Time for a good Isshinryu story, this one about Sherman Harrill

When I first met Sherman at a clinic Garry Gerossie hosted, I partnered with a Shorin Ryu Black Belt who was there. Turns out he was a friend of Garry’s, and he was at clinics Garry hosted, then at later one’s we hosted together.

 

Then he hosted clinics in Rhode Island with Sherman too. I attended about 4 of them there.

 

But this occurred at the first one.

 

Almost all of those attending were from Rhode Island including local Isshinryu. Several of them were adult black belts from another Shorin Ryu group there.

 

After a while through Sherman’s presentation that day one of the adult young black belts (of course young to me about 25 or so) asked Sherman how those techniques would work in a real kumite.

 

Sherman explained “I do not teach kumite.”

 

That floored the black belt who asked “You do not teach kumite, then what do you do”

 

Sherman explained that he would just stand with his hands hanging at his side.

 

That black belt was incredulous and didn’t believe that was possible. “Well is someone attacked what would you really do?

Sherman just gave the same answer. Then when he observed the black belts inability to believe what he heard, Sherman added, “Why don’t you just attack me with full speed any way you like and I will respond but I add, I will only use 50% power in my response.” After saying that Sherman just stood there with his arms at his side.

 

That black belt just gathered himself together, then suddenly he lunged forward with a lead punch towards Sherman face.

 

Then just before he was at his half way point of his attack Sherman responded.

 

What Sherman did was pivot counter-clockwise and while doing so his right arm rose and then fell in an arc, very quickly. Sherman’s arm just cut across that punching forearm, striking through that forearm with a crack.

 

You just heard the strike and observed the young black belt's arm falling as he dropped to his knees in pain.

 

Sherman moved over and helped that black belt to his feet.

 

And as he did so Sherman explained to him. “If you want we can do that again. But as I am getting older I do not have as much in me, so next time I will have to use 75% power, “ in a straight face.

 

That  black belt declined the offer.