Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Advincula Seminar By Carmine 10/2/2006

  

 

First off, Advincula Sensei is a character.  He’s 68 years old and full of ‘piss and vinegar’.  I think he’d be fun to hang out with for the sheer volume of stories and anecdotes.  I’m willing to bet he has plenty of military stories, considering he’s basically Mr. USMC.  It’s interesting to hear him tell about his first-hand account of “Tatsuo”, someone who I have seen on the wall of a dojo, but someone whom he has known as a real person with a family.

 

I took some notes on some of the drill and tips he had us practicing. Unfortunately, I was without pen and paper until after his opening talk containing history factoids. 

 

Here’s a list, in my ill-conceived shorthand:

 

Reinforced block – hand not on the fist.  Placed upon the palm-heel, weight is better transferred.

 

End-of-Sanchin – open-palm push-out should be closer to your center of mass.

 

Toraguchi – greater pushing power when palm is held concave and fingers are not close together.


Kunde – kanji pattern for rice, drawn like an asterisk, 8-directions that power can come from.  (more on Okinawan-Wonder website).


I-Ching – 3 types of changes: 1) non-change, 2) sequential change, 3) cyclic change.


Bend the hand and extend fingers in the desired direction of motion for more power.  (illustrated using slow, arm-to-arm blocking)


Muchimite – ‘sticky fighting’, constant contact


Drills punching flat-footed and with rear foot’s toes curled and knee bent, like a sprinter’s block.


Several positions on the rear foot, with the heel touching the ground, the heel up in the air, and a much deeper stance with only the ball of the foot touching the ground

Don’t always copy the instructor’s movements without understanding why – his students were shaking their fists after punching during katas because he was doing so.  He has a tremor on his right side and doesn’t shake it on purpose.


Southern Chinese thought appears to be more prevalent in Southern Japan (Okinawa) whereas Northern Chinese thought is more prevalent in Northern Japan.


Anti-telegraphing – don’t go backward to go forward.  Use a stance that is not telling of any intent.


3 main self-defense targets: eyes, groin, throat.  Go for all at the same time.


Kiai – kanji represents steam, indicating breathing.


“Fall seven times, rise 8 times” – good parting quote.




All in all, there were some good tips and demonstrations about proper alignment of the limbs when performing techniques.  However, there was certainly much more to the story than he was able to impart in the seminar. 

 

One could see how Advincula Sensei moved and knew that there were some major elements such as spinal positioning and moving from the pelvic crease. 

 

After the seminar, I asked him about his thoughts concerning the alignment/use of the spine in transferring power.  He smiled and said that there are plenty of ways to explain this very important element of martial movement, but that what we need to know has been conveyed through Sanchin. 

 

Advincula said that Shimabuku Sensei said to do Sanchin everyday, that the concepts where there via testing (such that when you provide resistance to the person doing sanchin, their hands shouldn't leap forwards when you release them).

 

That’s all I can remember at this point.  My main focus at the seminar was not necessarily to retain every bit that was thrown at us, but to contrast and find similarities with the body mechanics training I’ve been working on for the past 6 months.  I’m certainly going back for my 3rd Advincula seminar next year.

 

I’d be interested to hear about your alignment work, as I’m trying to have these concepts explained to me in every way possible to see if I can latch on to something in a more concrete manner.

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