Getting Shermanized

 

 

A year after meeting Sherman, Garry Gerossie was going to host Sherman again for a kata clinic. I volunteered to let Garry use the Boys and Girls Club of Derry for the clinic. While I had now seen Sherman I still had no idea of the depth of what he had.

 

That Saturday Garry brought him down to the school, and while chatting with him before the clinic, he asked me what I would like to see.

 

 

As I had suggested that no youth attend the training, I just had my adults, many of whom were then black belts, and there were a number of other schools of Isshinryu and Shorin ryu there, Friends of Garry or Sherman .

 

I decided to go for it. “Could we see the applications for Chinto kata, Kusanku kata and Sunsu Kata?”

 

I remember Sherman looking at me with what I saw as a funny look, then he replied “  Sure, we can give that a try.”

 

Sherman began with the first movements of Chinto kata. About 3 hours later he was still working those first movement.

 

As it was time for a lunch break, he exclaimed “Now after lunch let us look at the 2^nd move.”

 

During the lunch break, he explained to me “Most people get lost in the first clinic or so with me”. I understood what he meant.

 

The remainder of the clinic he did range through Chinto, Kusanku and Sunsu kata. It was an experience.