A long time ago I was taught the Naifanchi dachi as the toes in. Others in Isshinryu use the feet parallel.

 

This article shows some using Seiunchin (Shiko) dachi. So 3 different answers. When Motobu wrote about Nairahchi dachi he did not like the toe in answer feeling it was too weak. He proposed the parallel feet answer. But to me what matters most is you practice, practice, practice whatever method you use.

 

Yabu no Naihanchi

Translated by Andreas Quast

 

 

 

Five years ago, in 2014, I introduced the photo shown below on Facebook for the first time.

 

 

This is a photograph of Yabu Kentsū sensei teaching Naihanchi to students of the Okinawa Prefectural Normal School. The photo was taken in 1932 and was included in a collection of photographs presented to me by Yabu sensei's grandson, Mr. Yabu Kenjirō. Yabu sensei and Motobu Chōki sensei were close friends and comrades, and I visited Yabu's house in 2007 to listen to the stories.

 

Mr. Yabu Kenjirō

By the way, a lot of people probably saw the photo of "Yabu no Naihanchi" for the first time [back in 2014]. Some of those who saw the photo where perplexed as regards how to evaluate it. In particular, how the way of standing is different from that of "Itosu no Naihanchi".

 

 

The Naihanchi of Itosu has a “Sanchin-dachi”-like way of standing with the knees tightened inward and the toes also slightly turned inward, as is shown in the above video of Chibana Chōshin sensei. However, Yabu sensei's Naihanchi-dachi has the knees wide opened and the toes also facing outward. One can say with confidence that it is indeed the exact opposite way of standing.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkSr5-iM-BI

This was confusing for those who thought Itosu's Naihanchi-dachi was the legitimate way of Naihanchi stance, and there was also the reaction of "Is it Shiko-dachi?" If it wasn't Yabu sensei teaching in the photo, it could have been ignored and dismissed as some kind of heresy or variant. However, Yabu sensei was Itosu sensei's leading disciple and as such is often regarded as his "successor."

 

The way of standing is different because Itosu sensei has modified Naihanchi, while Yabu sensei's way of standing is that of Matsumura no Naihanchi. Motobu Chōki mentioned about his in his “My Karate-jutsu” (1932), but I think that there were probably many people who could not believe in Motobu Chōki's testimony. But the above picture of Yabu no Naihanchi clearly proves that it was a fact.

 

There is one curious thing. Despite the presence of Itosu sensei at the Okinawa Prefectural Normal School, Yabu sensei taught his own Naihanchi, and not Itosu no Naihanchi. Didn't Itosu sensei thought he was deceived? Since Yabu no Naihanchi would have been close to Matsumura no Naihanchi (if not the same), could this have made it impossible for Itosu sensei to protest?

 

By the way, Motobu Chōki said that when he started learning karate, Naihanchi was done with open hands, so I think Yabu no Naihanchi is not the same as Matsumura no Naihanchi. The clenched fist was probably the part of Itosu sensei’s modifications that was accepted [in Yabu no Naihanchi]. That's also the case for Motobu Chōki no Naihanchi. In that sense, since Yabu no Naihanchi is also a hybrid of Matsumura no Naihanchi and Itosu no Naihanchi, does it mean that Itosu sensei silently accepted it?

 

 

Roy Kamen It's an interesting debate: shiko dachi vs kiba dachi. Shiko has more mobility. Kiba has more strength. Shiko works the back. Kiba works the front. Shiko is more external. Kiba is more internal. Nihanchin and Sanchin are like siblings. Chojun Miyagi recommended doing both but excluded Naihanchin from the Goju curriculum... probably politics as he tried to make Goju "different" from everything else out there. He replaced Naihanchin with his new kata Saifa. Sanchin was originally also done with open hands. I guess it was a "thing" on Okinawa to close the hands to fists... maybe it had something to do with Japanese politics changing the name of Tode to Karate?