you will never teach. It was no different for me… sad but true.

 

You can view what I have posted and determining the principles behind what he shows to use in your own studies.

 

But I feel the strongest way to use what I have shared is this.

 

Pick one technique application you really like.

 

Work out for yourself how to accomplish it with  the standard attack being shown. Then work to make really work for you.

 

Next work out how to use it against many different attacks.

 

Such as:

 

1.     Right foot forward with a right grab, followed by an immediate left cross punch.

2.     A right front kick to your abdomen (or groin)

 

Make the technique yours, own it.

 

Even one technique that really works is a 100% improvement to your art.

 

Only then worry about a 2^nd, then a 3^rd and a 4^th technique and so on.

 

Just a suggestion.

Another thought on teaching youth bunkai (7/9/04)

Interesting topic. (At this time I was still working with using the concept ‘bunkai’ which I later abandoned for more accurate to me description of what was taking place. But this does not change the intent of this piece.) (But much of this reflects views as I saw them ijn 2004. Some of those views changed over time.)

 

Consider I was not teaching Isshinryu for any purpose but the practice of Isshinryu. I did not define the training for exercise, self defense or sport. Of course all of those can be accomplished from the training. But the goal was to just train and learn as the decades passed.

 

From my perspective after teaching youth for about 26 years now I don't change the curricula for youth or adult.  Essentially in my program nobody studies application of the kata until after shodan and then its a long gradual process.

 

On the other hand I'm continually demonstrating why their kata must be done in exact format, by demonstrating some of the application potential for the techniques.  I'm really starting to learn kata could have been made unchanging if the instructors of the past had really gotten into the head of their students as to why their version of Patsai was done in as specific manner. 

 

[Of course this is one of life's quandaries. Was the true lesson the path of mutability behind the kata and not unchanging structure? Beats me!]

 

There are real mixed messages as to what karate was and ought to  be from my perspective.  If the stories are anyway near correct showing beginners much about kata application potential was not the way it was studied on Okinawa. In similar light I can't in all serious use any Japanese terminology to describe the non-verbal approach of the Okinawan arts, preferring application potential to bunkai as a personal trait.

 

That a more complete understanding of any technique can yield dozens of application is true. On the other hand it isn't rational that anybody needs more than skill at a hand-full of techniques to stop any attack.

 

There's a lot of puzzlement there isn't there? 

 

Training people for a while, and trying to learn myself as time passed I think the critical piece of the puzzle is skill of the student. Not just being able to do a technique, but having the skill the presence of mind to actually accept its application potential against the pressure of the attack is not something that can be passed along in a short time, regardless of the student's age.

 

I strongly suspect in the past, from frustration of trying to teach what people weren't ready for, instructors discovered that don't press the application instead work on true skill development was a more rational way to develop an advancing student.

 

From that approach instead at beginner (non-shodan) levels of training  I stress a hand-full of parry and counter strikes, a hand-full of grab releases, a hand-full of tactical kicking applications and for the pre-shodan students a hand-full of aikido insertions and locks/projections.  More intent on their ability to fit into somebody and counter strike them, more intent on their ability to counter being grabbed, and some techniques to begin building more advanced skills.

 

Reality time, most of the youth will NOT be doing karate for life. The successful instructor loses 100% of them as they become successful young adults and move on to what their destiny holds. Giving them some sound skills they can draw on forever is the stronger answer.

 

And for those who find a different path, there's the rest of a life to  explore what karate has to offer.

 

Of course in Isshinryu we don't follow the path of the Pinan. But regardless of what you can or can't do with them, do you really think Itosu really meant them more than an initial stepping stone for students. Do you think he felt they should replace advances study for life of Chinto, Kusanku, Gojushiho or the other advanced kata?

 

I very strongly am coming to believe one kata may be the correct answer for some, but that one kata should also be a real fire breathing dragon of a kata.

 

On the other hand any one technique is unlimited isn't it.

 

I recall that Patrick McCarthy once wrote that karate might be translated as empty hand with empty being the empty infinity of space. I always liked that infinite hand.

 

An infinite number of kata with infinite variations.

 

Or an infinite number of things that fractal analysis shows is possible with any single technique.

Why I began teaching karate

 

It was January of 1970 when I was promoted to my Black Belt in Isshinryu.

 

In April my instructor Charles Murray returned to the USAF and suddenly I was on my own. Charles had force fed me the remaining Isshinryu kata and kobudo prior to his departure.

 

As he was no longer the Minister in the Church he had led, the Church requested that I take the Karate program Charles had established elsewhere.

 

There was no one in the area teaching anything remotely like Isshinryu.

 

I was left with the three Blackwell brothers and took to instructing them outside in McDade Park over that summer.

 

I did not have the money to establish my own dojo nor was I from Scranton, just living and working at a Bank there. I was not sure what I was going to do.

 

I began competing at Pennsylvania karate tournaments and gradually started visiting the dojo of instructors I competed with at those tournaments. All I was hoping for was someone to spar with, knowing I needed partners.

 

I practiced my kata and my kobudo on my own, early mornings and the evenings at the Scranton YMCA as my wife ran the swim team there, and taught in other programs.

 

My karate became very much my own,.

 

At my position in personnel at the Bank I had a lunch hour every day. I used to take most of it to walk around downtown Scranton Pa. While walking I was struck at how many dance studios were about the town. It got me thinking that there must be much interest in those programs to find students.

 

Following up on that line of logic I eventually felt I could offer a karate program to the Scranton Boys Club (in those days there was a separate club for girls). I approached them if they were interested in such a program, and I imagine because I was an employee of the Bank, I was considered a good risk. They agreed to let me start after Labor Day.

 

So as September began I started my program at the Boy’s Club. We could not use the gym because of their basketball programs and ½ of the club  was  a daycare program. We were allowed to use the nursery, and we moved the bassinetts to the edge of the room for class.

 

I originally had the 3 Blackwell brothers, who were green belts, and the rest of the class were beginning club members. I did not charge for instruction and the students paid a $1.00 class fee which went to the Boy’s Club.

 

While I had assisted Charles Murray with his church program. I relied on the vigorous way he had trained me.  I did not have students have uniforms their first month, to prove to their parents they had an interest in training.

 

By Christmas I only had the Blackwell brothers still training in the program. I talked to the Club director and we decided to advertise a new class after the new year.

 

I spent some serious introspection on how I taught and realized I was teaching at the pace I had trained as a brown belt.

 

My wife, a phys ed instructor, specializing in swimming and diving, spent some time talking to me. She explained what the problem likely was I needed to ‘listen to what my students needed’.   Correct instructions involved more than just showing and pushing students in class.

 

She then showed me what she had studied in College, to give me an idea of what was needed. As I went through her books, I realized her texts on coaching jr. high girls swim teams was much more advanced than any text I ever saw on karate.

 

All in all that started me thinking and when the new group began I slowed the pace of instruction to what the kids needed. After doing that the program took off.

 

Now I was teaching 2 evenings a week (hour and a half classes). Along with that I continued my travels to other schools, had begun t’ai chi instruction, training evenings in the YMCA gym and competing 2 or 3 times a month across the State. Sundays I took off and felt somewhat lost because I had no place to go.

 

When I talked about what I was doing with others at tournaments, the universal answer was that I was crazy, for if I wanted to do real karate I would be teaching adults.

At that time almost no schools had separate youth classes. When they taught the young they were doing so within the adult program.

 

I tried to explain that as they were a commercial program they were not taking advantage of the potential cash flow.

 

My basic premise became while youth students could be mixed in adult programs, the best possibility was teaching youth separate from adults.

 

So I just continued and classes grew, I kept the class size about 25 (for the reality of youth, is they were not going to show up for every class. But I proved that what was most important was not training every class, rather keeping at it and improvement would occur at the pace they used.

 

After a time, parents approached me and asked if their daughters could join the program. I checked with the Boys Club and they allowed I could do so. Within a short time ½ of my program was young women. And the average girl was a stronger fighter than the boys (up to the teen years, then things changed.

 

At tournaments I noted that there were often huge youth divisions, but the kids were lost on the floor amidst the adult divisions taking place at the same time. I rarely took my students to others tournaments.

 

So I decided to put on a youth tournament. Inviting all the dojo I knew to have their kids come and compete. I did that for 3 years, it grew larger each year. The fee was a flat $5.00 no matter how many divisions they competed in. Every participant received a certificate of participation. Trophies were made by a parent who worked at the Tobyhanna Depot.

 

The program I taught was 100% exactly the Isshinryu I was taught.

 

But as I was studying so many different places, and saw so many other approaches to instruction, I began to think about ways I might made my Isshinryu program even stronger. I did not want to confuse those good students with curricula changes.

 

But the wheel of time turns and for work I had to relocate to New Hampshire.

It was sad leaving my students.

 

Almost immediately living in New Hampshire I was given permission to begin my program at the Derry Boy’s and Girls Club. I am sure a letter of recommendation from the club in Scranton helped.

 

Now I could gradually make changes I believed would help students learn Isshinryu.  Among which I added supplemental kata to the program. Each of which I had a least 5years of work on myself before making the addition to the program.

My first two black belts who were Scranton Boys Club students.

Michael Toomey and Roy Blackwell

My attempt to learn Aragaki No Sochin

 

Now long ago one of the kata I played with was known as Aragaki No Sochin, I saw a video of the kata and decided it would be fun to play with. I was intrigued by the kata because I saw many interesting uses for its' techniques as well as the unique way the performer used his body to sell the techniques being used.

I was doing this only to push myself, never to train anyone in the kata. 

So, I pushed myself, teaching myself from that video. I knew I really did not have the whole thing, but that was not the reason I was doing this.

Then I began looking around on YouTube and discovered there are many kata called Aragaki No Sochin, each somewhat different from the others. Not studying the system where this was taught, I knew I would not find the correct answer.

The exercise for me was useful, among other things it pushed myself forward at a time that was most challenging for me. Then again it also was useful in my quest to find new kata techniques to apply (a study that never ends).

Isshin - Concentration the Art: Will the Real Aragaki No Sochin please Stand Up

The recent discussion on the charts makes me realize how much is left unsaid about our differing practices in Isshinryu.

From a now very past discussion.

 

Upper/Lower Body Chart - Agena Dojo 1972

My own practice goes back 30 years and the manner in which the charts are used in my program remains consistent in how Isshinryu was shared with me.  In fact, until I asked the question the other day, outside of realizing there were differing charts of techniques for the upper body and the lower body, I was unaware how others in Isshinryu approach them in training. In fact over my years, I keep discovering new items always before my nose, so close you don’t see they’re there.

From what people have posted on the Original Isshinryu list and on Pleasant Isshinryu its clear there are layers of answers that all fall under Isshinryu practice.  It seems to me the indisputable fact that Shimabuku Tatsuo used standard upper body and lower body charts his training, but the placement of their training in the various Isshinryu programs has varied. 

That does not mean the different answers are right or wrong. I believe for the most part all of us are working towards the same goal, excellence in technique and application in their Isshinryu. But I would suspect each is following the path of our seniors, and less than critical analysis has been applied to determine the optimal answer. Nor do I believe there should be one optimal answer.

I think Jim made a good point, just intense practice of any one aspect of our system won’t guarantee that progress will occur. 

For one thing I find it interesting that two individuals from the same crucible, Tom Lewis and Sherman Harrill, both training in Agena in the late 50’s early 60’s developed their transmission of Isshinryu in so very different ways, even to the usage of the Charts.

The charts of Tom Lewis

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-charts-upper-body-lower-body.html 

Charles Murray on the Chart changes under Tom Lewis

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2019/02/charles-on-charts-02-11-2004_22.html

Possible chart 1 changes for the black belt

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2019/04/for-dan-other-possibilities-for-chart-i.html

Charts of other instructors

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2023/03/upper-and-lower-body-chart.html

Itosu 8 point kicking drill

 
While I knew most of these kicks from Lewis Sensei's Chart II, It was only when I worked out this drill that John Sell's saved in his book "Unante" that I realized the power they had for interior line of defense/offense using  these kicks.

For example, I previously never considered kicking into the leg/hip joint to conclude an attack. That one idea alone was priceless.

You never really know what you will find seriously reading martial arts literature.

When I discovered John Sell’s"'Unante", he made reference to an Itosu 8 point kicking drill. I reconstructed it from his description and I discovered many fascinating kicking concepts.


The drill with a partner is essentially 8 different kicks (either delivered one after an other or with both partners alternating). As I see it they are (delivered from natural stance) :



a. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs

b. Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs

c. Right front kick to the solar plexus

d. Left cross front kick to the opponents left hip ball joint

e. Right cross front kick to the opponents right hip ball joint

f. Left front kick to the groin

g. Right cross front kick to the opponents inner thigh

h. Left cross front kick to the opponents inner thigh



It can be done by one person against a static partner, or it can be done by two partners who alternate kicks. i.e.:


Partner 1. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 2. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 1  Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.
Partner 2  Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.


Continue with the rest of the drill.



This drill promotes inside line kicking techniques.

An example of how we taught the drill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWsCvvwxW1E

 Mike Cassidy working with Devin Van Curren

Notes:


 1. ‘Unante’ by John Sells – published by W.M. Hawley 1995


 2. Squat Kick – An Isshinryu kicking technique with the ball of the foot, about ½ front kick and ½ roundhouse kick. The support leg flexes (into a squat) first. It really is a front kick delivered from the floor at a 45 degree angle.

 3. Scoop Kick – A rising front kick to the groin delivered with the top of the foot.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the conversation being held about kicking technique but I do have a short story from Robert Orozco.


"When he visited my dojo, I believe the second time, he told me that Yonamime sensei (his instructor) would have then take off their obi, hold it at arms length, and attempt to kick to chin level without touching the obi. Now, I am not a flexible person by any means, but"this was impossible for me to do as well as all of my students."

 
"My instructor has always told me to never kick about belt level and this is what he brought back from Okinawa so this is what I also teach." 

Reviewing my notes on use of the Isshinryu Armbar

2-1-2024

 Back in 2002 I had posted my thoughts of use of Seisan kata technique as an armbar, this was on my Isshinryu Yahoo Group. I found Greg's response quite interesting.

From:  "Gregory F. Jones
Subject:  Brief Reply to Armbar   
Date:  Sun, 12 May 2002 07:52:17 -0400   



Victor,


 In response to the armbar study - specifically focusing on Seisan:


1st listed technique (beginning of Seisan kata)


 1. You mention turn 20 degrees.  My ju-jitsu instructor has mentioned, on occasion that people can cope with 90 and 45 but they tend to have trouble with 22.5 because they don't really perceive such a small change in direction as a threat.  He usually brings this up with throws but the similarity of comment is notable, IMO.


2. Your description of rolling the right arm round Uki's arm after the punch to the solar plexus is intereseting.  It isn't 'pure' kata, I take it.  In my brief visits to Mike Garner's dojo, he or his students have mentioned several ways to walk through the kata . . . one way trying to derive 'pure' technique - doing only the moves in the kata with extremely minor variations (punching the shoulder instead of the solar plexus perhaps) vs. going through and taking each technique to a 'natural conclusion' - normally meaning a take-down or otherwise neutralizing the opponent.  The latter goes against the grain of pure Harold Long - a man of 3 techniques or less - but adds a deeper level of sophistication IMO.


 In any event, reading through your study, the techniques read, to me, as a split between the 2 types of bunkai study I just mentioned.  On this 1st technique . . . it seems the former.  Others indicate the latter.


2nd listed technique


1. Under Mr. Longs' version of the kata, there is a double-head-block and then a movement to an x-block before the turn.  Thus I interpret your description to mean that the left hand of the x-block is 'snaked' into place - a softer entry than standard Harold Long.  This would allow for the wrist grab, though, as well as completion of the technique as you describe with one interesting change.


2. With our turn, we pivot on the left foot.  Reading through your description of the arm-bar application and fitting this with my current ju-jitsu studies, I can see turning perhaps 90 degrees but spinning further would appear to have me in a position of trying to turn the Uki while on one foot.  Pivoting on the right foot . . . well . . . the right foot is the back foot and that appears a weak thing to do given that positioning.
 

Perhaps a 45 under those circumstances if Uki is moving forward.  Under either circumstance, I could see _eventually_ getting to the 180 position but not without an interim.  If such is the case, then it again becomes a question of how purely you intend to interpret the kata.


2nd 'part' of Seisan


1. Mr. Long always taught the katas in "parts".  Part 2 consisted of the 1st turn and the walk down that 2nd line . . . ending at the 1st stack.  For lack of a better term right this second, I'll call the basic movement a 'windmill' technique that the Tori uses during that little walk down the line.  I see an armbar there.

Uki throughts right hand punch, RFF

Tori brings arms together in the 'windmill', 1st deflecting the technique with the left hand and then hooking it with the back of the right.

The right hand then flips over (strike optional) grabbing the Uki's wrist and pulling Uki in.


In the pure 'kata', the Tori's left hand then does a 'groin strike' to an opponent behind him.  If we are getting away from 'pure' kata, Tori has a beautiful setup to turn (the 20 or 22.5 degrees) into Uki and use that left hand/arm to armbar.


Again, I don't know what rules you are using in terms if interpretation.  If you are a purist with the techniques, what I'm visualizing implies that you do your kata differently in those areas.  As you have pointed out in your own comments to the lists, that isn't meant to be a value-judgement of which is better.  It is only offered to illustrate areas of fuzziness which can lead to miscommunication.


Just a few thoughts.  This is the sort of direction I'm trying to head in. Unfortunately, my conversations with you are likely to be as  one-sided as they are with my ju-jitsu instructor . . . 30 years of experience has a lot more to say than 10.  And the 30 tend to be a lot more interesting. :)


Greg