When I began - part 1

 

 

I already knew something of the martial arts.

 

1.    Before I began college I got the Bruce Tegner book on Karate.

2.    My college roommate studied Shotokan at Temple with Okazaki Sensei, and he used to show me how to form a fist and karate blocking to be able to practice his karate studies with me in our room,

3.    And by the time I began

a.    My youngest brother and sister were studying Shotokan in York Pa.

b.    Another brother was studying Tae Kwon Do in the Jhoon Ree system.

c.     Yet another brother was studying S.L.  Martin in his style the Green Dragon School.

 

So I had some idea of what karate was.

 

I was working construction in Salisbury Maryland when one day I was told there was karate instruction in a barn outside of town.

 

 

The next evening I went there to view a class. All I recall is it was karate instruction. So the next evening I went there again. Finding there was not a class that day, but the instructor Tom Lewis described the program to me. I was told it was instruction in Isshinryu karate. We chatted a while and he invited me to join and informed me when the next class would be taking place.

 

 

When I arrived I joined with the rest of the class in the warm up session. Then I and the other beginners were given to two green belts where they took us to the dojo alcove and taught us the techniques of Chart 1 and Chart 2.

 

I discovered the karate there was very different from that of Shotokan that I had been previously shown. For one thing I would be using the vertical punch not the twisting punch. For another my blocks would be done with the side of the arm, not blocks twisting the arm as they were done.

 

That alone was quite a workout for me as a beginner.

 

The 2^nd class Dennis Lockwood began the beginners by showing us the opening movements of Kata Seisan. Rei, LFF Left side block then Right punch, RFF and left punch, LFF then right punch.

 

At that point Lewis Sensei came out of his office and announced to the class “For the rest of the class you will do the kata you know.” He the proceeded to lean back against the wall and closely watch everyone for the next 2 hours.

 

As I only knew the Seisan opening, I did it over and over for the rest of the class.

 

Then for the 3^rd class after warm up Kumite was announced for everyone.  I was standing off to the side and watched what was happening. Suddenly Dennis Lockwood approached me and told me I was to spar with a younger female green belt (who was 16, almost 10 years younger than me.

 

I had no idea what I was doing. I had no instructions on how to spar or what the rules were. I remember facing her, making a rei to each other and Dennis shouting “Hajime”

 

What happened next was something else. I attempted to keep my hands before me. Then she attacked and attacked. I had no idea what I should be doing. She struck me again and again, I was kicked repeatedly even slapping round kicks to  my face. Nothing I did seemed to work, My attempts at punching never worked.

 

I did learn well that I really knew nothing. I remember being Kathy driving me across the dojo from wall to  wall repeatedly. I remember nothing about the class after that.

 

For my 4^th class I had sweated so much after the warm up that I was told to go and find the mop and clean up the 6 foot puble of swean around me (that would be a standard for many months. I was shown more of Kata Seisan. I also learned there would be more sparring. The white belts would spar with the green belts (every one of them very accomplished) of course that meant more being knocked around (and probably as I was larger than they were) an opportunity to really strike into me. Sparring was explained to me. The rules were body contact to the front of the torso, but all strikes and kicks to the head must be pulled at the last instant.

 

For a long time I was target practice for those green belts. Because I was larger than they were, the repeatedly kicked me with full force, I believe my ribs were bruised for months, but I never stopped training.

 

One of the other white belts and I used to get to class an hour early and use the time to work on the Charts and KoteKitae

 (body hardening by learning how to tighten the muscles while being struck or kicked.

 

Other times we would run circling the dojo chanting USMC running cadances.

 

Class was approximately ½ kata and ½ kumite,  But things were always changing and except for the warm up drills, almost every class followed a different order and there were many unique classes too. There were times Lewis Sensei would talk about his days on Okinawa, other times he might describe the results of strikes to viltal areas of the body.

 

It was never really explained that while almost everyone was welcome to join the club, and maybe 15 or 20 did in a good month. Most good months after several months later, there might just be one who remained training. Not that beginners were not given good instruction,  rather after they felt the training, many chose not to return to class. Thus more of the class was focused on the advanced students.

 

At times the kumite rules might be a tad bent if the facial contact was controlled. Of course the rules were the same for men and women. But I noticed if the women made facial contact they were not penalized. I always thought that was because Sensei wanted the women to learn to strike a man’s face.

 

Class was structured 2 days a week for kyu students. The dan had separate classes one day a week, and they came in from many associated  IKCdojo for those classes. As I only was a kyu in Salisbury I never saw their workouts, but often saw them training after class, kata, bo or sai.

 

 

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2009/01/kotekitae-art-to-isshinryu-body.html

 

Memories of a lesson or two (or three or more).

 

Before I begin this is definitely not the answer for every type of attack. More a discussion about first steps, with much more to follow. Yet everyone must begin somewhere.

 

Consider how much useless talk involves decrying kata applications against useless standard attacks (not realistic). Ignoring the reality that such standard attacks are but the tool to begin instruction with. Critically necessary, but to be moved past, when the basic skils have been acquired. And more advanced attacking patterns to become the next step in skill acquisition.

 

I seem to eventually recall most of what I have seen, and oft times much later put it into context. These events occurred over many years before I realized they were interrelated.

 

1Today I recalled my third trip to visit Tristan Sutrisno and much of what he showed that day. (Most of which were always one time lessons, so remember of it becomes vapor-ware.

 

That would be in 1980 in a room in an apartment building that was his dojo. What he was explaining was that most people attack automatically ‘knowing where you are standing’, that means the focus of their attack is known to them from where they saw you standing.

 

He was showing a simple defense I had never seen before. Facing a stepping punching attack, he just swayed slightly back, the punch did not connect and he readily struck back.

 

A little later when facing another stepping punching attack he shifted slightly to face the left (across the punch) then his left open hand flowed up to descend atop the striking punch. While that ocurred his right ascending top of the wrist strike hit into the wrist of the attacking punch. The descending palm strike and the ascending bent wrist struck simultaneously into the attackers wrist causing it to bend (leaving it powerless. Then his top right bent wrist struck into the side of the attackers ribs, causing him to bend forward from that strike.  That was followed by the right hand grabbing the flesh of the attackers right side to  twist him forward with a counter-clockwise motion to then allow the left fist to strike into the back of his head.

 

At the time I just saw two techniques which worked, I did not understand what was behind them. I kept them for myself, I did not teach them.

 

 

On my first visit to Tristan I observed his students doing their aikido drill for karate-ka. I observed 12 of them, After that I practiced them for life (that was all the instruction I received) they were taught at green belt and brown belt level for his students.

I time I came to realize they were using evasion to move away from the attack, and then used aikido to maneuver the attacker as one worked the spaces an attack offered by the attack (to either side of the attack). Only at black belt would they learn their most unique bunkai which often used the principles of those aikido drills.

 

 

2About 1980 Ernest Rothrock shared with me his black belt students manual. I saw the descriptions what he called his Ghost Techniques. I worked out how to do them from his descriptions. I did not realize the similarity to what Tristan had showed. I taught them to my black belts, and had fun with the first two with the kids on Haloween.

 

 

3Around 1989 I attended a clinic Sherman Harrill was doing in Rhode Island one Saturday. For one study when the attacker was stepping in and striking, he responded by just stepping back with the left foot, causing the attackers strike to fall short. Then simply by releasing his knees, he was able to strike into the opponent without stepping forward.

 

 

At that time I did not realize all of them were using similar operating principles.

 

 

Also about 1989 I had made friends with Joe Swift several years before and at that time he convinced me to allow him to purchase several reprints of 1930’s Japanese books, Of course they were in Japanese (which I did not read), He considered them priceless (though the purchase price for me was about $100.00 each.

 

One was Mutsu’s 1933 - ‘Karate Kempo’ and the other Nakasone’s  1938 - ‘Karate Do Taiken’. I could not read them but the pictures made much sense to me.

 

Kaarte Do Taiken has later been translated into English by Mario McKenna.

 

Karate Kempo was planned to be translated by Joe, that is still to occur but Joe took pity on me and did translate the initial section showing uses of karate techniques for evasion, (pleases see the appropriate blog entry below.

 

 

Now I have found it normally takes me at least 5 years (and often more) to realize the relevance of material within the book. In this case it was many years more.

 

But I just realized that each of the examples I have described (and quite a bit more) All worked around the principles of subtle evasion.

 

And at times knowing something takes some time.

 

 

 

 

Mutso’s Karate Kempo contains much about use of evasion for karate.

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2021/10/become-ghost.html

 

 

On Ernest Rothrocks Ghost Techniques

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/search?q=ghost+techniques

Inverted Punch (270 degree Punch) – Ernest Rothrock

Awhile ago in perhaps I was taking advantage of the Saturday afternoon free practice at the Shaolin School in Wilkes Barre. I had been studying tai chi and a variety of Chinese forms with Ernest Rothrock Laoshi, As I was working out I saw Laoshi working with one of his senior students and they were performing a punch I had never seen in karate. I recognized the power of that strike. Noted it and then went back to my own training.

 

Run forward maybe 15 years an my mind went back to that strike. As I was living in NH and he in Pittsburgh, I sent him a message inquiring about that strike. What follows it his response.

 

"Okay, here's what I know.  I first learned this one also as a fighting technique from Master Pai. It was done with a cross step and aimed for the ribs.  The punch came from the shoulder, rather than the hip with the full twist, but was still inverted.  The follow up technique was a rolling backfist to the head using the same hand.  I still teach this technique to my advanced students because it is a very fast hand technique and almost impossible to stop.

In the Mantis system and the Eagle Claw system the technique is usually executed from the shoulder or ear and strikes downward.  Even though the punch is inverted, there's no twisting involved.  You just turn the fist and strike with the thumb side down.

I only have one form that uses this technique from the hip with the full twist and that is a dragon from the White Dragon system.  Maybe I'll show it to you

when I get out there.  Maybe it's a dragon punching technique.

This is an interesting question to see where this punch came from and maybe find the style that developed it."

 I just ran across that message in my files and of course that got me thinking so I attempted to do an internet search on that strike. I was unable to locate anything on karate for my search, But I did find it being used in MMA. The article follows.

 

http://www.wayofleastresistance.net/2015/11/overhand-inverted-punch-underused-gem.html

 

Overhand inverted punch - underused gem

 November 19, 2015

One of the techniques I noticed frequently in the Rousey vs. Holm fight was the overhand inverted punch.  In karate I suppose it would be an otoshi ura zuki (an inverted dropping punch).¹

Holm used it time and time again to devastating effect - both moving to the outside of Rousey's lead (something I'll examine in a moment), and sometimes just square down the middle on the inside, as shown in the three pictures to the right.  However it lands, the technique is devastating.  It's a very useful punch precisely because it is so unexpected.

I suppose this raises the question why that would be the case.  I'll get to that soon.  But first, let us not forget what an oddity this technique really is - in both combat sports and traditional martial arts.

In an industry often obsessed with rejecting any level of "corkscrew" in punches, it seems out of place to expect one that corkscrews to its maximum possible extent - ie. so much that the thumb ends up pointing down.  It seems even odder to see it used to such a manifestly effective manner.

Consider this: I  know many martial artists who are dogmatically opposed even to turning the fist so that it lands palm down (ie. the standard karate punch).  Rather, these martial artists insist that punches should always land with the fist vertical. (thumb up).  Examples range from wing chun gong fu to the Shorinjiryu karatedo of Kori Hisataka to some schools of boxing (I've trained with several boxers who insist that they only jab with a vertical fist: that to turn the punch over further is just "bad form").²

Yet there it was in the Rousey vs. Holm fight: a punch that didn't just corkscrew a little; it corkscrewed to the very limit!  And Rousey seemed to fall into it repeatedly.

What I think this shows is that any form of dogma regarding the "corkscrew" is just that: dogma.  It is unproven theory at best, blind ideology at worst.  Such thinking ignores common sense, as I noted many years ago (see my original article here) and misses out on many useful applications.

Twisting your arm in a punch, deflection or any other movement is going to happen.  And it is often going to be useful - whether it is because it adds torque, cuts a unique angle (eg. xingyi's heng quan) or is simply the most natural movement in the context.

What makes the overhand inverted punch a particularly useful variant is that, unlike a hook or even most cross punches, it is defaults to a motion that is more or less straight.  A hook necessarily circles in from the outside.  A straight cross follows the hypotenuse of a triangle from the outside.  But the overhand inverted punch doesn't approach from the outside.  To the extent that it "circles in", it does so from above.  Otherwise, in terms of lateral movement, the punch is really coming in straight.  As a variation this can be most unexpected.  Moreover it can be thrown with considerable force, using a high chamber to allow plenty of room for acceleration.

Which brings me to the whole question of where the punch is most profitably aimed.

I can't think off-hand of any karate form in which the punch appears. [Readers, please refresh my memory here!]

But it certainly occurs in the Chen Pan Ling taijiquan form - in 3 places, no less.

All of those punches are aimed low.  Indeed, the most notable of the techniques is simply called "step forward and punch to groin" (in some schools it is known as "old woman punches to the groin" which has always amused me!).

As the name implies, the punch seems to be primarily aimed at the groin.  Or maybe the bladder/kidneys/ liver/spleen.  Or maybe the solar plexus or xyphoid process even.  Yet in the recent Rousey vs. Holm fight it was used by the latter to great effect as a punch to the face.  What gives?

As I discuss in the video below, the answer lies, I think, in the fact that punch is a dropping punch.  That natural curve we spoke about, coming in from above and raking down, is what matters (primarily).  It isn't about "punching the groin".  It is about counter punching with a falling moment.  The benefit of this moment is that it can catch a variety of targets along the centre line as it drops - depending where your opponent is.  The groin is, if you will, simply "where the bus stops" - the final possible target.

 

 

 

Yes, the face is an excellent target.  But as I discuss in the video, with an aggressive opponent who is entering strongly, you might not have enough room to accelerate the punch all that much if it lands on the face, as opposed to dropping lower down onto the body.  Of course, you might not need to: your opponent's incoming momentum might well be sufficient (ie. you might be able to rely on that rather than your own generated momentum).  But otherwise it is a matter of physics that if you have more room to accelerate your punch, you will reach a higher velocity on impact and generate a more forceful punch.  Compare how far Armando's arm has moved in the pictures below when comparing the face punch and the solar plexus punch.  Consider the amount of shoulder he's been able to throw in too.

And it's not as if low, overhand inverted punches of this kind are unheard of anyway.  You see them all the time.  The might not even be intended as low punches, but end there after raking past the face.

Anyway, that's my view on why the punch is aimed low in the Chen Pan Ling form - and why it is called "step forward punch to the groin": the final position is low - perhaps groin height (although even Chen Pan Ling in his textbook seems to finish at around solar plexus or tanden/dantien level - nowhere near the groin really).

In other words, the punch is named, as many taiji techniques are named, by reference to their superficial appearance (particularly at the finishing point) - not their function.

 

You'll note from the above video that the taijiquan application necessarily goes to the outside of a right.  This is evident from the hand deflection accompanying the movement - if one follows the simplest and most logical interpretation (in my humble opinion!).

This either means you're moving to the lead of a southpaw's lead jab or you're dealing with a right cross.  Personally, I like to train it against the latter.  In either event, you're moving to the outside of your opponent's right.

T his is actually what Holly Holm did at least once to Ronda Rousey - albeit that as a southpaw, she moved to the outside of Rousey's left.  And being a boxer, she relied purely on evasion, and not on evasion and deflection

Of course, the overhand inverted punch has many other functions too.  Regular readers will know that I'm not fond of always interpreting blocks as throws, locks, strikes etc.  That doesn't mean they can't be so used: I'm simply opposed to the ideology that interprets them primarily as something other than what appears to be their main purpose - defence.

Ditto with punches.  I believe they are primarily punches.  This doesn't mean they can't be used for a whole host of different purposes - including deflections, locks and throws.  In respect of the last of these, you'll note from the video below that I interpret one of the overhand inverted punches from the Chen Pan Ling taijiquan form (a move called "step back and hit tiger with reverse fist") in precisely this manner: as a projection/throw......

 

 

Simply reach out and touch your attacker

Tonight we were working on a basic defensive principle that I teach and I'm not sure if we've discussed in the past.

 

Where one of my students was working grab and pop attack defenses (where the attacker grabs you with one hand and goes to pop you with their other hand - the grab and pop) and using a number of interesting responses the simplest answer came to mind.

 

Simply reach out and touch your attacker, not strike them.

 

If you simply reach out and press against the middle of their chest they really can't hit you with their other hand. Don't believe me, try it in class next time.

 

Now doing so does root both your feet, but if they in turn try to counter-kick you, you can simply press forward and push them back.

Likewise from the press you can readily strike into their throat if a more dynamic response is required.

 

This then opened a line of drills where attacked you immediately press back, and/or slide the opposite foot back, angling yourself away from their attack too.

 

This opportunity allows you to respond to an attack with a less aggressive counter, keeps you somewhat in control of your attacker and allows more aggressive returns if required. A more proportional response for some situations.

 

Of course if your hand holds a Chintzen Bo, or the equivalent, that will get a heck of a response too.

 

Off hand, this also could be an interpretation of Wandan (Wando?) where you have a left vertical knife hand block followed by a reverse punch. Hence the vertical knife hand block might simply be the press.  And of course if they can't touch you, by appropriate knee release and alignment you can still strike them with the other hand.

 

Something to play with.

 

Hogen Terminology-Kuda Yuichi, Kaicho, Matsumura Kenpo

 

Iji nu unjirawa ti hiki-When you are angry, never use ti (karate).

Ti nu unjirawa iji hiki-If you use ti (karate), never be angry.

 

kun- techniques

 

giri- kick

uki- block

chikei- punch

uchidi- hammerfist

chichidi- straight punch

nuuchidi- nukite

ura tijikun- backfist

uradi- back hand strike (fingers extended)

chibu- pressure point

chibudi- pressure point hand

usuidi- press hand block

iibi zaachi giri- front kick using toes

 

kushi- back  (kushi giri)

mee- front

yuku- side

wri- high (wri uki)

shicha-down

huka- outside (as in soto uke)

 

 

Anatomy

 

nni- body

chira- face

mebichei- forehead

kakuji- jaw

mii- eye

mimi- ear

hana- nose

tinukubi- wrist

chinshi- knee

hisa kubi- ankle

nudi- sternal notch

Iibi- finger or toe

kubi- neck

chiburu- head

hisa- leg

 

Commands

 

guri- bow (accent on the i)

lensusei- practice

nahing- more (nahing lensusei- more practice)

nafeen- little less

kutang- little

uhoku- alot

uhusan- too much

ikirasan- not enough

naikai/ nachukenn- one more time

natakenn- 2 more times

namikenn- 3 more

hamati lensusei- many times

nna narabei- everyone line up

nna irei- everybody sit

tamarei- stop

hajimirei- start

nijidi pisa- feet together

hisa keirei- switch feet

yukurei- break (take a break)

namaa- now (namaa yukurei)

nijiri­- right

hizai- left

nkarei- face each other

migurei- turn around

nijiri kai nkarei- turn to the right

hizai kai nkarei- turn to the left

 

General

 

tijikun bushi- warrior with a strong punch

kiri bushi- warrior with a strong kick

tubi bushi- warrior with a strong jump

damai bushi- quiet warrior (strong)

kuchi bushi- mouth warrior (talks too much) also yakuichi

debushi- strong warrior (general)

tusan- far away

chikasan- close

shinshi- sensei (teacher)

karati- karate

hagi- bald (hagi cibura- bald head)

ikiga- man

inagu- woman

waraba- child

warabata- children

aga- ouch (also yamuun)

yukumisorei- good night

ukimisorei- good morning

ukiti- morning (also chokan)

yukan- afternoon

yuru- night

hiru- daytime

ninzun- sleep

mjimensorei- come back (formal)

mjikua- come back (less formal)

mjimensochii- go away (formal)

mjichi- go away (less formal)

ya- house

iyu- fish

saki- sake

ushi- beef/cow

uwa- pig

mma- horse

tui- chicken

ninjin- people

tchui- 1 person

tai- 2 people

michai- 3 people

yutai- 4 people

guni- 5

rukuni- 6

nanani- 7

hachini- 8

kuni- 9

juni- 10 people

nifedeburu- thank you

nifedo- thanks

gurisabitan- I'm sorry (also uasayabindo)

guburisabita- excuse me (can say burisabita)

kuru- black

shiru- white

quachisabira (pronounced "la")- before eating thanks

quachisabitan- after eating

woné namaa yaasando- now I’m hungry

woné namaa yaashikonei- I’m not hungry

ipe yaasan- I’m very hungry

wone yaasan- I’m a little hungry

ipé- too much

ipe yesan- too cheap (a bargain)

wone ipe shicondo- I like you (alot, love)

wone iaya shiconsa- I don’t like you

wone arei shiconsa- I don’t like him

woneshimuun- no thanks

woneshimundo-no thanks

wone shimabiin- no thank you (formal)

arei- him

nna abilankei- everyone be quiet

nnadamatokei- everyone shut up

damate- shut up

namaa nna damatokei- now everyone shut up

namaanjani kadikuya- now we go eat

njani- go

asaban- lunch

yuuban- dinner

iaya asabano kadi- have you eaten lunch?

wone kadando- I’m finished

wone nadado- I’m not finished

munokadi- have you finished eating?

unige sabila- please help (same as onegashimas)

unigeya- please help (informal)

makai ichuga- where are you all going?

iaya makaiichuga- where are you going?

yagati- pretty soon

yagati ichundo- pretty soon go eat

kohi- coffee

arei yagati chundo- he’s coming pretty soon

ichundo- go away

iaya nahing kamumi- do you want more to eat?

wone namaan yasasa- now I’m still hungry

chuya lensuya usaya- today I finish practice

kure- this

chuya usaya- today finish

chuya- today

aacha- tomorrow

chuya mata achaya- again tomorrow

aacha lensuya- tomorrow finish practice

aachai yanaransa- tomorrow cannot practice

aachai nayundo- can practice tomorrow

aachai naransa- no can do

nayundo- can do

arei joge aransa- he’s not very good

jogedo- good

jotudo- good things

masando- taste

makone- no good

arei eecho aransa- he’s no good (inside)

arei eecha arando- he’s no good (inside)

arei eechudo- he’s a good guy

icha- drunk

arei icha- he’s drunk

wone itondo- I’m drunk

mee ankai gurisei- bow to front

shinshi nkai nkati gurisei- bow to sensei

tagenni nkati gurisei- bow to everyone

ya- ok

e (i)- yes (old to young or same age)

u- yes (young to old)

beru- no

iying- not

naibiransa-too old

namaa wakaindo- now I understand

namaa wakatouundo- now I understand

wone wakaran- I do not understand

wone wakarando- I do not understand

nubushito- mixed up

nubushitona-are you mixed up?

wone utaton- I’m tired

utatonmi-tired? (asking)

utatonna- tired?

iying utatoneran- not tired

chunulensuya jotu- good practice today

chunulensuusaya- today I finish practice

mata achaya- see you tomorrow

ichundo- go away

ikando- no can go

kakutosa- thirsty

shinshi n’kai n’kati lei- face the sensei and bow

mee n’kai n’kati lei (or gurise)- face the front and bow

hai usa- finish

 

©John R. Stebbins, 2000.