March 1. 2020 This is How the Day Went

March 1, 2020  Completed 72 turns around the sun so a new one begins, number 72.

 

Started my day sitting out in the warm sun on our patio. I was reading one of the issues of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts I had saved. It was no 4 from 2007 with Ihor Rymaruk on the cover. I had met Ihor years before at a Hidy Ochai tournament and it was a very nice guy. The article was about how he worked out a drill using the Uechi Hondo Undo for advanced student development

 

I had had several Uechi students (Brown Belts with Buzz Durkan) join my group as it was more convenient to their schedule. They shared some of their studies with me (such as Sanchin kata and Seisan kata. It allowed me to better understand what he was describing. I found that article very interesting.

 

From my students sharing I developed my own analysis what to do against an Uechi adept, from their use of grappling with their technique, I worked out it would be better to take an exterior line of attack (not that was always an easy option.

 

What struck me most about this article was how similar their use of grappling would be to that of Faan Tzi Ying Jow Pai (Northers Eagle Claw).

 

This whole process inspired me  and then I dug out a book Ernest Rothrock had sent me about a year ago. It was of  Shum Leung performing the 50 row form Lin Kuen, which contains the entire range of use of eagle claw striking and grappling (all of their variations). That form is the mother form of eagle claw. Extremely difficult to learn and perform, such as keeping all the rows straight in your mind.

 

Back in 1981 Ernest had taught me Hon Kuen (the 10 rows) which contained all of the Eagle Claw techniques. Too complex for my group as they already had enough to do. It was just a practice for me.  But I find having some knowledge how the techniques work, I attempted to teach myself the first 2 rows this morning.

 

I was mentally able to remember them, however in execution mostly blech…. I probably was more an Isshinryu attempt at those rows, but I gave it a try and got something after all. An interesting attempt today.

 

Then we went into Surprise for a birthday lunch. Followed by a short walk.

 

And that is how the day is going.