I was over 20 years into my own study of
Isshinryu and over 16 years into my study of tai chi when I learned an
important lesson that changes many things.
Now whe I learned Isshinryu under Tom Lewis
not much time was spent on kata application studies. There we used a different
very effective paradigm for our Isshinryu. Then years later I also began a study
of t’ai chi with Ernest Rothrock (the 108 form and straight sword). Again almost
no time was spent on the use of t’ai chi technique, focusing on developing
better technique.
Around 1988 I began my own study into the use
of Isshinryu kata potential.
Around 1984 I began to hear about Oyata
Sensei and his neck touch ko’s, but have no real interest in such I never
sought such training, content with my own studies.
Then in 1995 I met Sherman Harrill and was
floored by his clinic in New Hampshire. He demonstrated kata application after
kata application and so much more.
About 1 hour into that clinic he demonstrated
a method for striking into the arm in a variety of ways, each strike generating
intense pain on the strike. (I have a video of those technique strikes).
They got me to thinking and a bit later I
asked Sherman what would happen if they were used to strike into the neck.
Sherman then showed me various ways they could be used to do that (again I have video of those techniques),
That method of striking made sense to me and
I worked to retain them, making notes of them during the clinic.
A day later I slapped my forehead realizing
this hand formation was something I had been practicing in my years studying
Yang T’ai Chi Straight Sword. The hand position in the form for he hand not
holding the sword: known as the Secret Sword.
So I had been using it for a long time and
knew not what I had.
I have written about this before.
https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/search?q=Secret+sword
This
blog article shows Sherman showing me how that hand is used.
https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2022/08/one-plausible-answer-for-oyata-light.html
I
make no claim this is what Oyata Sensei did never studying with him. But to
anyone observing they would never see a difference.
Never cared about that. Just that it works, really effectively.
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