There is
movement toward perfection and there is reality that such is not always
possible.
When I began we
were given no specific instruction on makiwara, but there was one on the wall
of the Salisbury Dojo, the Karate Barn. So at times we might go over before
class and wack away on it or don gloves and strike the heavy bag.
Many times
people could not train daily, and then instructors would pick and chose how to train,
and how much was appropriate for the student’s situation.
There were so
many things to learn, we were kept constantly occupied.
Nor were vital
point striking a thing discussed. But I recall one evening Lewis Sensei gave
the entire class a talk about what results might occur for specific strikes. One
I recall vividly was when he got to the eyes he mentioned that we were not
taught specific strikes to the eyes. That some systems would make great effort
to practice them. He made the point that moving fingers as to strike the eyes
did not mean you could actually do so. That required intent to insert your
fingers into their eyeballs. All the practice did not mean you could actually
do it. And if you needed to you did not
need the practice.
A little later
he got around to discussing the implications of strikes into the throat. How
them might shatter the throat and instant death would not occur, but that you
would have to watch as the opponent drowned in their own blood. (Of course as
much as a caution not to let others hit there, as a caution of what you might
do.) The reason I remember this was at
the moment Sensei was describing what might happen a young woman
collapsed hearing the description. (Not a comment about young women, rather you
never know how what you say may affect some of the audience.)
Sometime later I
had to move from Salisbury to Scranton. And when there my only choice to train
was in switching arts into Tang Soo Do Moo Dun Kwan. A very different system
from the Isshinryu I had studied, but with very hard workouts at their
technique. (Which means I got a great sweat from their workouts.
That training
lasted 2 years (I had a contract there). But the biggest advantage was that
school had 2 great makiwara there. I had 2 classes a week, and after each class
I spent 15 min to 30 min striking the makiwara. The makiwara were there but
most didn’t use them No instruction was given, the makiwara was just there to
use of not. And the longer I spent striking those makiwara I did not form
callouses on my knuckles but did notice they flattened a bit, And after a year
calluses did form, but on the pads of my hands where my knuckles were clinched
as I struck. So the move I used them the more the ridge of callouses grew.
After
1 year in Scranton Charles Murray moved to the area, I was able to return to my
Isshinryu training with. But for that first year I also kept my TSDMDK classes because
of the contract, and was able to use the makiwara further too.
During
my training with him, he described in great detail what he experienced when he
trained on Okinawa in Agena in 1972 as a shodan. Among his descriptions were
descriptions of a variety of Makiwara and his own training on the makiwara
there.
But
as I now look back on it I remember instructors telling me how effective my
strikes were on their students, or those time I fought at tournaments, not
matter the outcome of the day, when changing my opponents often remarked how
hard I hit.
I
believe my time with the makiwara taught me how to tighten my fist, and that
stayed with me for about 30 years, then other things occurred.
On
a personal level I believe there are many layers which can be used for
training. And correct effort can make all of them work, abet somewhat
differently. Teaching with the makiwara does not means surrender effectiveness,
just different ways might be addressed.
Still
the ‘perfect goal’ would be to use Makiwara as the standard.
And
as I studied, researched and thought about karate as time passed, the concept
of Vital Point striking became more and more understood by me. I understood why
so many past instructors included Vital Point charts in their manuals.
The
body is filled with areas where being struck there would be felt more dearly.
Some are obvious, the eyes, the throat, the groin. Some use a bit more skill,
some almost no skill involved. Wheter those areas are covered for instruction
often depends more on what the instructor feels more important for the newish
student (say the first 5 years), and what might be more discussed with
advancing students (say after 5 years) with more discussion as time passes.
I suspect the topic means more for advancing defensive awareness
than focused offensive use.
I never found anyone who actively taught their karate by focusing on striking
the range of vital points.
Then
in the mid 1980s the concept of using the Chinese meridian charts began to be
seen as a way to teach karate defensive and offensive striking. My studies
examined this from a personal Bubishi analysis. Part of which is referred to
below.
But
my personal analysis ended up feeling this was too complex to realistly use in
any detail. Again one can chose what one wants to follow, for myself a
knowledge of vital points was more that sufficient.
Then
in 1995 I met the late Sherman Harrill. So many things were revealed. Among them a form of hidden finger
strike in the arm were a way to strike into the neck, appearing the same as
other’s were striking into the neck for Kos. I doubt it is the same, but no one
watching would be able to discern the difference. That it works was the
sufficient detail.
And
the thing was how almost every strike he used could drop almost anyone. Not
that he often did so. He explained that he had to hold so much back, not
because of secrect, but because they were not able to be trained in such a
short time to work to that extent. He maintained that came from his constant
work with an entire range of Makiwara style training.
About
that time among many other studies I made I might suggest a few below.
About
5 years after Sherman Harrill’s death I met and trained with his senior
student, John Kerker in Chicipee Mass at a clinic he was giving there. As he
explained the use of a variety of kata techniques from Isshinryu, I watched how
he struck his opponent with such power, each time causing him to drop to the
floor. I have never seen anyone strike someone continually with such power. I
can only imagine his partner must have been one of his students from his own
school. I have never seen one dropped continuously and then get up at once to
attack again and again.
John’s
existence explained so much Sherman had described, and he transmitted it
completely into John. (I must note I have not had the pleasure to experience
any of Sherman’s other students). John would describe how he did it, and the
same explanation Sherman used, it came from constant makiwara work. He also
went into a variety of other striking practices Sherman used.
Both
of them went into detail how Sherman never worried about striking points. He
maintained the only point he struck began at the top of the head and then
continued down to the soles of the feet. Literally anyplace on the body he
struck he was working to drop anyone with that strike.
I
realized I have rambled a bit, but I believe these thought have some meaning.
There is more than one way to become effective. But I believe
Makiwawa is the king of ways should that option be possible.
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