The second in a series of
posts on this topic
Opening Seisan Kata 101.1 – a minor study in application potential
September 14, 1998
First Post a word from our sponsor
I thought it might be useful to try and show all the
application potential I find and teach
for Seisan Kata’s opening section, as an expansion of earlier efforts. Among
the many reasons my son is beginning
this study,I’d also like to record this for my instructors future efforts, and
I’d like to share my thoughts with my friends, too.
But starting to define them I both realized how much
was there, almost an unlimited number of potential to explore, and if I could
document them I also realized nobody would ever be able to use them.
Then I remembered words from Harrill Sensei, “The kata
applications I share aren’t important, it’s the principles underneath them
which are important.”
Then it came to me, I should listen to Sherm’s words.
So instead of focusing on describing all of the potential applications I can
do, I’m going to focus on the principles underneath my application study and
accompany them with some examples. In turn they are where I yield my
application study.
It also strikes me that trying to post everything I
see at one time will lead to a babble complex, so I’m going to do this one
piece at a time, and hope it leads to questions, thoughts, disagreement and
perhaps even agreement on occasion.
Application Potential instead of Bunkai
I remember well a time when kata was just kata, almost
everywhere, and a desire to see if they were something else was a long, hard
journey of self study. In time other
study began to point out interesting answers used by other systems, but I
always returned to my own belief the kata technique ought to be used to their
full potential just as they stand.
Along that path a word came into public usage. The
word was ‘Bunkai’, and the most common usage was this was how the instructor
would teach the applications of the kata technique, their ‘bunkai’.
Words take a life of their own. The use of ‘bunkai’ came from the developing
Japanese forms of karate. It is a specialized term within some of that
community, not a universal understanding for all Japanese. Outside of the
martial arts community that used it the average Japanese would use the
term as the car mechanic would bunkai
the car, take it apart, to locate the problem. Really a very different use of
the word, where in karate perhaps the kata is bunkai’d to explain the
applications.
But the use of ‘bunkai’ to explain how kata
application was taught was not enough. Other additional terms such as ‘oya
bunkai’ arose to explain the alternate applications, etc. to develop a more
technical explanation of what was being taught. So things became more
structured as abstraction to discuss the actual events, and categorize them.
I spent quite a while on a different sort of ‘bunkai’
one more like the concept of hidden hand ‘kakushite’ in a tradition where the
dan studied thousands of applications tied into kata sections similar to
mnemonic devices to remember and teach them. But this ‘bunkai‘ did not use the
kata techniques directly. Yet did accurately describe another abstraction, or
map to lay on top of the process of developing a students applications.
I am not comfortable with the use of ‘bunkai’ to
really understand karate. Having an
instructor define answers is fine, and if that’s all one chooses to do that is
fine too. But I look to a freer hand.
On Okinawa, pre 1900 there was extremely little
technical vocabulary to define karate. There was no ‘bunkai’ you just
experienced, first hand, your instructor’s answers, and for a wide variety of
reasons, it is reported many instructors rarely taught application use until
very long in the arts study. And I’m sure there are those who used it very
early for the student too. Just because there are stories, one should never
assume those stories explain the full picture.
Dan Smith (Seibukan) just made the observation on the
cyberdojo, from a question about the use of the term ‘kakushite’ that I feel
ties into this topic. “The Okinawans try
not to emphasis specific applications as it limits the possible responses or
utilization of techniques. Tijikun means demonstrating what the hand is doing
and is teaching method utilized by Okinawans to emphasize the correctness of
technique rather than the specific application.”
Regardless of what anyone else does or taught, when we
perform kata all of its techniques represent a potential that any of us ought
to be able to tap into. This Application Potential does not have limits drawn
around it. If you work and find a method
of using the technique that you were not shown and in turn you can successfully
drop an opponent with it, there is no right or wrong answer. There is simply
potential realized.
When I began to look at kata technique this is what
struck me, how can it actually be used, and my own studies began to find out
what did work. Of course there are layers to this study, and in turn the more I
looked the more I was finding.
Then serendipity let me experience Harrill Sensei, and
an entire universe beyond my initial understanding was there. For he would take
a movement sequence (as he defined it) and explore it’s potential, in greater
and greater depth, literally hours and hours on one movement.
Though not his student, he pointed in large directions
that I continue to follow with my own efforts as well as what he shared.
But application potential is not the end, it is but a
beginning step, with
infinite answers. After studying the potential, then
the work comes learning how to sell that potential against stronger and
stronger attacks, how to learn how to choose between the potential answers for
a best situational response, and acceptance not to limit the answers to keep
one un-readable by an opponent, forever.
* * * *
Opening Seisan Kata 101.2 – The Kata Section
Defined
When I think of Isshinryu in my soul, it is where I
began on the first day. Yes I did begin with the study of the charts, but I
also began with the study of Seisan Kata.
Seisan Kata’s opening section links so many different
topics. Depending on how you received the charts, it’s potential is there. You
can find its soul within Sanchin and within SunNuSu. Variations on a core
theme, a core Seisan-ness.
And in total, Almost variations within the Seisan
Theme (Tou’on Ryu, Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Ueichi Ryu and on) share some
similarity in the opening section.
But the potential is not universal. A school nearby
does a variation of the Seibukan Seisan.
Their use of stepping out in a block in horse stance and then shifting
into their front stance with the punch is not one I personally believe in, and
in turn many of the Isshinryu potentials are not there, replaced by other ones.
So limiting myself to Isshinryu, realizing there are
variations on the theme, still feel many will understand these section definitions,
for the kata.
AS I perform Seisan the section I am looking at would
begin:
1. Cross
Hands (right hand on top)
2. Left Foot
Forward Left Side block as Right Hand Chambers
3. Right
Reverse punch as Left Hand Chambers
4. Right Foot Forward Left Reverse punch as
Right Hand Chambers
5. Left Foot
Forward Right Reverse punch as Left Hand Chambers
I realize some may not cross the hands (chambering the
right hand and just stepping forward with a left outside block) which may
change some of your options.
Others may follow the reverse punch with an outside
block with the same hand, or just emphasize the punching hand’s retraction
after the strike so much it is almost identical with a block.
I suspect the most common explanation for the first
side block and reverse punch is the attacker is punching with their right hand,
you step forward, block/parry the punch aside and punch them in their solar
plexus. (Which by the way is one of the
variations I will be discussing, as will its obvious follow-up, continue to
step forward and keep striking (3 times) into the attacker).
But Shimabuku Sensei saw a different answer (from the
Harrill Sensei notes on the self defense techniques in the Pleasant Isshinryu
files section from 2002) 1.a. Left hand holds right wrist. From
Seisan, pull the hand back to the release position and strike to the solar
plexus.
Opening Seisan Kata 101.3 – Some Basic
Principles Underlying the Discussion Defined
I think it’s a good idea to frame several tools I’m
going to be using in this discussion up front. If this boors you feel free to
skip reading the rest.
But as I continue along my way, they’re going to be
referenced and more principles specific to certain types of applications, will
be added.
On conclusion I think I’ll wrap all the principles
behind the techniques together in an appendix.
Let’s see if Sherm knows what he was talking about
(and I’m sincerely betting he does).
Kata I’m defining as a relatively fixed tool (hey I’m
polite) develop certain energy potential, and application potential tries to
use as much of that energy as possible, as exactly as possible, for greatest
results.
A technique application may be Offensive in nature,
Defensive in nature, or Counter Offensive. But as in combat all plans are
thrown aside when the enemy is joined (borrowed that line of course from many
movies – last seen in Tom Cruise’s Last Samuari) My definitions of course are
just an arbitrary analysis of potential.
Offensive – when I choose to use a sequence to
directly attack the opponent (frequently from the side or the rear).
Defensive – They
strike first and I defend against their attack to stop it.
Counter-Offensive – They’ve
attacked and I survive and counter-attack. The simplest answer is I’ve been
stuck in their grab and yank and I respond.
The manner of Stepping is not defined by the kata.
The concept of application potential does not follow
100% kata technique, but allows a bit of warp to consider all the techniques
potential. Most times I start with identical stepping as in the kata, but at
times when I find the shape of an attack does not make it harmonious I’ll step
differently. Principles behind those choices will come at that time.
The manner of Stepping is either Straight or Curved. Now there’s a line that should be included in
the Code of Karate, IMO I must be clear
I’m a solid crescent step guy. That’s how I was trained to execute the system,
it’s how I teach the system (getting very heavy on my students (advanced too)
cases when they don’t use it), and I believe it represents one of my core
values behind Isshinryu energy development.
But being a rational individual I fully understand
very similar power potential (perhaps the same) exists with the straight style
of stepping. It’s just not what I do and if I go into my normal chant on
stepping execution, feel free to tune me out. Course I’m right <Grin>
Behind the crescent step. There are many types of
energy development in our body all of which combine in our execution. What I
really like about the crescent step is how we pull our lower body into our
centerline and then can explode from that centerline into our opponent,
increasing the energy of our strike. The specific
timing I strive for is 2/3rds of the step is drawing into the centerline and
1/3rd of the step to explode out.
There are subsidiary benefits, such as allowing you to
change your mind ½ the way in your step and back up from the centerline using
replacement stepping, if the opponents coming in faster than you wish. (thanks
to Rich Kordel for suggesting that to me years ago). So you get to compress some of your energy
and explode it into your attacker, combining with the other energies from your
body.
Description Shorthand
I tend to use a short hand I developed long ago to
write less.
RFF = Right Foot Forward
LFF = Left Foot Forward
RFB = Right Foot Back
LFB = Left Foot Back
RP = Right Punch
LP = Left Punch
And so forth.
Opening Seisan Kata 101.4.1 – Crossing Hands
Crossing Hands applications represent variances in the
manner in which the ‘X’ is formed for its application potential.
I expect many did not think I’d start here.
In fact I would not have started here but for the fact
Sherman Harrill began the first clinic I attended with this section of Seisan
Kata.
But in this post I’m not beginning with what I
understand of Sherman’s answer. Instead an answer from my studies.
The situation – you have somebody on top of you, say
shouting in a crowded place and you read their eyes, and reddening face and
realize they’re ready to grab or strike you.
Your hands are relatively down at your sides, and your back is against
the wall, bar or people behind you so you can’t move forwards or backwards.
The response – You release you knees, allowing your center to drop and your two
fists strike up, forming the ‘X’, with the right fist on top.
You strike with the vertical ridge of knuckles into
the solar plexus. In fact as your weight drops from the knee release, your fist
strikes up, slamming into their solar plexus with great power gives you an
opening for Plan B, C and/or D.
Principles involved:
Knee Release 1.a. – I owe Joe
Swift to getting my mind on this, he translated material on this from a book
published in Japan, and later released in English. I can’t remember the name
right now, though I know Len’s referenced it several times.
Essentially you cannot move unless you release your
knees continually. The knee release coupled with allowing the bodies weight to
drop into a technique allows that dropping weight to be released in other
power, such as a strike.
You can prove this readily. Take a partner (perhaps
one you don’t feel to friendly towards on that day) and try the rising crossed
hands strike into their solar plexus without releasing your knees. Then do the
same with the knee release and see which gives you a bigger bounce, and which
causes their eyes to bulge out more. Then form your own conclusions, not my
word.
This is just one example, there are others we will be
using later. This is a principle with a lot to offer in application potential.
Principle of Alignment Theory – Here’s
another difficult one to explain. It’s easy to show in person and it can be
done with different description maps (words) to explain the same idea.
In this technique it’s pretty simple. When you cross
the hands your power increases (you an also prove this to yourself). You aren’t
slamming the lower left hand their tight, just rising, not necessarily
supporting the right. But as long as the left rises and touches the right it’s
more powerful.
The simple reason for this is because when the wrists
touch, the other side of the body is drawn forward, keeping it in better
alignment for more power.
If the human body is not aligned correctly for
technique (which can vary depending on how the technique is being used for
energy release) it is less powerful.
If you are perfect, you can make the rising right hit
the solar plexus correctly and still get the bang for your buck, but when your
hands touch you won’t make a mistake, your entire body is engaged properly.
Oooops – Addendum
Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s - Advanced Tai Chi
Form Instructions.
As a practitioner of Yang Long Fist Tai Chi Chaun, at
the forms end there is a section called ‘Step up and Form Seven Stars’ that
employs an identical hand formation, and the two hands rise up to face height
but passes the solar plexus along the way.
Recently I was looking at Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s book and
was struck with his description of the application of this technique.
Page 95, “The two wrists intersect and support each
other as they attack the opponents solar plexus. This blow is extremely devastating. Its victims re unlikely to escape serious
danger. Those who use it should not do so lightly.”
I’m not certain I would endorse his analysis of the
medical ramifications of the strike, but it can pack a wallop. Yes my son
doesn’t like me striking him this way, nor in many other ways either <G>.
This is the first of many other parallels I will try
to show as this technique analysis continues.
Opening Seisan Kata 101.4.2 – Crossing Hands
– Tribute to Harrill Sensei
When I met Harrill Sensei for the first time, and it
was when he was covering maybe 150 applications a clinic, a very stiff pace, he
explored a great many different potentials within the Crossing Hands of Seisan
Kata.
This section highlights some of the strongest lessons
I learned from his teachings.
His use of the crossing hands and the following side
block and reverse punch really shows how much he could look beyond the basic
appearance of a technique.
What he did was open up the act of the crossing hands
by taking its components, looking how different timing and entry into the cross
hands would yield different potential.
This crossing hands was practiced against a straight
punch, but I really think of it more as a grab defensive counter.
The situation – Your opponent reaches
out with their right hand.
Your response - Staying in stance you roll your center
line to the left. As you do that, your left arm rolls across their arm, towards
your center and down. And with that movement your center line rolls back to the
right. This section has been a double rolling of the hips.
[Variable, I also like to do this by reaching out with
my left alongside their reaching arm, and then drawing it back as I roll their
arm to my centerline and down. This is using the arm as an earlier intercept
and allows you greater contact to control their limb incoming.]
As my left arm presses their arm down, my right arm
now rolls in and up, striking their arm just behind the elbow, forcing their
arm to bend. The ‘Cross’ is formed by the cross strike, as your right arm goes
left it crosses the plane of your left arm pressing in and down. The ‘X’ is
formed with their arm in-between, even if your two arms are not touching. As
you’re doing this
When their arm bends at the elbow, begin the act of
chambering your right, drawing your thumb back across their inner elbow, as you
do that your left arm rolls up underneath and behind their arm, to a side block
type of arm/elbow lock on their arm. Your right continues to chamber as normal.
You have also been rolling your centerline back to the
left during the ‘X’ and Side Block process. This centering of your body
centerline on the working aspect of a block/lock is another aspect of alignment
theory, to create a stronger technique with less ‘arm strength’ instead using
the entire body more efficiently.
At this point you press your left arm down across
their arm to the right, and your body centerline rolls back to the right. This
forces them down in an elbow lock.
You complete the technique with a reverse punch to the
throat, behind the ear, the neck at the carotid sinus, or other target of
choice.
You can even use an add-on here, and instead of a
straight punch to the neck, add on a right hook punch into the tip of their
shoulder for the pain it offers.
This is a very useful locking or projection technique,
depending on angle of entry, and the manner in which the kata energy is
expressed in the execution. Just by making the lock and roll down more extreme,
it becomes a projection, throwing the individual on their head.
When they use their left -
But this does not end here, because of another
principle, the unlocking principle.
What if they grab at you with their left hand instead
of their right. You don’t have to root for a more specific technique, instead
just apply the technique the same way against their left grabbing arm.
You will discover it is a slightly different lock,
more a bent arm drag down, but it works just as effectively.
This rather unique category of karate technique usage
makes me thing of how the Chinese Arts contain Chin-Na, or locking techniques.
In fact I’ve been looking through my Chin-Na
collection and I don’t find this lock present, the most I can do is find the
bent arm elbow lock-down ending, but not the same entry. But the Chinese Chin-Na texts point out they
do not contain everything, just the more common locks.
While similar to Chin-Na there is a difference, most
of the chin-na I’ve seen (such as in Northern Eagle Claw) incorporate grabs
with the locks to make the pain more intense and the lock stronger.
This set of applications does not do this.
In general I approach use of locks the same way.
Unless you’re contesting against someone on a one to one basis, grabbing the
arm you’re trying to lock ties that hand up, and if you’re attacked by somebody
else the same time, that grabbing hand just can’t be released enough.
On the whole I teach to use the rolling center into
the lock entry and the pressure of arm against arm to work the opponent into
the lock. If another attacks, you just have to roll your pressure away from the
lock to free the arms up for the second opponent.
Instructors note – too often people feel more
comfortable using a grab. It sometimes takes considerable work to keep everyone
on mission, but the grab-less locks using your full body centering, and arm
pressure to make the lock work with correct practice.
Principle of Fractal Analysis
Fractal analysis is a term I borrowed from a
BaGua-zhang discussion that I like because I feel it really describes what
Harrill Sensei was doing. Fractals are a
mathematical study where you bore down into smaller components of a process,
and then deeper still, still yielding new study. [I’m not a mathematician and
this is the closest I can wrap words around a very interesting very, very
complex mathematics study.]
What I see as fractal analysis is taking components of
a kata technique and using them as complete techniques itself. The deeper your
bore, the more useful material is uncovered.
The Unlocking Principle
I had worked out the theory behind the unlocking
principle long before I had met Harrill Sensei, and was using it in my own
studies, but he made it sing.
In its simplest statement, look at a technique from a
right attack, from a left attack, while turning, or from rear entry.
The technique in the kata, is not limited to what
appears before you as for its application potential.
The principle of the Add-on
Depending on the situation, there are often other
endings that provide great effect too. There are no rules in application
potential that say you cannot use the application to its fullness and then add
something on for greater effect, obtaining synergy from the combination of
techniques.
Where add-on’s are theoretically infinite, I am going
to just focus on a few of the more logical ones in my experience for this level
of study.
Spiraling Energy
One way to look at this lock is that the left hand in
spiraling in during its movement till it completes the spiral by rolling the
opponent down.
Opening Seisan Kata 101.4.3 – Crossing Hands
the Director’s Cut
Here we come to the end of looking at the use of the
opening crossing hands in Seisan Kata.
But this isn’t the least, rather one of the more important application
potentials to study in the kata, the way I would keep score (and I normally
don’t weight anything better or worse than the next).
The time to strike is when the opportunity presents
itself.
This usage of Kata Seisan’s opening crossing hands and
side block then reverse punch also came from that first clinic I attended with
Harrill Sensei.
The situation – Your opponent strikes out with their
right hand.
Your response -
As their arm comes out, you step forward (for myself I normally chose to step
forward with my right foot. [Interior Line of Defense.] My right hand strikes
across my body into their arm, with a vertical ridge of knuckles. At the same
time my left vertical hand strikes into their right oblique muscle, several
inches below their right lower rib.
This simultaneous strike both deflects their arm and
strikes them at a point where they really are not ready to receive a strike.
Their focus is on their arm reaching out to touch you, not on receiving impact
into a sensitive area.
Ernie Rothrock tells me this is one of the reasons the
Chinese arts he studied chamber low, so the turning hand can be drawn back to
protect that area, the returning chamber in effect wedging an attack away while
it is being drawn back.
You can clearly see a relative comparison to Wansu
kata parry/strike technique in this application.
But if really nailing someone when they’re not
expecting it is enough a whole lot of other choices are open.
Next simultaneously chamber your right hand and
perform an outside block with the left. Then complete the section with a strike
into their solar plexus.
But we’re not finished with this by far.
The principle of the Chambering Hand
I think the thing that impressed me most about this
technique was how the chambering hand could become a slashing plane of force.
With the chambering hand you can:
Return the chambering hand as a slash across the ribs.
Return the chambering hand as a slash across the face.
Return the chambering hand as a returning slash to drive a 2nd
punch aside. This is where the attacker was performing a grab and punch.
When this sequence is used with the above sequence, it
literally becomes ‘Hit ‘em once, hit ‘em twice and hit ‘em once again.’
I can even see how you might want to make a punch miss
just to hit them with a really punishing return slice, if you really don’t like
the opponent.
Now we return to a friend, The return of the Unlocking Principle.
The Attack - Now the attacker steps forth with their
left and strikes with their left hand.
The Response – Perform the identical defense against
the left grab/strike as you would with the right.
You strike across with your right as your left punch
strikes into their left oblique muscle. Then you simultaneously side
block/parry with your left as your right hand slices across their ribs as you
chamber. Then you strike out with your right hand. Where you strike of course
is the issue.
There are other ways to step and change the angle of
this defense against arm attacks, but more on them to come.
The principle of the 100% Drop
When you’re on the outside, and your striking hand is
chambered, one way to drop your opponent all the time is to take that hand and
deliver a vertical strike into their outside upper leg, striking into the bone.
This cramps their leg up (charly horse time) and they
fall.
It is not the only option, but one that really works.
While there are many other Seisan principles that can
be inter-mixed with these versions, we’ll let them be discussed as we move
forward, rather than at this moment.
In fact this entire study will be self-reflexive. Many
of the Seisan principles can be intertwined at will.
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