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.
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 2nd 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.
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