On Sherman Harrill and Kobudo

 

 

Mark Radunz Harrill Sensei was quite accomplished with all aspects of mechanics and bunkai of the IR kobudo. He would have opened your eyes. And proved his points.

 

Bill Pogue mr harrill did teach how to search the kata for bunch. i never worked with kobudo with him because i suck at it and had my hands full with the empty hand katas.  

 

Victor Donald Smith

 

In 1977 When we held clinics with Harrill Sensei, one time we attempted him to teach some bo bo applications. But everyone there had different skills in the Tokomeni no Bo kata, and it quickly became evident there simply was not enough time to get all on the same page. He had great skill, but a clinic was not the time to get that across, at least in our case. We did have another bo clinic years later and that was a smaller group and it worked better. I guess it depends on the knowledge of the kata the participants possess for the best results.

 

Later at another clinic with Sherman in 2001 he did cover Bo in greater detail.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2lwKbj_7dw

 

Bill Pogue in talking to mr harrill, he told me that TS told him to find ten ways to use each move n kata. which he did, so basically he made up the bunkai. which is perfectly OK. harrills instruction in HOW to find application was much more important than copying what he did. too much to remember anyway, lol. I'm sure TS DID THIS BECASUE HE KNEW HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO TEACH ALL THE BUNKAI . i neve r learned much bunkai from my studies in shotokan or tang so do. the kungfu/kempo teacher taught all the bunkai (because he started with bunch and then formed the kata using other styles basic kata and substituting his waza

 

Victor Donald Smith My personal observation on the Isshinryu kubudo, they are less important for self defense against weapons, However their study is critically imporrtant for long term supplemental force enhancement for our kata application studies. All of those kobudo kata develop different handing skills which over 20 or so years help make kata applications more effective. More so as as your physical skills decline, those additional skills assist you make those applications remain effective. I noticed that was happening, and friends in diverse other systems had the same occurrence.