This morning thinking outside the box

This morning I spent some time thinking outside the box.

 

Being disabled I spend a lot of time working on what I can make work. This is very important to me.

 

I decided to do some kata outside this time using my double sticks.

I have seen their use in Okinawan kobudo referred to with different names. Tichu, Tikko and Jiffa. They may mean different things, of perhaps just different spellings of the same concept, a small hand held stick that may have had its origins in Okinawan Hairpins.

 

For myself, they are just sticks with some twine in them for a better grip.

 

My friend Mario McKenna put it this way.

 

Tikko is a versatile weapon that really needs no independent kata of it's own like Maezato no Tikko that we use in Ryukyu Kobudo. So, using another form like Sesan will undoubtedly work.

The way I learned it from Minowa sensei, you're essentially delivering a vertical fist strike with the Tikko acting as a force multiplier. The only caveat is that the strike is vertical and doesn't use the two primary knuckles for impacting. Because you're using the Tikko, the fist impacts flat onto the target (a big "no no" in Karatedo) . The other point is that the thumb rests on top of the handle of the Tikko to stabilize it.

So I performed a version of Seisan Kata I have worked up for myself.

Then I had an inspiration, and used the two hand held sticks

With my first row of my Yang Tai Chi form.

Somewhat similar to the sword version, yet a version for the double sticks.

This worked out well, so I ran it several times.

I liked the feel of the flow from this paring.

 

Then I shifted to a version of Naifanchi kata, for the two sticks.

And that also worked well.

 

Now I just need some poor soul to step and and attack me,

So I can prove what I am doing is works.

J

 

I am not trying to duplicate anything else, just use what I know.

 

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Forms referenced using a similar implement

Tokushin No Tichu – Tokumura Kensho

Maezato No Tikko

Jiffa Kata Hairpin 1 and 2