Defanging a Snake

 

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Jet Taylor

Is that basically a nerve strike? Don't think I have ever seen a punch low into the hip joint area like that.

 

 

Victor

While vital points do exist, nerve strikes among them, for Sherman Harrill, they were never a concern when striking.

 

He was not interested a bit in the connect the dot’s crowd. He did attend some seminars with Oyata Sensei, but more to see what he saw not interested in becoming a disciple.

 

Simply put at the time I knew him he had put 40 years serious work into makiwara and more, conditioning his ability to strike. He only worked one point which started at the tops of the head and ended at the base of the feet. Always his goal was to be able to strike anywhere and be able to drop an attacker. From what I saw he was that capable. Having trained a bit with John Kerker, his senior student (now with several decades into his own makiwara training, he passed that along to his students.

 

I learned a great deal from Sherman but I am not his student. That of course was unfortunate but as I lived in NH and he in Iowa it was a reality. I would not call anyone who I did not truly train with my Sensei. Many skilled individuals who shared so much with me are friends, never my instructor. Sherm and I discussed that when I first met him. He told me he wasn’t looking for a student, I told him I wasn’t looking for a Sensei as I had one Tom Lewis (his friend from Okinawa. Each of was ok with that.

 

I remember the first time I saw Sherman use that technique you are questioning. The 2nd one John Kerker does. The next day one of my senior students who was unable to be at the clinic with Sherman showed up early for class. I decided to attempt it so I asked him to step in and strike me. Striking lightly I dropped him like a rock.

 

What is being done is the strike is from the hip into the thigh, striking toward the bone. Yes of course there are nerves there but the targeting in mid thigh into the bone.

 

I hope that answer helps, if you ever make Arizona I would be glad to demonstrate it on you. As decrepit as I am I know I can make that work.

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That brings many other memories to mind. Foremost was the lesson when you observe what you see, you cannot make assumptions about what they have.

 

 

For example watching Tris at tournaments performing kata, kobudo or explosive kumite you would have absolutely no idea what he was about.  Likewise watching Cindy Rothrock at tournaments or Ernie’s students you would know nothing about what he actually knew or taught.

 

The same should be said for Sherman Harrill. I spent perhaps 70 or 80 hours with him at various clinics (ours and others). He certainly shared enough for lifetimes of work, but privately he told me what he shared was only part of his art. Among with he never used but a small piece of his power, the clinic attendees weren’t his students and he never really knew what they could take so he always held  back. Other examples (perhaps tied into the same thing) he never showed the use of the lower body behind what he was sharing.

 

Then he was gone and about 5 years later I had the chance to train with his senior student John Kerker in Chicopee Mass. I realize that most of you were unable to attend, too far and most of the time it was Halloween and first things had to be first. But I made the time and attended manybe a decade of those seminars as the host school aligned with John. After Sherman it always meant a lot to see John.

 

That first clinic was not what I expected. Of course I did not have a video camera then just my memories. Of course I wrote immediate notes on what was covered when I made my way home.

 

John hit his partner harder than anyone I have ever seen do so. Perhaps not beyond what Sherman could do but then he was Sherman’s student. And over and over he nailed him with power and each time he got up for more. Not knowing who he was I suspect he was a student from Carson who came to assist John. He showed 23 technique while I was there, It was a 2 day experience but I could only attend part of the Saturday clinic, Watching John I came to realize how much Sherman was holding back when I saw him.

 

Over the next few years John would explain many details which to me explained what Sherman’s training was like.

 

For one thing everyone choose whether their training would go into the extreme. All were his students and each advanced, abet differently. For example they had to choose to enter the makiwara training. If their choice was not to do so their training did not stop, they were just incapable of doing certain things.

 

In addition to makiwara he would use many other devices, always pushing himself. Sherman even kicked the floor to toughen up his kicking ability to deliver more impact.

 

Being uke for Sherman was also an experience. As John put it there was not a square inch of the floor that Sherman had not dropped him on. And when Sherman dropped you, when you got up he expected you to do it to him. One time after a very grueling class John could not use his hands. He had to ask Sherman to reach into his pocket for his keys. Then when reaching the car Sherman had to help him in, start the car and place his hands on the driving wheel. A level of training we never experienced with anyone.

 

As the year passed John’s teaching began to teach. He was not so much as being encyclopedic (though he had the material) but focused more on the groups needs, teaching to those in attendance. He no longer showed what he could do, but it always was there and shown in part.

 

Of course over that time I too changed and change is what happens.

 

I saw John’s own voice develop, his own presentation method. Much of what I saw in subsequent years I have shared with you.

 

This is just a part of what I came to realize.

 

Experience is much more valuable than assumptions about what anyone has.