Sam Shockley

 

 

I just thought of my first  Black Belt kumite contest at the Tamaqua Coal Kick-In in 1980. My fight was against Sam Shockley from Lancaster Pa.

 

We were not friends, just acquaintances at Pa. and Md. Tournaments back in 1980-1984.  But I have several very interesting stories about him. And I can find no reference to him on the internet nor any photos of him.

 

I want to keep him alive in my memory and this allows me to do so.

 

Now kumite was a very serious part of my training as a brown belt with Charles Murray, when I was a brown belt. Charles was unustually gifted at kumite and I recall class after class when he worked me over and I was unable to touch him. Then I went up for my Black Belt exam/initiation and passed. Then within a few months I was training myself, and teaching youth at the Scranton Boys Club.

 

I realized that with no one training me I was at a handicap and that was why I originally started visiting other local school to have someone to fight. But what I found was that almost none of them had kumite, when I visited. The only exception was one school I visited whenever possible.

 

Then I entered my first Kumite match at the Tamaqua Coal Kick-In in 1980. I knew I was handicapped without someone guiding me, but I did it anyway.

 

 

My first black belt fight was against Sam Shockley, then 10^th heavyweight in the PKA.  Now San would fight non-contact, semi-pro and full contact, I am sure just to fight.

 

Friends told me I was shaking like a leaf as I entered the ring, I was remembering he had once ko’d one of my senior instructors (a solid fighter), by mistake giving my senior the fight. Of course Sam whooped me, politely, as I was no threat. He was a gentleman. And surviving that I learned more about how to be a dan.

 

A more detailed account of that fight can be found at - https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/search?q=Sam+shockley

 

What I found over the next several years was I was spending money to fight with those about my size and averaging a decade younger that I, paying to let them pound me. Not that I could not fight, just I was not fighting smart.

 

One example was when I was fighting a young man down at Dillman’s tournament, where I nailed him in the abs with a punch, but he got the score with a backfist to my head. Both our strikes were at the same time, but his strike over top of mine was the one the judges saw. Yet in the locker room he explained to me that he was still feeling my strike.

 

So I for the most part stopped competing in kumite, concentrating in kata and kobudo.

 

But back to Sam.

 

About 1939, a friend who had gone with his friend who created a new school that was going into full contact, was convinced by his ‘instructor’ that he should enter the black belt semi-pro division at the upcoming Dillman tournament. IMO I did not see he was qualified, but I was not training with them and they were not soliciting my opinion.

 

My friend drew Sam Shockley. He really was not qualified for the fight. Sam taught him a painful lesson.  Nothing serious but solid enough to make his think a long time before he would do so again.

 

As I said Sam was a gentleman.

 

The next years Sam first fought in a non-contact division down at Dillman’s tournament for a warm up, then he fought in a semi-pro division.

 

He drew a young fighter from Philadelphia, and the fight went back and forth. Then the Philadelphia fighter nailed Sam in the groin with a very solid front kick.

(I would like to point out groin kicks were not permitted in thisdivision.)

 

Sam felt it and immediately began walking around the giant fieldhouse to walk it off. None of the judges stopped him. When he returned to the ring the judges allowed the competition to begin again. Very quickly Sam politely ended the match with him victorious.

 

Then when the semi-pro division was called Sam again found he was paired with the same young man. 

 

The fight began and Sam fought cleanly only to have the young man again nail him again in the groin.  Again the fight stopped and again Sam began walking around the field house to shake it off. Again not a judge uttered a word to same.

 

When Sam finished the walk, again he faced his opponent in the ring.

 

Sam nailed him in the abdomen with a very powerful front kick. Really extending I out. I watched as the young man folded over Sam’s leg, literally folded in half,

 

Then Sam retracted his leg and his opponent fell to the floor, screaming with the fall.

 

I thought Sam must have broken him in half, and those screams were a result of that kick.

 

But as the screams continued for a while I realized that young man was screaming to attempt to end the pain.

 

Eventually the screams stopped and he got up.

 

The fight continued but he had nothing left.

 

Sam finished him easily.

 

I believe that was the last time I saw Sam fight.

 

He certainly left me with memories of a gentleman.

 

Sam Shockley.

Budo – the Art of Killing (1979)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa1NqKYb_bg

 

Budo: The Art of Killing is a 1978 Japanese martial arts documentary created and produced by Hisao Masuda and financed by The Arthur Davis Company. Considered a cult classic, the film is a compilation of various Japanese martial art demonstrations by several famous Japanese instructors such as Gozo Shioda, Taizaburo Nakamura and Teruo Hayashi. Martial arts featured in the film include: karate, aikido, kendo, sumo, and judo among others. The only modern Japanese martial art not featured in the film is kyūdō.^[

 

Budo: The Art of Killing is a compilation of various gendai budō each demonstrated by famous Japanese martial artists from the late 1970s. The film treats its subject matter with deep respect and demonstrates a great reverence for both Budō and Japanese culture in general.

 

The film begins with Kunishirō Hayashi, reenacting seppuku, the ritualistic form of suicide practiced by Japanese samurai during Feudal Japan. This is followed by a demonstration of yabusame and footage of a samurai cavalry battle. The narrator then explains the connection between Budō and its universal symbol—the nihonto. After a demonstration of the effectiveness of the Japanese sword, the audience is shown the techniques developed by Okinawan farmers to combat the sword. Karate-do master Teruo Hayashi then demonstrates Okinawan weapon techniques. The film moves along with further footage of karate-do including makiwara training by Fujimoto (including the infamous shot of him striking a locomotive and chopping a beer bottle) and a demonstration of the nunchaku by Satoru Suzuki, a weapon made famous by Bruce Lee.

 

The film moves to footage of traditional Judo training such as mat rolls, pole-hopping, bunny-hops, and practice of hip throws using rubber bands tied around trees. The film moves on to discuss naginata-do, a budō popular with female martial art practitioners in Japan. Aikido is then demonstrated by Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan aikido interspersed with shots of leaves falling into a brook. To emphasize the film's theme of "mind and body are one in Budo" the viewer is shown Shinto practitioners fire walking. The film then shows training in a sumo stable with rikishi Takamiyama, where the training shown is both tough and cruel. Scenes of young people practicing kobudo on the beach follow the sumo demonstration as the narrator discusses the succession of Budō to younger generations.

 

The film explains the importance of kata with Teruo Hayashi demonstrating more karate-do kumite. The narrator explains, "... karate training can be both severe and cruel, yet a sword can take away a life with one swing." The film shifts its focus to sword arts with demonstrations of iaido, tameshigiri and kendo by Shuji Matsushita and Tomoo Koide as the narrator discusses the fear instilled by the Japanese sword. The "limitless" connection between Zen Buddhism and Budō is discussed with Shuji Matsushita on the receiving end of a strike from an abbot's kyosaku while in zazen. This is followed by a highlight of the film in which Taizaburo Nakamura demonstrating various sword cuts including a shot filmed in slo-motion showing the shocking speed in which a Japanese sword can behead a man (1/100 of a second). Continuing with a focus on the sword, the film shows the art of traditional nihonto forging by swordsmith Amada Akitsugu, considered a national living treasure in Japan. Budo: The Art of Killing concludes with scenes of Noh as the narrator explains, "As long as the universal truths of heaven, the earth and man remain, the spirit of Budo shall endure."

·        From Wikipedia

 

 

Hoshu Ikeda karate throwing technique

 

Hoshu Ikeda karate throwing technique

When I Offered Advice

I only taught karate to young or old.

I was teaching at the local Boys and Girls Club with my programs.

Often at local events parents would ask me where they should take their 3,4,,5 or 6 year old child to obtain karate training.

I always told them the truth, they could not get karate training for one so young, and they would be better off getting beginning dance training from a qualified instructor, both the boys and girls.

In reality beginning dance is better youth movement instruction for every child, to later be built upon whatever they later choose to be.

But especially the parents of boys recoiled at the idea of their son in dance class.

Reality my son and my daughter both studied early dance, and when I was young I too had beginning dance.

They really didn't want informed advice, just what they wanted to hear.
 

The most valuable lesson

 

I had learned a valuable lesson once I began visiting other instructors and attending clinics. This was before I had availability of video tape. Each experience was likely a one shot opportunity to learn, I realized it was necessary to keep notes and to take them after one day to be sure what I had remembered was not short term memory but had transferred to long term memory. The next step of course was never ending practice so you made what you remembered yours. It might not be exactly what you were shown, but from effort it was what you had.

 

In January of 1980 I went to Hazleton Pa. to visit and train with Tris Sutrisno. I had competed against him in tournaments in kata and kobudo, and as time passed we had become friends. I only knew he was Shotokan and not much else about him.

 

So I went to visit his school and jumped into his class. I saw many things that were new to me, and never on subsequent visits did he repeat those lessons. One of them was his multiple striking drill where each technique when delivered immediately flowed to another strike. He showed me 3 Heian forms. Then his class worked as a group on a 12 technique Aikido drill.

 

In fact after watching his students perform the drill, he asked me if I would like to try it.  So I did the drill. And as they were working  8 of the techniques I had memorized what they were doing, then I just did it. He was impressed that I had learnt the drill from watching. It was then he showed everyone 4 more techniques and explained that as he was taught there were another 6 techniques to make 20 total.

 

When I made my notes I never realized those lessons would not be repeated later, I then worked on those drills over and over and made them my own.

 

Before my next  visit I worked on those Heian Kata too. I had learned the Tang Soo Do versions during my studies of that art, and with the assistance of the Karate Do Koyhan which my wife had given me as a Christmas gift, got the forms down. The next visit I made in February to Tris' dojo, the first thing he asked me was could I do those form for him and then I did so. After that I was very welcome to train with him when possible.

 

I guess I passed the test.

  

About 7 years later when I was living in New Hampshire he came up for a visit.

There he saw my adult class having a class on my drive way. During the class they were working the first 10 of the Aikido techniques. Tris had forgotten he had shown to me and I had to remind him he had done so.

 

Later that afternoon he gave a clinic at the club and I had the kids of my youth program perform Aikido drill 1 to 6. Once they had finished Tris explained he had changed technique 3 and demonstrated that change.

 

Later I worked out the why behind the change, as likely his students knew what was coming and they threw themselves in the throw making it much easier for the thrower,  Certainly not what was intended for without correct practice you could not develop the Aikido technique properly. His change was a different technique that yielded the same result and would not be faked.

 

Of course that was a decade of more unique training experiences and many more notes even to keeping video records of those experiences.

 

One time experiences can become a lifetime of practice.

 

A J Advincula on Chinkuchi

 

Arcenio Advincula 

I have heard that some say, I use the word "chinkuchi" too much. I must have got it from Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei (1908`1975) who got it from one of his teachers, Kyan Chōtoku (1870~1975).

Since Tatsuo Sensei taught it, I think it is important to pass it on. After all, Kyan Chotoku Sensei said, “Even you learn ti (手 hand) if if you don’t know chinkuchi you don’t know ti (手 hand).” - Kyan Chōtoku (1870~1945) from “Memories of chinkuchi”.

Note: "Ti "meaning "hand" in the Okinawan language = "karate" in the Japanese language.

Now I also use punch, block, strike, kick, elbow, stomp, evade, lunge, step, stance, posture, yell, makiwara, and a lot of other terms used in karate and no one says I use those words too much. I wonder why. Maybe they didn't learn "chinkuchi". After all, it is nothing but a very basic term use in karate kihon. Since it is the way we generate power in Isshin-ryu karate, I learned it from Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei.

What is chikuchi.

Chinkuchi (チンクチ) is a Okinawan word (Hogen dialect). “Chin” means “muscle/sinew”; “ku” means “bone” and “chi” means “energy or controlled energy” through the use of muscle and bone, tensing and locking specific muscles.

Chinkuchi is emphasized in the sanchin kata where are muscles are checked through “shime (締め tighten/tensing).”

http://asaikarate.com/what-is-chinkuchi-チンクチって何だろう？/

Ooops !

 

Another memory from a long time ago at a tournament if Wilkes-Barre Pa. In the black belt forms division I was competing in, there was a man from a system I regularly saw. Their forms were very complex and long.

So he was competing with this very long form, as we would define it today it would not be karate, but the judges then accepted those forms. And as it was quite long, he worked himself up during it’s performance.

Then suddenly, a bit before the planned end, the string on his gi bottom broke. The gi trousers fell, he was revealed to his wearing shorts with heart shapes on them.

Time to hit the breaks and stop, and he did.

Pulled up his trousers, retied the string. Then turned to face the judges, bowed and asked permission to begin again.

They said do so, and he did, doing his complete long form from the beginning.

I no longer remember the outcome. Of course at the time I was a bit annoyed having to watch the form again. But he completed his form, and received a score.

It did demonstrate composure, or rather grace under fire.

Now I have seen individuals break their Bo when striking their side, and completing their form without a break.

I have also experienced many who forgot the next move of their form, and ask permission to begin again.

But I believe that is the first time I have seen anyone lose their pants over a form.

A Deadly Weapon

In the hands of someone properly trained,

Anything can become a deadly weapon.

The weapon is not what is held or used,

The weapon is the adept.

 

Initial experiences watching karate breaking divisions

When I was a student of Isshinryu breaking boards was not something we did.

 

But often at large tournaments we attended we saw black belt breaking divisions. At times the competitors broke their target,  at times they did not break their target.

 

What I observed is that the more impressive and complex break that was intended, it was also more frequently one that would fail.

 

About a year later I attended a huge tournament run by a Bando school near the Washington DC area and yes they had a number of different breaking divisions.

 

One of them was a brown belt breaking division.

 

There was a competitor brown belt that was going to break 3 cinder caps.

 

He got down on his knees and warmed up by bending over and placing his forehead on the top cinder cap several times.

 

Then he smashed his head down to break them with his forehead.  It did not work the cinder caps remained unbroken.

 

So again he tried the break and again it failed.

 

A third time he tried the break and yet again it failed.

 

He was determined to succeed  and time after time he attempted the break.

 

Each time failing until blood was streaming from his forehead, down across his face.

 

The judges went over to him and made him stop.

 

There is a lesson there.

 

My further adventures in breaking can be found on my blog at 

 https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/search?q=board

 

Just a simple demonstration a long time ago

 

While sitting at my desk remembering what I have discovered cutting rock at the Sun City  West Lapidary Club, my mind started to wonder about what I saw when I was a beginner.

 

There were events at the tournaments I attended I Baltimore back in the mid-1970’s that I have not seen since. And knowing so little, I remembered and learned a bit.

 

One of those events was the Black Belt Karate Demonstration. There individual black belts showed what they felt was a good demonstration of their art, and scores were given.

 

Now I had worked my yellow belt mind up to compete in kata and kumite. But that left a lot of time to sit and watch what else was happening. We were to leave when the tournament was finished.

 

So one time this guy gave a demo with his whole school to assist him. He was talking about the superiority of soft striking and after the talk his students joined the demonstration.

 

He lined his students up in a long line, chest touching the back of the individual before them.

 

Then when they were set up, he stood before them, going through some breathing ritual, and then lightly touching the student at the front of the line.  Immediately student one by one fell back as if each was struck, a domino effect. At one level it looked impressive.

 

Then when the line collapse concluded, they lined up again and he showed the power of his light touch again.

 

Next he asked for a black belt volunteer from the audience.

 

Bob Maxwell from Bando volunteered.

 

I knew Bob as he was friend of my instructor, Tom Lewis. I knew there was a friendship between Isshinryu and Bando, but I had no idea what Bando was.

 

 

So Bob stepped forward and the instructor doing the demo placed him at the front of the line, to strike Bob lightly on the chest.

 

He struck Bob with his devastating light touch, and nothing happened. Bob just stood there and the line did not collapse.

 

Once again he struck Bob with his devastating light touch, and again nothing happened. Bob just stood there and the line did not collapse.

 

So the instructor made a change. He selected a senior student of his, and had him stand at the front of the line in front of Bob. Again he struck with his light touch. This time the student flinched from that strike and the line moved, including Bob.

 

As that the demonstration concluded.

 

This is how I remember seeing it.

 

My instructors never discussed what occurred. It was nothing like the Isshinryu I was being taught.

 

About 8 years later I was at a tournament in Lafayette College put on by a Pa. Shorin Ryu Group. They had impressive demonstration along with the tournament.

 

Then the Senior Instructor gave his demonstration, it was on light striking.

 

Now this was an extremely credible instructor. He had incredibly gifted students and his organization was well taught. I often competed against those students and they were good friends.

 

As I remember he talked about what he was going to do a bit, then he selected an individual from the audience to assist him.

He selected me. I am sure more for my size than anything else.

 

So I went onto the tournament floor,

 

Now at this time I was a san-dan in Isshinryu, I had been studying T’ai Chi for about 4 years, and studied with a whole slew of different traditions. None of them taught me to take a soft strike. This was new for me too.

 

The instructor told me to stand still. Then he got ready to deliver his touch.

 

His touch did nothing.

 

I had worked out that a soft touch would drive me back if I went into a rigid karate stance. So instead as I stood my ground, I simply relaxed in my stance, offering form but not attempting resistance.

 

 And when he touched me I did not move.

But I had extreme respect for the instructor, I simply wanted to show him I could present a very soft target, I was not trying to show him up.

 

That instructor made a 2^nd light touch. But this time I tensed my body and his touch moved me back as he intended.

 

That was my part in his demonstration. I just returned to the stands and continued to watch.

 

I have never told anyone about that event, until I remember this.

 

Just some memories running around in my head.

Once upon a time

 

Bushi No Te Isshinryu

 

Hit ‘em hard,

Hit ‘em fast,

Hit ‘em low,

So they don’t last