Not Every Idea Works Out- then try again

Back in 1987-1988 I worked on a project of my own design. While not the way I had trained, in the magazines I read about systems that used to have brown belts write papers about their karate, and of systems requiring their students to maintain extensive note books.

 

As I thought about I came up with an amended design that I intended to use in my own program.

 

Not having my brown belts write papers. As far as I was concerned karate was experienced on the floor  via correct training.

 

But I thought I might be useful to create a series of manuals for my students to use as they advanced. Not to hand them out as they were learning the various belt standards. Rather to hand to them when they advanced to newer more difficult challenges. Then to be serious reference of what they had studied, to try and better allow them to retain their studies.

 

So I created a very extensive series of manuals covering White, Yellow, Blue, Green and Brown Belt studies.  They went into detail of everything they had studies. So they would be something to assist them when preparing for Black Belt initiation and beyond. Showing them how they might document their studies in the future to better understand what they kept learning.

 

So I worked them all up. Then came to the realization that while that might have been useful for me,  it was not best those students who were advancing. Their material was correctly taught, and of course those lessons repeated as necessary from then on.  But the thing they needed was the understanding they really were responsible for all of it. No one thing was more important than everything.

 

I just ran across my sole copy of those documents, along with monthly newsletters that I distribute each month.

 

The newsletters were another attempt to share more ‘knowledge’ about Isshinryu But there I also realized that knowledge that was not being taught in class,  became vaporware for students. I was not teaching an academic Isshinryu after all.

 

But I retained what I wrote. It gives me a context how my program did and did not change as time passed. And brings other things to mind, supplemental drills,  that were set aside as time passed.  Often for other reasons,  always to create a stronger program for my students.

Advanced Upper and Lower Body Combinations

    1.      High Block, Middle  Block,  Low Block – Reverse Punch

2.      Cross Block,  Front Kick,  Side Block,  Reverse Punch – Cross Block

3.     Low  Block,  High Block,  Shuto,  Front Kick – Back fist

4.     High ‘X’ Block, Augmented Block, Side Hammer fist – Reverse Punch

5.     Low ‘X’ Block, High ‘X’ Block, Side Hammer fist – Reverse Punch

6.     Low Block,  High Block, Low  ’X’ Block,  Side Block, Side Block – Front Kick.

7.     Back fist,  Elbow Strike, Low Block – Hook Punch

8.     Crescent Kick, Low Block, Side Block, High Block to Side,  Low Block – Side Block

9.     Side Hammerfist – Hook Punch

10.     Cross Block, Parry, Grab, Elbow Strike – Back fist

11.      Side Block, Back fist – Double Reverse Punch

12.        Crescent Kick, Low Block,  Side Hammer fist – Reverse Punch

13.         Back fist, Front Kick, Low Block, Reverse Punch – High Block

14.     Back fist,  Crescent Kick, Low Punch – Double High Block

15.     Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick – Side Kick

16.     Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Front Kick

 

17.     Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Side Kick – Back Side Kick

18.     Triple Roundhouse Kick – High, Middle, Low

19.      Outside Crescent Kick, Inside Crescent Kick – Side Kick

20.      Side Kick, Side Kick – Back Kick

21.      Side Kick, Side Kick,  Back Kick – Front Kick

22.       Front Kick, Front Kick – Jumping Front Kick

23.       Alternating Legs – Side Kick, Side Kick, Front Kick, Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Back Kick – Back Kick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several photos from the Konishi "Zukai Karate" 1956

 

 

Recently I met Maurizio Di Stefano When he voluntarily translated into Italian and English the text a http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2020/08/by-sharing-we-all-grow.htmlccompanying some old photos I shared, which I posted his translation on my blog at 

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2020/08/by-sharing-we-all-grow.html

He then told me he had fun doing it and told me he would glad to tackle another projext. So I went searching through .pdf files I had accumulated and discovered a set of photos that might be interesting to see the translations.

 

The photos I selected were from theKonishi    Zukai Karate 1956.

Maurizio started there and did some discovery on his own.

He replied : “ok, I've checked and you are correct. it's from the book published in 1956. The PDF is avalaible for free here: https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10524/1060 “

 
Then he worked his magic and just sent me the Italian translation, which I then used Bing translate to deliver his translation into English.

 

Page 1

1: kawazu shoten [kawazu editions]

2: New introductory texts

3: Introduction to Karate with illustrations

4: New introductory texts 5: with illustrations 6: introduction to karate

7: Shindo Jinen ryu 8

( author: Konishi Yasuhiro

9: Shindo Jinen ryu

0: Author: Konishi Yasuhiro

 

 

Page 2

 

1: Technique for when you are grabbed by two people

 2: (1) When you are grabbed by both arms by two people, one on the right and one on the left, you need to relax and, immediately...

 

Page 3

 

1: (2) The technician turns his face to the right and silently carries his right foot in front, while he crosses behind his left leg, calmly showing his spirit...

 2: (3) as he carries his right fist towards him with a decisive movement, with his left foot he kicks his genitals and frees his hands in grip...

3: (4) Putting all the strength in his body and maximum resolve, rips off his left hand and as soon as he controls one of them with the speed of a bird in flight...

4: (5) rotate on the right foot and plant the left leg in the groin of the right opponent; then, as he pulls it with his right hand, with his left fist he hits the opponent's right elbow with yoko uchi and, as appropriate, hits his face with ura uchi.

 

 

I think we have all learned something from this. When we reach out to each other and use what  skills we possess, what can result is far greater than we would have achieved on our own. May we all learn this lesson.

 

Maurizio Di Stefano I am forever in your debt for the kindness you have extended to make this all possible.

Martial Literature and Reliability of what is published

 

Martial publications have certain characteristics (in no particular order):

 

1.     Most of them are one time vanity productions, Designed to fill a need, and make an immediate profit for the producer. Not to be sold on a continuing basis.

2.      Anything once in print becomes ‘truth’ liable to be repeated over and over in future authors works, And having been in print becomes a useful footnote.

3.     There is little verifiable martial history that is published in most books.
That does not mean the oral history is wrong, just unverifiable.

4.     And reality is that there are multiple histories based on differing viewpoints which have become realities for those students.

Working out which details are’ truth’ becomes a very complicated endeavor.

 

Take one real event in time, the Battle of Gettysburg from the American Civil War.
Literally thousands of books have been published to explain what occurred on those 3 days, and many more books are to be published in the future, for sure.

If one 3 day period generates so much publication, why would you believe any martial system would be less complicated to understand.

 

Not suggesting it should not be done,

Just there will be other points of view no matter what effort is made.

 

Ogawa Ryu

I had forgotten about this group Ogawa Ryu maintaining older JuJitsu arts. I had seen them on YouTube for years, as they have so many, many videos. But as time passed I stopped looking for them. Then I just remembered them and again WOW.

 

This is just a smattering of what they have on youtube. I believe you will find this interesting.

 

Ogawa Ryu - Old teaching moments / 組み打ち 捕り武 - Kumiuchi Toritake - Shidoshi Jordan Augusto 2012

 

 

Ogawa Ryu - Tokubetsu no Jugyou Tantojutsu - March2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_LnhPCCA4

 

Ogawa Ryu Tantojutsu - Training and exercises moments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AeZdFCNzaY

 

Ogawa Ryu - Old teaching moments - Shidoshi Jordan Augusto - 2013! - II

 

 

Ogawa Ryu - 柔術 - Jujutsu - Collectanea

 

 

Ogawa Ryu - 自然の伝統 Shizen no Dentou - collectanea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGSzRPyx4I

 

Ogawa Ryu TessenJutsu - Nihon Me to Sanbon Me

 

 

Ogawa Ryu - 自然の伝統 Shizen no Dentou 骨法術 Koppojutsu - Collectanea

 

 

Ogawa Ryu Koppojutsu Training - II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdj7ogQFuTE

 

Ogawa Ryu Koppojutsu Documentary - Impresión

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-IpIGZCcB4

 

By sharing we all grow

On a recent post on my blog I took a look at a few karate application studies made by Funakoshi Ginchin from his book the 1926 Karate Do Kyohan. They can be found at : https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-few-glimpses-of-what-karate-use-was.html

 

I am continually looking at what I have seen and thinking on what that can mean to today’s martial arts developing.

 

I share my blog posts hoping they will inspire discussion and everyone can gain by learning something new.

 

Mairozio Di Stefano has done just that. He translated the text accompanying those photos  into Italian and then into English for us. Allowing all of us to see more.

 

Maurizio Di Stefano

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-few-glimpses-of-what-karate-use-was.html

An interesting article about what karate used to look like on this blog. With the permission of the author of the blog, master Victor Donald Smith, I translated the captions into Italian. Unfortunately some parts of the photos are missing, and so there are holes indicated with [...]. As always, I may have made some mistakes here and there and some translation choices, such as ′′ reverse hammered ′′ for ′′ sakazuchi ", may be questionable .... Thank you all for your attention!

 

When it comes to 1

1: kumite n. 4
2: 5: godan kosa uke [low crossing reception]
3: (ready) yoi position [ready] equals before
(striker) At command ′′ 1 ′′ [strikes] the opponent to genitals
(defender) Quickly recall the right leg and, opening the body [...] of the opponent [...]
The eyes remain fixed on those of the opponent.
(striker) At command ′′ 2 ", keeping your right foot where it is (a [...] compared to your left foot) [...]  right fist must be stretched naturally, [...]
4: gedan (1)
5: gedan (2)

 

 

When it comes. 2

1: n. 196
2: n. 197
3: kumite n. 4
4: variant 3, part 2 (1)
5: variant 3, part 2 (2)
6: n. 198
7: number 2, variant 3 part 2
8: (yoi) like before
(1) Attacker: he draws the attention of the opponent with his right fist and, seeing an opening, with a cry ′′ and ′′ hey!" he throws his right foot by kicking low with ascending trajectory.
Defender: recalls your right foot and, opening the body, with your left hand, controls the opponent's tibia, and at the same time brings your right fist to the side (image 1, above); aiming at the point of kyoshi in the center of the tibia, he hits him with his right fist
(2) Attacker: When his right leg is intercepted by his opponent, he immediately recalls his right leg and, while avoiding the opponent's technique, he points to the opponent's jodan targets by throwing a right fist.
Defender: he portrays the bust back and avoids the opponent's fist (or he can also hit and move him using his left hand); following he sweeps away with his right hand the right foot that is kicking him, and hits the genitals with his right foot in ascending direction.
9: variant 3, part 2 (3)

 

When it comes. 3

1: n. 237
2: n. 238
3: kunite n. 4
4: reverse hammered [sakazuchi] (1)
5: reverse hammered [sakazuchi] (2)
6: n. 239
7: n. 9 reverse hammer [sakazuchi]
8: (yoi) yoi's position equals no. 1 of before
(striker) those who attack take a step forward with their right foot and, at the same time, strike with their right fist, aiming at jodan
(defender) those who defend quickly recall the left leg and open the body; then, as in (1), with their right hand he performs jodan uke and with a yori ashi suddenly sticks under their armpit; as in (2). ), he brings his right hand from the opponent's right armpit to his back, and wraps his belly with his left hand. In the meantime,
(kime) with a cry ′′ ei!", it puts energy, as can be seen in (3), and projectes the opponent to the ground by turning his body upside down.
(Attention) In the position of (3), if the defender lowers his hips and, keeping the opponent's head down, he knocks her to the ground, this could prove extremely dangerous, and therefore, unless he is facing A particularly strong enemy and his life is in real danger, it is necessary to take him to the ground and let him slide little by little.
9: reverse hammered [sakazuchi] (3)

 

.When it comes. 4

1: n. 275
2: n. 276
3: kumite n. 4
4: stick vs karate n. 6 (1)
5: stick vs. karate n. 6 (2)

  

Maurizio Di Stefano First I must congratulate you on the magnificent effort you have made to translate these pages from Funakoshi Ginchin book , the 1936 Karate do Kyohan , I used for my blog post discussion.

 

When I started sharing my blog posts, really made to inspire my students to keep their minds actice, I hoped my words might inspire discussion so everyone could advance our understanding, mine as much as others.

 

Your response has exceeded anything I hoped would happen. Because of your effort everyone can grow in knowledge.

 

Second, I am just Victor.  I appreciate your use of master with my name, but I am most unworthy of such a title.

 

For one thing I trained very hard with 6 individuals whose skill and knowledge showed me they were worth such a title. But never did they see themselves as such. They were always to focused on training, sharing and yes improving to stop and use such to describe themselves.

 

I am but a shadow of a reflection of their skills, I learned much from them, but I agree all that is important must always be on the floor.

 

And now unable to do much myself, I just hope to share with my senior students a few of my memories and ongoing studies.

 

Third, a long, long time ago I worked up a definition for a master that I still believe has merit.

 

“A master is someone others remember their name 25 years after their death.

 A grand-master is someone others remember their name 50 years after their death.”

 

I have no desire to ever find out if I qualify as Death must come first.

 

Live well and prosper,

 

Victor

Bottom of Form 1

 

 

When it rains, you make mudpuddles

This Charlie Brown cartoon brings back a memory from August of 1990. I was traveling to attend a karate summer camp in the Poconos of Pennsylvania from my home in New Hampshire. My wife, Maureen, and I normally attended them together. But at that time she was 8 months pregnant awaiting our daughter’s birth that September. So I went by myself and took our son, Victor Michael, along with me to give her a break for the weekend.

 

He was 18 months old and slept the entire trip down in his car seat. When we arrived it was raining and first I had to set up our tent. So I got him into his raincoat and rain hat and set him on the ground outside the car as I got to work on the tent.

 

He did not understand where he was and looked lost at first. But he stood there and I got down to work. When I completed setting up the tent I turned my attention back to him. I discovered he found a mud puddle and was stomping happily through the puddle. The cartoon shows Snoopy acting just like Victor Michael was that day.

 

We had a good night together and when getting up and having been fed, I dressed him for the day that we would spend together. It had stopped raining and the sun was shining. So immediately he found the nearest mud puddle and went in having fun.

 

When I saw the mess he was making of himself and the fun he was having, I knew what the right answer was.

 

I could of course immediately did change his clothing and that would have begun an endless course of changing clothing for him throughout the day.

 

Instead making an executive decision I told him, “if dirty you want then dirty you may have.” And just let him play.

 

Many mothers at the camp asked if I wanted to have them take care of him.

 

I politely refused each request.

 

He, his stroller and I had a great day, going between clinic to clinic and playing on the merry go round they had for children on the camp grounds.

 

That night I was teaching the midnight workout. He accompanied me and when the rain began again I just pulled the top over him and he slept through my fun. Never missed any sleep.

 

We lasted 3 days of fun he and I, and when it was over, together we rode home. He asleep in his car seat the entire time.

 

Home to mother and his dryer house.

 

We had a great weekend together.