Chibana on Osae while blocking

Chibana on Osae while blocking,

  http://karatejutsu.blogspot.com/2008/05/guest-post-transition.html

                from Transition by Pat Nakata Sensei

In the Chibana Shorin-Ryu Karate Kata curriculum, osae is taught and stressed in the Kihon Kata and the Naihanchi Kata, after which, the whole concept of osae is forgotten for the other Kata. As in Goju-Ryu, most Karate Kata have osae, but most Karateka do not know the concept of osae. For example; if one was to block and kept that block without releasing (hazusu / hazusanai) that end position and did a kick holding that block position, that block was then an osae. That being said, many Karateka do osae when practicing "fighting" techniques. Most of these Karateka question the effectiveness of Kata for real combat. Well, how can a Kata be effective, when there is no osae? In other words, there is no practicality for true combat situations, such as closing or entering the opponent(s).

Most Kata performances I witness are when the Kata performer enters one pose after the other. There is no concentration on the transition (be it osae, clearing, etc.) from one technique to the next. As soon as one technique is completed, there is an immediate transition to entering the next technique. This transition covers the "space" between the techniques. The transition is the fighting application of the techniques. So, the effectiveness of the fighting technique (within the Kata) is dependent upon the execution of the transition, other than just the technique. For an example, one can have a strong punch with good body mechanics, but will not be able to apply it without entering the opponent (osae).

This entering or osae is the transition "technique" that makes a Kata an effective fighting practice. What good is there in having strong techniques when one does not know how to effectively enter the opponent? In the teachings of Chibana Chosin Sensei, "there is osae in every move of the Kata".

http://bujutsublogger.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?orderby=updated

In OSKA, Nakata Sensei would always relate how Chibana Sensei spoke of fighting rhythm as breathing rhythm.  Essentially, we inhale to expand and relax, and exhale to tighten. Inhaling as we move allows for flow, but at the end of the move, we exhale to set our stance.  Technically we don’t “take” stances, but it is simply the position we end up in during the execution of a technique.

http://karatejutsu.blogspot.com/2009/02/guest-post-repeated-rambling-on-kata.html

from a post by Charles Goodin

Chibana Sensei said, although much of the Shuri-te techniques within the Katas are from Ti or Tuite, which encompasses many grappling applications, one should first concentrate on developing strong punches, strong strikes, strong kicks, and strong blocks. All the thrust, strikes, kicks, and blocks should be done with ippon Kowashi no waza. In many cases, a strong thrust, strike, kick, or block will set-up the opponent for an effective grappling technique, but then if the thrust, strike, kick, or block was strong enough, there would be no need to grapple. Chibana Sensei never turned to theatrics in demonstrating Karate, it was always thrust, strike, kick, or block. Most of the time it seemed too simple; close the distance (osae [press in]) and destroy the opponent with a single technique. Kata should be done with a natural fighting timing, which is one's breathing rhythm (iki no hyoshi). Chibana Sensei felt that learning too many Katas distracts from refining the Kata, because one would just be practicing movement with no time to work on refinements. On the other hand a limited amount of Katas is also detrimental, in that one would lack versatility.

When Chibana Sensei approached Itosu Anko Sensei about limiting the Katas for his teaching curriculum, Itosu Sensei told him to use the 12 core Katas, which were: Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan, Naihanchi Sandan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Nidan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Kusanku Sho, Kusanku Dai, Chinto, and Patsai. After watching Chibana Sensei perform the Matsumura no Patsai that he had learned from Tawada Sensei, Itosu Sensei told Chibana Sensei to retain both Patsai. Itosu Sensei said, his Patsai should be called Patsai no Kata Sho and the Matsumura no Patsai be called the Patsai no Kata Dai. Chibana Sensei and many of his contemporaries called this curriculum the orthodox Shuri-te. Chibana Sensei maintained that Shuri-te techniques are from the indiginous Okinawan art of Ti, which in a distant past had its start from the Chinese martial arts. Later, Chibana Sensei developed a very basic series of Katas, which he called: Kihon no Kata Shodan, Kihon no Kata Nidan, and Kihon no Kata Sandan. This brought his complete Kata curriculum to 16 Katas.