I read this
piece by Frank Van Lenten long ago, and typed into my files. I then saved it on
my blog in 2016. Mainly because he discussed his training in Isshinryu with Shimabuku Tatsuo.
Being
an instructor can be a two edged sword, one that cuts both ways.
I
was just reviewing a marvelous clinic we hosted for Sherman Harrill bach in
1997. It is something to view him effortlessly shift from one potential
application to another and another. When I hosted clinics with Sherman, he
always asked be what I was interested in.
As
I have over 25 years into my own Isshinryu study, I was always interented in
the more advanced kata (perhaps a distinction more in my mind than reality). So
at the clinic we held his focus was on Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku, Sunsu and a Bo
vs. Bo drill. My students had been around a while to, and I was more focused on
those kata.
(I
attended others clinics with Sherman were the focus was more on the Charts, Seisan,
Seiunchin and Naifanchi).
Now
at that clinic in 1997 Sherman showed one application for a middle section of
Sunsu (SunNuSu), and his explaination was 100% the kata. It was most
interesting to me.
One
of my dans could not attend, so I used him for uke my next class, I wanted to
practice the application. I did so moving at very slow speed. Wanting to focus
on doing it exactly as I recorded it in my notes (I had not yet reviewed the
video of that day yet.)
And moving at very slow speed, I almost tore his arm off. No
kidding.
That
was never my intent. Just the reality that that application is that powerful.
Of
course that is not the first time that happened, both trying to use
applications Sherman showed, as well as my own researches into potential kata
applications.
By
choice I never used that movement on another student again. I choose not to
teach it.
I
never had a shortage of things to work on. And many of them were very powerful
techniques too. Just in this case I choose to keep it in the holster.
Now
I have not seen anyone else use this. Not saying they do or don’t. I am sure
Sherman’s students know it well.
It is not a secret.
Just I wonder (doubt) many take the time to practice it that way.
I
have shared it with the instructors I have developed. They will have to decide
for themselves if they will choose to share it or not.
There are so many places application study can
go. I doubt anyone does everything.
There was no
Leopards Paw in the Isshinryu I learned. However, when I originally began
visiting instructors about 1979 I was once shown several Leopards Paw
techniques in that instructors ‘Aiki Jutsu”.
It was used for
an effective strike into the armpit and another for a strike into the spine.
Not a complete system but effective techniques.
A few years
later Ernest Rothrock indulged my interest in learning ground sweeps by
instructing me in a Chinese Leopard form. Alas the sweep movements were beyond
my potential in the long run, but I learned a great deal about the way the
Leopard Strikes were used.
I believe it is
mandatory to look at anything beyond your system of study. If you can’t recognize
the offensive potential of those movements, you are not going to think
defensively about them either. The two studies go hand in hand.
The formation of
the Leopards Paw involves bending the fingers back at the first knuckle joint
of the hand, essentially using that ridge of knuckles as a striking area.Of course there is much more there too. But
the first impression is a good starting point.
This formation
is a solid technique for striking specific targets.
For example it
can be used to strike into the throat with great force.
However there
are so many other places that it can strike:
Into an Eye Orbit
Into
a Temple
Into
an Ear
Below
the Nose
Into
the Jaw below the Mouth
A
rising strike into the Jaw from underneath
Uppercuts into the Heart Area
Vertical strikes into the
Heart Area
Vertical strikes into the
Groin (Male or Female)
Strikes into the Ribs from
the side
Strikes into the Armpit from
many directions
Horizontal strikes into the
Base of the Head.
Horizontal strikes into the
Spine
This list of
possibilities does not limit other areas that can be struck, just opening some
potential areas to consider why the Leopard Paw should be defended against.
For example the
Leopard Paw can be used to strike into the neck with the thumb of the fist
formation, then to use the bent fingers to grasp the carotid arteryand then to pull it forward for control.
As this example
shows there are many potential ways this hand position can be used.
A while ago
early in my first year visiting Tris Sutrisno’s dojo he began teaching his
senior students a new kama kata. Chosen No Kama Sho. He taught it to me at the
same time; it was difficult with challenging handling as the kama shifted
continually from open handling to close handling. I did my best to learn the
form.
The next week I
again attended his dojo. That time he was teaching his senior students the 2nd
kama form, Chosen on Kama Dai. He also shared it with me.
That was
possible because in many of his kobudo forms, they built upon the previous
form, often with the same or similar embusen for the new form.
As was shown to
me, the forms were mostly identical with the Dai version just using some
different technique selection. The changes were logical, making retaining the
two forms easier.
Then one day
Tris competed with the kama at a tournament, He used a 3rd version
(which I was never shown.) Chosen No Kama Dai-Ichi. Way beyond my abilities. I
know many people were impressed.
In both forms
there was a complex set of kama strikes, the pattern identical in each form.
Sort of a way to use the kama for slice and dice. At least that is how I
described it.
Several years
later I learned the Bando Short Stick form and then discovered I could use
those movements with anything I could place in my hands. My experience with
derivative technique really started then,
I realized those
movements could also be done with double sticks, with no changes to the
movement, another exercise in derivation.
As the years
passed, and I continued to work the form the kama shifts did not grow easies,
which I chalked up to aging. Still I continued to work the form.
Then one day
almost a decade later, Tris had come up to Derry, to give a clinic for my
students. Before that clinic he wanted to review my kama, (a small portion of
that review was captured on video below).
When he got to
that kama pass in the form, he changed it for the Dai form apparently this was
not first taught, to better allow the student to work on the other changes. But
when that slice and dice section was sufficiently performed (one way of looking
at it was 7 continuous strikes) the movements were changed to a section of 5
double continuous fluid strikes. Which of course became another study.
Beyond that I
realized those strikes could also be performed with double sticks, not just the
kama.
I choose to only
share these kama kata with the instructors I developed, as extreme drills to
continue to push their skills. Even more so as my own skill handling was
declining.
Now much in my
own dotage I have found another derivative use for those kama passes. I can do
them with double very short sticks in my hand. I can still function with some
skill at very close range. This increases my short range defensive ability.
