Ways to use Chinto kata for advanced training

 

 

This blog post on Facebook generated the most replies I have ever had,

 

 

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2019/06/chinto-fight-on-narrow-bridge.html

 

 

Note – I have also had you guys perform kata on a hillside, in Derry and outside of Scranton at McDade park. That also give a very different feel to the kata, both in performance on a hill, and open up new application potential.

 

 

Romney Taylor a interesting place where I have practiced Chinto is on the break wall around the Buffalo

Romney Taylor I have also heard of chinto on stairs , My experience , depends on how steep the stairs are : )

Victor Donald Smith I did not discuss every aspect of the training. For I have taught it on a hill many times, with interesting effects to the attacker on the hill. Perhaps it could be called London Bridge if Falling Down. I just thought of that, and it can be appropriate.

 

Mike Branch Thank you! I've never heard it this way before but I love the story and it does make perfect sense. Chinto is my choice of study. I have a catwalk in my barn which is used to cross from one hayloft to another...it is quite narrow...I have often found myself practicing Chinto on the catwalk/bridge. And yes the turns better be crisp.

Victor Donald Smith There are no number to the variations of kata study in different environments that can be useful training experiences. One does have to step outside the box, and that might be the value to the stories.

Mike Branch Victor Donald Smith yes I concur. I myself love hearing kata stories.  keep sharing this information with us

Victor Donald Smith Look in part is exists in our tradition. Shimabuku Tatsuo climed up telephone poles the turned around and climbed down upside down.

 

Robert Welch Fascinating article. Quick clarification, Chinto translates as 'fighting eastward,' not fighting on a bridge.

To me, the important aspects of the Chinto family are the lessons of awareness and explosive movement. The turns can be interpeteted as rotational movement to avoid and get inside an opponent's target area. Similarly, by reacting explosively with each technique we apply maximum damage to weak points.

Victor Donald Smith When I studied first, translation was not part of the study. I never focused on that. But you were told the stories, just as stories, Then in time I went further and made those stories a serious part of training. The turning can be done on the interior or the exterior of an attack, depending on your intent how to use it.

Victor Donald Smith Of course this is not every variation of study i have used. As Chinto performed on a hillside, which might be performed with London Bridge is Falling Down in the background. LOL

Robert Welch Victor Donald Smith one could spend a lifetime on the variants of this kata. I find it fascinating, however my knee joints don't agree.😁 the turns, and associated kibadachi or, in the Itosu versions, tsuruashidachi were once explained to me as examples of listening with the body. One of my JKA/ISKF instructor papers covered this. I will search my collection of floppy discs for it.

Robert Welch Victor Donald Smith tead a book by an Isshinka who was a bounty hunter who talked about Chinto as fighting on a hillside. Is that a common trope in Isshin ryu?

Victor Donald Smith Not that I am aware of, just something I did, realizing there was value on practicing kata on uneven ground, even hillsides. It give a very different feel to every kata, and open new possibilities how the movement can be used.

Andy Sloane ZHEN, in Chinese, means "tranquilize"
DOU, in Chinese, means "fight/battle"
It doesn't mean "fighting eastward".
In Uchinaaguchi, it's pronounced CHEEN-TOU.

Neal Simpson Robert Welch - Tatsuo Sensei told Mr. Long that Kyan would have them perform Chinto on hills or slick terrain to stress that it was a good kata for teaching a person to maintain a “sweet spot” in otherwise inhospitable areas.

 

When you think about it, Isshinryu had a tradition about thinking outside the box.