A Unique Force Enhancer

It is often said that you cannot learn a kata from a video tape.

 

 

That of course both true and false.

 

 

More so, it is possible if the movements are similar to what you know. Less as many unique movements cannot clearly seen from the speed the are performed.

 

 

 

The case in question is the kata Tomari Rohai where the beginning is shown

The opening thrust is the technique in question. And it is done three times in succession. But one interprets it just like a sanchin kata punch. And that is not the case. My best efforts of screen capture.

 

At that you have to do your best to slow the movement down.

 

Another version of Tomari Rohai found on Vemo, does not do as much. The actual technique looks like this.

 

 

Now Joe Swift shared the original video of this performance long ago. It was the complete kata, but as the performer made an error in the form, this version is an edited version of that performance on YouTube.

 

Later Mario McKenna shared his translation of the original book version available. I had seen it in Japanese, but as I do not read Japanese it made less sense to me. Mario’s translation made sense to me. The book had Tomari Rohai of the Gohakukai as explained by Tokashiki Iken, in ‘Karatedo & Kobudo a basic investigative report II”

 

Mario’s translation of the movement follows:

 

 “Strike out with what appears to be shuto-nuki and quickly change to tokeiko-ken (ippon-ken) and strike the opponent under the chest.”

 

I am not a qualified expert, with such documentation and video, I choose to try and learn the kata as a hobby. Just for myself, not to teach it.

 

On the whole I think I have gained a lot from the effort.

 

But when I was first trying to learn the form, I got things a little different. When my hand began the strike in question, it first went out as described, but at the conclusion of the movement my hand shifted to an ippon-ken a little different from what was described.

 

For when I formed the Ippon-ken I dropped my wrist and that fist formed in a downward manner. I can not say if this variation is in the way of the Gohakukai.

But that evening I had a parent who had just began training with us. He had a strong wrestling background and was solid.  I was trying to explain that strike to the guys So in slow motion I thrust my hand toward his chest, and at the end of the strike rotated my fist down. Dropping it into a descending ippon-ken, I lightly touches his chest with the knuckle, and of course he yelled. He had a mark on his chest for a month.

 

This form has only been a personal subsidiary practice for me. But I have learned in that process.