The role of the Thumb in Isshinryu

  

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei performing Seiunchin kata using open finger back-hand-block (ura-te-uke).

Notice the placement of Tatsuo Sensei's raised and open signature thumb. It does not touch the forefinger. Yes, this is Isshin-ryū karate gokui.

As Maekawa (Major Mike said to me, explaining Isshin-ryū karate gokui, “One of Isshin-ryu gokui, is raise the big toe”.

 

Arcenio Advincula using back-hand-block (urate-uke)

 

 Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei performing Sunsu kata

using open finger hand chop (shutō-uchi).
Notice the thumb

 

Advincula demontrating shutō-uchi

 

Isshin-ryū karate no gokui (一心流空手の極意)

 

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei performing Seiunchin kata

using open finger hand for a double lapel break.

Notice the placement of Tatsuo Sensei's raised thumb.

Isshin-ryū karate open hand techniques emphasize spreading the fingers and for sure, the thumb to insure maximum tenseness (chinkuchi/shime). The position of the thumb most certainly plays an essential part just as it does in making a proper Isshin-ryū karate fist.

 

 

Isshin-ryū karate no gokui (一心流空手の極意)

Nukite: Spear-hand strike

Isshin-ryū karate nukite opens and spreads the fingers when using nukite. The position of the thumb most certainly plays an essential part just as it does in making a proper Isshin-ryū karate fist.

 

 

“One of Isshin-ryu gokui, is raise the big toe” ~ Maekawa (Major Mike) explaining Isshin-ryū karate gokui

Raising my thumb is similar to raising a big toe.

 

 

Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei raising his thumb to make his standing fist, which stands for Isshin-ryū karate today.

1950 As we can see, six years before naming Isshin-ryū, in this photo, Tatsuo Sensei was already making a fist with the thumb placed on top.