Now
I would like to make an observation, discussions about the ‘right stuff’
to best describe an Okinawan term like
Chinkuchi oft times end in endless discussion about other terms and the
rightness of the words being chosen.
To
be clear I did not practice Chinkuchi, and as there are a variety of force
enhancers behind a technique, any, some, all or none still any of which answers
can put the opponent on the ground.
Then
consider there are many different paradigms in which a system may be studied
and not necessarily using the same approach to study. Yet all of them can still
be effective.
One
of my instructors, Charles Murray, as a new black belt was able to train for a year in Agena at
the dojo of Shimabuku Tatsuo (about 197172) and he received training from
Shimabuku Shinso in his Chinkuchi tradition.
But
before we go to far into the word wrap, he
was not there to study Okinawan/Japanese explanation of what he was
shown and then practiced, For one thing there were ‘word’ barriers to prevent
this. About 5 or 6 years later he was training me. Working within the paradigm
of my and his original instructor Chinkuchi was not part of how I was trained.
After I reached my black belt he did explain how he was instructed on Okinawa,
demonstrating what was involved. But as he did not speak Okinawan/Japanese he
turned the terms he heard into words how he heard them, very different from the
term.
He
also had worked how to explain what he experienced by selecting magazine
articles (not about chinkuchi) which partially expressed what he had
experienced.
Shortly
after that he returned to the USAF for his career, I did not a have him to
guide me and I was not going to pretend I understood the training involved.
Yet
one time I may or may not have accidentally discovered it.
I
was preparing for a mostly Isshinryu tournament down in Central Pennsylvania. I
changed the manner of execution of my Seisan kata preparing for that
tournament. I was flow locking and then immediately releasing each technique in
the kata. I performed at that tournament, The judges were all from Isshinryu
(none of my own instructors and most didn’t know me from adam as I wasn’t
theirs either).
When I completed my form all of the judges went into a huddle
for about 5 minutes as what I had done was not the standard for Isshinryu in that
area, Exactly what they discussed I do not know, and none told me. I finally
received an average score, but I wasn’t disappointed as I had done what I set
out to do.
Friends I competed against all across the state came up to
congratulate me. Not for my score, but
to each tell me that was the strongest kata they had ever see me do.
So
had I hit on Chinkuchi or not, Don’t know, Don’t care.
For
myself I reverted back to the paradigm under which I was trained.
Over
the years my researches continued, I looked at everything. Eventually I ran
across the term Chinkuchi and an explanation of the term. I realized it was
what had been described to me by my instructor, but a vastly different
pronunciation and spelling for the term.
I
shared all that with my instructor (we saw ourselves infrequently over the
years). He adopted that use of the term. Even to writing about his experiences,
the same description he had originally received back when most of the training
was non verbal, reality based practice.
Of
course this is not a full explanation of what he experienced.
When
he retired from the USAF he was able to visit my school every several weeks. I
got on video the explanation he originally received. He also did a series of
short videos on the details of his training for me. And though it was not the
paradigm my students were taught, gave instruction to my students too.
Now
is Chinkuchi as he was taught in Isshinryu the same as Chinkuchi in other
systems such as Goju Ryu? I have no
idea. And not being an expert I would suggest there are more productive things
to talk about.
I
am of the opinion such discussions might be a useful as holding the water from
a glass in your hand, most of it will dribble out in the end.
You
really are not going to teach it to yourself from written description, and most
of you have no intention to really try.
Understand what makes most sense to you then go back to your own training.
No comments:
Post a Comment